DIY Tile Installation: How to Tile a Backsplash or Powder Room Like a Pro

The BroLaws
Jun 9
3 min read

Trowel on green bucket against hexagonal tile background with text: DIY Tile Installation, How to Tile a Backsplash or Powder Room.

Nothing screams ‘I’ve got my life together’ like a perfectly tiled wall, even if the rest of your reno is still drywall and dreams. Whether you’re upgrading a kitchen backsplash that’s stuck in 2002 or adding some wow factor to a small powder room, tiling is one of those DIYs that looks intimidating but is totally doable. And we’re here to show you how.

This beginner-friendly how-to covers everything you need to tile like a pro using tools and materials you can grab at Home Hardware. Let’s get into it.

Why Tile? Because Plain Walls Are Boring

Tiling adds instant style and serious value without tearing your house apart. Here's why it’s one of our go-to upgrades:

It looks high-end without a high price tag
You can clean it with a quick wipe
Design options are endless, so go wild
It’s a great weekend project, especially for beginners

Backsplashes and powder rooms are the ideal places to start. Just enough wall to make an impact, without making you sweat.

What You’ll Need to Tile Like a BroLaw

Everything listed is available at Home Hardware (our personal favourite) or your local hardware store.

Materials

Tile (ceramic, porcelain, or peel-and-stick for beginners)
Tile adhesive (pre-mixed or thinset)
Grout

Tools

Notched trowel
Tile spacers
Slide tile cutter
Sponge and bucket
Grout float
Level
Safety gear (goggles and gloves)

BroLaws Pro Tip: Peel-and-stick tile is perfect if you're nervous. It’s like training wheels that actually look good.

Step-by-Step: How to Tile a Backsplash or Powder Room Wall

1. Prep the Surface

Clean and dry the wall. Remove outlet covers. Lay down a drop cloth to catch stray adhesive or tile bits. ~ Starting with peel-and-stick? Just measure, mark, and stick.

2. Plan the Layout

Find the center line of the wall. Dry-fit your tiles so you can see the full layout. Avoid tiny cuts at the edges. They’re awkward and hard to install cleanly.

Hands in a blue shirt place a mosaic tile on a white tiled kitchen backsplash. Bright setting with white countertops; no visible text.

3. Spread the Adhesive and Apply Tiles

Use the notched trowel to apply a thin, even layer.

A hand uses a trowel to spread gray cement with curved grooves on a surface, creating a textured pattern. No text visible.

Press tiles firmly into place with spacers in between.

Hand pressing a white tile onto adhesive on a wall, surrounded by aligned tiles. Cream-colored background; no visible text.

4. Make Your Cuts

Use a slide tile cutter for clean, accurate cuts. Measure twice, cut once, and wear your safety glasses. Cut tiles for edges, outlets, and corners with care and confidence.

A good tile cutter makes the whole job easier and keeps your hands clear of sharp edges.

Man in an orange shirt and blue pants kneeling, cutting a tile with a tool indoors. A calm, focused mood. White background with a red pen.

5. Let It Set

Allow the adhesive to cure for at least 24 hours. This is your chance to admire your work and maybe send a humble brag to your group chat.

Blue and white mosaic tiles in a grid pattern, featuring varying shades and abstract designs against a neutral background.

6. Grout the Joints

Use the float to press grout firmly into the joints. Wipe off excess with a damp sponge, working diagonally across the tiles.Don’t rush the process. Pulling grout too early can ruin the finish.

Hand using a trowel to spread grout on light gray marble tiles, creating a smooth surface. The setting appears to be a bathroom or kitchen.

7. Final Clean and Optional Seal

After the grout has dried, buff away any haze with a clean cloth.Want to go the extra mile? Use a grout sealer to protect from stains and water damage.

Yellow-gloved hand cleaning white circular tile wall with blue sponge, creating soapy foam. Stainless steel trim visible below.

Pro Tips for a Clean Finish

Use painter's tape to keep edges clean around trim and outlets
Wait before wiping the grout so it sets properly
A laser level helps keep rows straight without guessing

You don’t need years of jobsite experience to tile like a pro. With the right tools from Home Hardware, some smart planning, and a little patience, you can get a professional finish without ever picking up the phone to call someone else.

Take your time, measure everything twice, and keep those tile lines straight. The end result is going to make you feel like a DIY rockstar. And if things don’t go as planned, you know where to find us.

Watch the Full DIY Masterclass on Tiling

Prefer to learn by watching? We’ve got you. Check out our full TV segment where we walk through the exact process of tiling a backsplash from start to finish. See the tools in action, get pro tips in real time, and feel way more confident taking on your own project after watching.

Show Us What You Built

Finished your first tiling job? We want to see it. Tag us @brolawsrus or send it our way. Want us to handle the rest of the reno? We’ve got you covered there too.