My kitchen backsplash choice came down to peel and stick tile or real ceramic

I was redoing my kitchen on a tight budget and the backsplash was the last big choice. It was between those new peel and stick tile sheets from a big box store or going with actual ceramic tile and thin-set mortar. The peel and stick was way cheaper, like $2 a square foot, and seemed easier. But I worried about heat from the stove and how long it would last. I went with the real ceramic tile in the end, a simple white subway tile. It took me a whole weekend and my arms were sore from mixing mortar, but it looks solid. The heat from my pans doesn't bother it at all and I know it'll hold up for years. Has anyone else used the peel and stick stuff and had it work out okay, or did you regret not going with real tile?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_fisher4818d ago

Honestly, my buddy tried the peel and stick stuff behind his stove. It started to warp and peel after a few months from the heat. Tbh, you made the right call going with real tile for the long run.

the_jenny18d ago

My cousin did the same thing with those sticky tiles in her old apartment. She thought it looked fine until her pasta pot boiled over and the steam made a whole section bubble up like plastic wrap. Totally agree with @mark_fisher48, that heat near a stove is no joke. It's one of those things where spending a bit more time and money upfront saves so much hassle later. What did you end up using to grout the real tile?