Hello Calypso,
The rule of thumb is "cuts should be larger than halves". With a running-bond pattern, this isn't possible as whenever you have a tile larger than one-half, the next course will be correspondingly smaller than one-half. One way to minimize this effect is to offset the courses by one-third, instead of one-half? Another method is to adjust your perimeter so as to allow a larger cut, so that even the smaller cuts aren't as conspicuous. This second solution isn't always possible though, especially in situations where the tile is required to align with physical features like window frames, shower curbs, etc.
Have you discussed your disappointment with your installer yet? Sometimes he or she can reasonably explain the choices made on your behalf, and everyone gets to be happy again? Ultimately, as the customer you need to be the happiest though. If their treatment meets industry standards, but you still don't like it, then you may have to pay for the changes? If their treatment isn't a generally accepted compromise, then it's reasonable to expect them to make the changes on their own time and out of their own pocket.
Did you have any drawings agreed upon with the contract?
Shaughnn

This is what has happened:

Okay. This is a kitchen backsplash, correct? Are there similar cuts at the other end of this run?
Your installer should have shimmed the tile up off of the counter top to allow for a flexible caulk joint. The horizontal joints should be better aligned but that *might* be a quality of the tile and not entirely the installer's fault. The vertical joint at the corner should be of a consistent width.
My impression from just this view is that it's not a top-notch installation and I would suggest a complimentary grout color over a contrasting grout color to minimize the irregularity of the grout joints.
Do you have any other views?
Shaughnn

What Shaughnn said. Not the best I've seen, but certainly not the worst.

Well said men.

These tile layouts need to be decided way way back in the picture.

Before electrical and plumbing installs happen even if you want all your bases covered.

Layout should take a good hour or two to discuss all options and install methods. Don't settle for work you have agreed to be down one way. Don't complain on a Tuesday if no review was made on Monday.

A top knotch GC should be handling these day by day's so you don't need to worry. If you don't have a GC make sure your tile guy knows in advance so he can allow enough time to give you the most options...

JW

He didn't do a tile layout, nor did he use spacers. He started laying the tile on the door trim end, then ended up how he did in the first photo. Then he started the new, main wall running behind the range, went past the sink, and ended up how he did in the second photo. When the side wall on the right gets put up, the lines it makes with those tiny slivers is awful. The tiles are handmade subway tiles from Waterworks, and I know they are slightly uneven, etc. That doesn't bother me. But the fact that overall it looks awful to me and nothing was planned beforehand killed me. We do have a GC. He wasn't even around. He just sent the tile guy. The GC came over last night, agreed it looked bad, and took it all down tile by tile. I spent all of last night trying to figure out mathematically how best to do this layout to avoid so many tiny slivers in all the corners, and did layouts myself.

Regarding the main wall, if he had started the tile in the middle, we would have ended up with "slivers" of 2 inches on either side, then 5 inches on top, then 2 inches, then 5 etc. Isn't that better than ending up with all the uneven slivers, some that are less than 1 inch??

Hi again Calypso,
Yes, it does sound like the 5"/2" balanced layout is your best solution here. When they go to install your tile, INSIST that the installer use some sort of a spacer. I've had some very good success using "mason's string" as a spacer for hand-made "subway" tile. The point of it is that without even a minimal grout joint, you've got glazed tile directly pressing against glazed tile and eventually you are going to experience stress fractures. There should also be a 1/16" joint under the bottom course for a flexible caulk joint (I use horseshoe shims). If your GC needs an explanation of the "mason's string" technique, he's welcome to call me (425-306-8884)
Tell your GC also that you're okay with the installer using his hand-cutter for the concealed cuts but the exposed cuts need to be made with a wet saw, and polished with a stone. Some of the installer's cuts in that corner was "snaggley" (a technical term).
Shaughnn

Hi again Calypso,
Yes, it does sound like the 5"/2" balanced layout is your best solution here. When they go to install your tile, INSIST that the installer use some sort of a spacer. I've had some very good success using "mason's string" as a spacer for hand-made "subway" tile. The point of it is that without even a minimal grout joint, you've got glazed tile directly pressing against glazed tile and eventually you are going to experience stress fractures. There should also be a 1/16" joint under the bottom course for a flexible caulk joint (I use horseshoe shims). If your GC needs an explanation of the "mason's string" technique, he's welcome to call me (425-306-8884)
Tell your GC also that you're okay with the installer using his hand-cutter for the concealed cuts but the exposed cuts need to be made with a wet saw, and polished with a stone. Some of the installer's cuts in that corner was "snaggley" (a technical term).
Shaughnn

Those "snaggley" cuts on the end are a horror show to me. I understand that our wall is not perfectly straight. But does that mean that the tiles that butt up against the corner are going to have to be cut slanted/diagonally? Because that's how some of them look.

Thanks very much for the advice. I'm going to map the whole thing out myself.

Basically there is no way to avoid slivers though, right? But there is a way to avoid tiny slivers? 2 inches still seems pretty small to me, but if that's what I'm stuck with, then so bet it.

Our main wall is 84 inches (potentially 83.5 inches in some spots).

There *is* a way to avoid those slivers, but it means a dramatic design change. Going from a razor-joint to a joint width of 1/16" should effectively spread your layout to consume that 1" sliver. A joint change to 1/8" would definitely do the job. but either of those choices will also lift the top edge of your layout and potentially create smaller cuts under the cabinets??
One other benefit of a wider joint is that the inconsistencies of the hand-cut tile will less awkward and give the project a more refined appearance.
Shaughnn

So is this a matter of me laying out my tiles in my space and seeing what looks best? Or are there other things I need to take into account?

It should be a matter of your tile setter laying out the tiles to see what looks best. He or she needs to have a plan before starting rather than just starting whilly-nilly and hoping for the best. You should not have to go through all of the layout work yourself when you are paying someone to do it, although I can understand you doing the layout yourself after the hack job you got the first time around. Tell your GC you expect to see a layout drawing for your approval before any more tile is set. I would also ask for pics of any potential tile setter's work.

Hi,

I am planning my kitchen backsplash with 3x6 tiles and having a hard time planning my layout. I want it to look good with no slivers and a wrap around look would be nice but what is the best method to layout my tile? Do I physically layout the tile on my counter to see how the first row lines up? Do I measure my wall and divide by 6 to figure out what is left on the ends? Do I start at my center line and work towards the corners? I have the American Olean tile with the spacers built into the tile.

If you want, take pictures of your kitchen, or draw a diagram (complete with dimensions), and email it to me, and I'll lay it out for you. There's a little more to it than that because of the brick joint.

I have the same problem with the subway tile job done today. take a look. I have a gc. tile guy tried to make a mitered corner with a bull nose and had to split it. nice slivers, huh.

I have to say that after seeing so many of these type of posts I am thinking subway is not what I want. Or if I go that route, I will at least use a grout color that matches the tile...

don't let my pics discourage you. subway tile is wonderful to look at -- just make sure the guy knows what he is doing and has done it before.

you get what you pay for when letting a low pice point guide youre decision making, illtelluwhat

We've tiled walls and backsplashes ourselves several times. We spent hours with the layout before we ever began the actual tiling. I used large cardboard and carefully measured the walls and took grout lines into account. Then drew it all out. We preferred to split a tile at corners so that each side had half of it or at least more than just a sliver. Sometimes if it is impossible to avoid a sliver at one end, you can gradually cheat your grout lines just a wee bit and over many tiles, it will eliminate the sliver.

Thanks for your feedback and more would be appreciated. I paid dearly for this tile job; i did not try to pinch pennies. i hired a gc and he has a tiler he used. they are both blaming the crooked walls in the kitchen for the slivers in the corners and for making crappy mitered corners. here are a few pics.

the gc wants to tear out the tiles, make the wall level and straight and then tile over it again -- he says this will eliminate slivers in the corners. i'm leary to say the least. i'm posting slivers in corners and a mitered edge that sticks out. lippage? any thoughts?

a question for anyone is -- do you think i need to backspash tile this wall? can i just have the quartzite counter top meet the wall. will it look strange?

sorry, i think i posted the same pic twice. the mitered corner has a triangle in it?? i don't know why he didn't use bull nose corners.

help.

Are you thinking of just ditching the tile alltogether and having the countertop butt up against drywall/plaster? That can definitely be done and functions fine. Only issue I have had is more wear and tear on my paint (choose something scrubbable). I think it would look okay, we're just used to seeing every kitchen all finished out with a backsplash.

It sounds like your GC is willing to make this right, and definitely sees the same issues. That's half the battle right there! Maybe he's worth another chance.

Wonky walls can cause little slivers, but you just need someone to take their time to look at the layout and nudge spacing as needed so you can avoid them. We were dealing with 1/16" spacers, and would shift tiles just a little bit more or really tight on the spacers as needed.

thanks for your help. the gc wants to remove the side wall backsplash next to the sink, that is, remove the subway tiles that the tiler just put up two days ago, he said to "float" some drywall to build out the side wall enough to cover the slivers that are left in the corner; he says this will cover up the slivers. then retile with the subways. what if the corners don't match again?

how is it possible to build out a wall to cover slivers that are located on the other wall where the corner meets? i'm think this fix sounds so ridiculous i'm afraid to agree to it.

this problem could have been avoided but the tiler won't answer my questions -- i asked him if he had ever done subway tiling before and he answered with a smirk. i've had quite an education getting my kitchen retiled. it's been horrible but i'll know better next time (which there won't be) what to demand. the gc is offering this fix and i'm at a standstill because it sounds weird to build up a wall to make a new corner so as to cover slivers left by a tiler.

i can't get a good shot of the slivers in the corner but they are there.

check out the patched mitered corner!

thanks

I'm no pro here, so correct me if I'm wrong, but:

1. The mitered corners. If he had started with a half tile on the end, on the bottom row, then the mitered corner at the top would look how it's supposed to, not pieced together.

2.On the back wall, if he starts tiling the inside corner first, there would be no need for the sliver tiled cuts. He might have to adjust the ending in or out a couple inches, but it would certainly look better.

The rough, jagged snap cuts at the top just under the upper cabinets tells me the installer is a DIY'er at best. Any reputable installer would have stoned those edges. The attached photo is one that I'm working on now. Offset & diagonal patterns are folded around corners. I changed to a 1/3 offset from 1/2 as I would have encountered your situation.