To the OP: make the framing smaller, so you no longer have to concern yourself with the thickness of the backerboard. It's a FIVE inch piece of framing so don't overbuild it: make it small (thin) and then after it's got backerboard on it, it will line up with the plane of your concrete wall. -- - - BTW, to cover a five inch space, you CAN use 1/4" backerboard because it only crosses about one inch of empty space between the top and the lower pieces of wood...... -- - - BTW, if you totally need to use products that are warranteed for every square inch, get 1/4" Hardi, because Hardi is made for this application, when the empty (unsupported) space is even larger. To the second and third posters: as far as i know, you CAN use the m-word on a vertical surface and that includes a backsplash, and the tiles can be large if you tile real slow (days and weeks) and use spacers to support the weight while it dries and hardens in place. This makes use of the one big advantage of mastic, its ever-ready state in the tub. Thinset has to be mixed just right and then applied all in one go. Homeowners can enjoy doing a tile a day with mastic on a vertical surface; professionals can't. Hope I'm helping. -david

Thanks for all the advice. I think I like the bullnose or quarter round options best. We weren't trying to call attention to the end. We just wanted it to look natural. I just got back from the ceramics store. They are going to call the manufacturer on Monday to see if they have a bullnose option. The other option they are looking into what the catalog calls a box liner. It would run vertical and be a little taller than the other tile. The ceramics store thought that could be applied after the rest is complete. I'll email to ask about a quarter round option too to see if that could be done the same way. Fortunately, the installer has only glued the tiles to the back at this point. It's not ideal but at least the grout / sealer isn't on yet. Thanks again for all the advice. Since time is short, I appreciate that I'll have some options to discuss with our remodeler on Monday.

1) 1/4" or 3/16". Anything less, especially with 4x4 tumbled stone, and you can very easily run into trouble due to sizing of the tile. 2) Above advice is very good. Listen to it. 3) You have two kinds of penetrating sealers, neither of which should add any kind of luster to the stone. The standard penetrating sealer, which is what most people use, will leave the stone looking exactly as it did BEFORE you sealed it. An enhancer will also leave the finish the same, but it'll bring out the color and veining of the stone-- what some will call the "wet look" sealer. If you're going to use an enhancer, you should use it before you grout, so that you won't change the look of the grout, as well (darken it). If you WANT to change the look afterward, you still can, but atleast this way you have the option. If you wish NOT to darken the grout, then do the final sealing after grouting using a standard penetrating sealer, preferrably from the same manufacturer, so there won't be a reaction between the two. I am putting the travertine on top of a 4 in granite backsplash and am wondering if I should still use a spacer under the travertine. Some people say you don;t need a space for caulk because of the granite. Some people need to change their way of thinking. There's even a new pro who came in here the other night saying exactly that. There needs to be a joint there so that it can be caulked, and the caulking will have that joint with which to anchor itself. Without that joint, the caulking will end up peeling away in no time. Use at the very least, a marble wedge for where the marble meets the granite. Also why thinset and how hard is it to mix and how long does it last before it gets hard worktime. Because mastic has a nasty habit of putting an oil stain into the stone that can take months before it evaporates. The worst is it's not and even staining when it occurs. It's more of a mottled appearance, and can make your project look like crap for a long time. As for the thinset, use a latex modified white thinset as suggested above. Your best bet would be to get a mixing paddle for a good heavy duty drill, and mix with that. You want the consistancy to be as such that it'll just about hold its shape when you pull the drill out of it. You don't want it super stiff, because then it won't bond well, either with the tile or with the wall, and too loose, you'll have a problem getting it on the wall, and it'll weaken the bond. Remember-- just to the point where it'll hold its shape when you pull the drill out. Pot life's about 45 minutes to an hour.

cigi, in our last house the previous owner installed tumbled marble in a mauvish tone which IMO looked awful with the St Cecilia granite. Even though the tile was expensive, I tore them off and left the 4" granite backsplash, patched and painted the rest of the wall. The sink was the only working area as the cooktop was on the island. No problem with water as I used BM Aura, but Pittsburgh Paint's Manor Hall Timeless is just as good with a more flat look and lifetime warranty. I'm pondering the issue for my current redo. In various houses I've had paint, wallpaper, white tile with abalone inserts, plain white tile. Right now I'm weighing white tile with a beautiful insert, just paint with no granite backsplash since this area has only a counter but no cooking/wet functions, paint with granite backsplash, or a simple glass tile backsplash with listello over it a la Chinchette. I'm attaching a photo from Chinchette's beautiful kitchen (hope she doesn't mind seeing hers cited as a great example) which shows the last option. In any event, I echo others' advice to not worry about that decision immediately unless you absolutely love a certain look. Just use good paint. Here is a link that might be useful: