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Edges for glass mosaic backsplash - necessary?

analysisparalysis

13 years ago

I am still debating about how much of my backsplash I want tiles versus just painted. My cabinets will be "patterned" in that they'll be quartersawn oak. My floor is busy - a swirly cork. So I don't think I want the whole backsplash to have much pattern to it everywhere. But...my question then, is do I have to put an "edge" along the border of my tiles? I'm going to use the 3/4"x3/4" glass mosaics (the ones that come attached to mesh), and at the moment, I'm inclined to perhaps just put them in the 36" width of wall between my cooktop and the vent above. Do I have to "cap" the two exposed sides, then? Has anyone left a glass mosaic edge exposed - and if so, does it look funny? If I do have to edge it, would you do just the sides, or along the countertop and under the hood also (forming a "box", so to speak)?

I don't know if it's needed, but in case anyone feels that seeing the tiles would help them answer the question, the link is below. I think the copper shimmer in the tiles will go nicely with my copper countertop on the island across the aisle. I may also use this in a small bar area that is adjacent to the perimeter wall (there is just a 6" section of wall above the counter before a shelf begins - this might be a nice way to fill that space).

Thanks for any thoughts!

AP

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiles

Comments (8)

Stacey Collins
13 years ago
I left the edges of my glass tiles exposed in both by master bathroom and the kitchen backsplash in my old house.The first time I did it I was worried it would look weird. But it looks great! Glass tiles don't have an "unfinished" edge like glazed ones do. Just grout that edge carefully, and run a bead of caulk along it, cleaning it up well so that all it does is fill in any grout lines that might be gapping in from the edges.

One other thing.... Is it possible for you to remove the hood and tile up behind it? If not, make sure that you caulk the HECK out of the top edge where it meets the hood. I didn't pay close enough attention to that edge in my old house, and over the years, grease (from the air going up the hood) dripped down behind the tiles. Since they were translucent, you could see the stain, and it was impossible to clean.
analysisparalysis
Original Author
13 years ago
Stacey, thank you so much! Both for the affirmation that I can leave the tile edges exposed, but also for the tip about the grease - I truly never would have thought of that! I don't think I can go up behind the hood, though - it's one of those "triangular" hoods that narrows to the chimney, and then the chimney will run up the wall - and beyond that, we'll have the "stairstep" look with the cabinets, so it would look weird to just stop it at the top. And I really don't want the tile to go higher than the bottom of the hood if I can avoid it. What if I caulk like crazy at the top edge of the tiles, where it meets the hood? That should stop most of it, right?
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I am planning a small kitchen going in this summer and am having the same debate. For cleanliness, I struggle with no backsplash whatsoever. We slop around too much or someone spills and I am always wiping the countertops back to the backsplash. My painted walls would not hold up. You have a better chance of getting away with it with your prep area and sink on the island. I am going with Cambria and what I like about them is they offer a thin backsplash. I am seriously considering the thin Cambria behind the range and 4" up all the way around. I like the look of the thin backsplashes vs the chunky ones that come with granite. If I do decide to tile it is going to be a simple solid, probably small brick pattern that highlights one of the colors in my Cambria. Palimpsest - interesting idea back painting glass especially behind the range. How did you attach it to the wall?
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So tired of hearing " but that will make it look dated" or "it wouldn't be good for resale" Everything is going to be dated at some point, the kitchen designers, cabinet companies and appliance companies make sure of that. Example: stainless steel appliances were just coming on the market 15 years ago when we gutted our kitchen for a remodel. It was hard for me to find stainless in my area at that time, I live in a small mid western town. So, have you noticed in the past few years appliance companies have been trying to bring out new colors, grayed looking stainless, now ice white etc. they are trying to make people think their stainless appliances are soon going to be "dated". But I have read in several articles that stainless is still the number one choice. I chose a cinnamon stained cherry wood for our new build. I thought about white because that is the trend right now, but I reasoned cherry cabinets will always be in style while the white trend Has just a few more years. I won't be a slave to trends. Just my opinion.
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gsciencechick
13 years ago
Someone else posted a similar question a few weeks ago. No, we did not use edge pieces on our glass mosaics either, and it looks fine. Although, I agree, caulking the edges makes it look more "finished", very subtle. Yes, I did caulk at the top where the tiles meet the vent hood.
analysisparalysis
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh - I'm sorry for the duplicate post! I searched the forum, using both the internal search and Google, but didn't see it. I apologize for that!

Thank you for the added input - we'll definitely caulk along all four edges. Did you use a caulk that matched your tiles, or just a clear silicone bead?
Stacey Collins
13 years ago
Use the caulk that matches your tiles, for sure. Clear silicone will stand out and look weird, especially after time. The matching caulk blends right in to the grout.
rhome410
13 years ago
Yes, use the caulk to match your grout. We also have glass tiles in one of our bathrooms with nothing but the caulk along the top edge.
gsciencechick
13 years ago
No biggie. The forum crashes from time to time and older posts get lost. Yes, definitely use the caulk that matches the backsplash. I used caulk from the same manufacturer of the grout, so it matches really well.
rjr220
13 years ago
I also think that it depends on if you are going to end with a full, or cut tile. On mine, there was going to be a partial tile at the end. Our tile was front paper mounted, not mesh, so the tilesetter couldn't use a wet saw, so the edges would be rough and jagged. Not pretty. So we elected to finish that edge with a cut bullnose tile.

It totally blends in and you don't even notice it.

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