Hey all,

My wife and I decided we were going to update our kitchen a little bit. We refaced our cabinets this past weekend and intend on redoing the backsplash.

There is a tiled backsplash there currently, and apparently it was adhered very well to the sheet rock beneath. When I started to try to remove the tiles with a hammer and scraper chisel, large chunks of sheetrock started coming off no matter how careful I tried to be.

I decided to remove the backsplash entirely by removing the top and bottom row of tiles (below the cabinets / above the countertop), scoring just above/below the countertop/cabinets, cutting and removing the sheet rock and tiles. I cleaned up the edges so that they are flush with the top and bottom cut marks.

My question: What should I install in place of the sheetrock? I was thinking of replacing it with standard sheetrock, but then got to thinking whether or not I should be using some type of backer board, cement board or something that resists moisture/mold since it can potentially become wet. Additionally, there is not room to tape to the adjacent sheetrock since it is covered by the cabinets above and the countertop below. Do I need to tap or can I just secure it well to the studs?

One additional peice of information, one of the walls where the backsplash is to be installed (illustrated in the photo below) is an exterior wall. Not sure that will play a role in this, but figured I would mention it. Also - this is my very first attempt ever at redoing a backsplash and tiling. I still have one additional wall to demolish before I begin to put up the new backer. Your help and comments are greatly appreciated.

 

I don't think it really matters if you use drywall or cement board. The backsplash isn't considered a wet area like a shower stall. I'd use whichever was handiest. As long as the tile goes all the way to the bottom of the top cabinet no one will ever know it wasn't taped. IMO the only reason to tape any vertical joints would be if they would fall on a tile joint [grout line]

 

This is the mosiac I intend on installing.

 

As always. Marksr has good advice.
A few additional ideas:
Last year, we did a kitchen reno, which included a tile backsplash. The "old sheetrock" resembled the sheetrock in your pictures, and had to be replaced. Since we were replacing the cabinets, we had a full wall to work with, but there are some similarities to your project. I did the wall using 3 pieces of sheetrock-one on each side of the window, and the third piece under the window. That resulted in 2 vertical seams, each about 8 inches in length. We taped those, just in case we had a tile seam aligned with a sheetrock seam. I suppose, if your wall dimensions worked, that a single piece of sheetrock, "cut to fit", could give a "seamless" surface, but I doubt that the advantage would justify the aggravation (for me, at least) of trying to fit it into place!
I also replaced the (very old) insulation, and added a vapor barrier. You might want to consider checking your existing insulation and vapor barriers in the exposed area.
Good luck with your project.

 

Thanks to all for the advice. Before/After photo's for your enjoyment.

 

looks good thanks for the update!

 

OK... so the kitchen backsplash has been done for over a week now, however; I did not wipe up the "haze" within the recommended time interval suggested on the back of the ready-mix sanded grout. What I currently am faced with is streak-like grout water marks on the face of the tiles that is a real pain in the 'you know what' to get off. I first tried a soft dry cloth, and it hardly removed the material. I then tried dampening the cloth, and it takes ALOT of muscle and time to clear off a small area. I also attempted using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which worked a little better than the damp cloth, but still required alot of effort.

Is there an easier way to clean this off the face of the tile?

As I completed the grout I wiped down the excess with a sponge and then followed up with a damp micro-fiber cloth. The residual which was left on the face of the tiles didn't seem like alot, but apparently letting it sit for over 48 hours (due to work, my 6 mo. old son, and other schedule conflicts) wasn't the best thing I could have done to make my life any easier.

Any hints, tips or suggestions would be appreciated. I thought about using a dremel buffing or flapper wheel but I don't want it to be so abrasive that it starts dislodging grout from between the tiles.