I am currently tearing out the backsplash in my kitchen. The previous owner put up tile backsplash. The thing is, he didn't use just regular materials to put it up. It looks like he used liquid nails or some sort of glue to hold the backs of the tile down. So the combo of the two adhesive are making it impossible to get it totally clean.

Now behind my stove there is a piece of wood that is about a 1/4 of an inch thicker than the rest of the wall. Can I just put up more wood to make it the same thickness? Yes, the board is in a area where you can see it. Well until I put down my new backsplash.


What I'm REALLY looking to do is make it as smooth as possible before my new counters arrive this Friday.

Any help would be appreciated. If I shouldn't do this, is there a remover of some sort I can use?

 

Welcome to the forums

Can you post a pic or two?
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

Thanks, and thank you for the quick reply.

I'll give it a shot. It is really hard to tell from the pictures because it looks like there is tile still up but it is just the color of the tile on the wall. What exactly would you like to see a picture(s) of?

 

Sorry for the blurry pics, took them real quick. You can see in one that the wood is above the stove. My idea was to just put that same kind of wood up to make it flush with that. There is one outlet in the middle of the counter but it is in there loose and I could easily fit the wood behind it.

Thanks again.

 

This makes it sound like you're planning to face the entire wall with wood to make it flush with the piece above the stove. Is that correct?

What are you planning to to then? Paint it - stain it - mount tile on it? The best material to use may not be wood, depending on how you want to finish it out.

One more question: When you say "it is in there loose," are you referring to the electrical box the receptacle is in or the receptacle? Ween your wall is finished, the box needs to be securely mounted and flush with (within 1/8" of) the finished face of the wall. The receptacle needs to be securely mounted in the box and, being above a kitchen counter, needs to be GFCI protested.

 

Still undecided, either tile it with those sheets of mosaic tiles or use some sort of wall paneling. The lady really likes this shiny paneling stuff so she is trying to get me to do that.

Yes, I just want to make it flush with that piece of wood. I don't know if drywall or wood would be better. Thats why I joined up here to get some advice. So whatever you guys say will work, I'll be running down to home depot to get it.

The tile that was there was holding it all tight. Now it's loose, because I have it all taken down. Once I screw it back in, it'll be all tight.

 

If you're going to finish out with wood paneling, then plywood would be the choice for the leveling material. If you're going to tile it, then backer board would be a better choice. Greenboard might also work. There are other members who know a lot more than I do about tiling, and they may be along with better advice.

One comment and one question:

"If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"

Who does most of the cooking and cleaning up in your house?

 

Thanks, and I'm assuming backer board has options as far as depth goes? That paneling stuff goes up with just glue of some sort. Specifically made for the panels. So just so I'm clear, I'll be fine just covering that stuff up? Shouldn't cause any issues?

Exactly what I was thinking. My mom always said if the lady isn't happy you won't be happy.

As far as cooking and cleaning go. I do more of the cooking and she does the clean up. So I've already ordered her the undermount sink and faucet she wanted.

 

You aren't gonna like what I have to say, BUT, you are not going to have a happy day taking out all that tile. Once you do get it all out whatever you have left will look like a war zone. If I were doing it (preface: I do it for a living), I would take all the tile down, remove the stove, remove all the sheetrock over the countertops and behind the stove and start with new sheetrock/greenboard. Either will work fine in this situation since it is not a wet area, unless you wash the dog in the sink! You don't necessarily have to finish the sheetrock to perfection as you will be installing nice new 2x2 earthtone tiles in 12 x 12 sheets, grouting in a semi lighter color than the tile, and wifey will love it!!!

 

I've never really worked with sheet rock on my own. So you're saying I should cut it all down? and then start fresh? I started diggin around back there and found out that there isn't even sheet rock behind there now. It is some sort of thin board, maybe thin plywood. What would you suggest that I use to cut it down with? Really don't want to take a skil saw to my wall, would hate to hit any electrical. Not sure if this matters, this side where all the tile was, isn't the sink side. There is nothing over there but countertop and stove. Does that make a difference?

 

OK, I was not drawn to the correct part of the pictures. I see the spanner board below the cabinetry in the stove alcove, now. It appears to be screwed in. Is it separate from the cabinetry? I have never seen a piece like this as part of the carcasses. If it can be removed, I would remove it. You want as smooth a wall as possible for the tile. Having it there will cause problems with the tile, and I wouldn't add wood or sheetrock to what was already there.
You say there is only wood behind the stove? Can you remove the sheetrock to a level equal to the top of the countertop, then? Reason is for appearance after you tile. You want to tile behind the control panel of the stove. Not necessarily all the way to the floor, as it would be a waste of tile and time. Use a utility knife and score the edged of the sheetrock and pull it off the wall. Start by using a hammer to poke a hand hole in it and start pulling. It will appear difficult at first, but once you have it all removed and bare studs there, you can see what needs to be done as far as putting up new sheetrock. You may even have to put in a couple of what we call "nailers", which are 2x4's sistered to ones that just don't allow enough edge to attach the rock to. With a level playing field, your tile will look really great, and will compliment your countertops.

 

The board up above the stove I believe was there to mount the microwave to. I removed the microwave and am installing a stainless hood there. The wood appears to be glued down. My initial thinking was that there wasn't enough support so he added this board to make up the difference.

The counter guys already came in, the left me a little room to slide a thin piece of sheetrock or wood behind them. Trying to talk to the people at Home Depot and even showing them pictures is a pain. I'm glad that you guys are here to give some guidance. Oh and I don't think we are going to be tiling the backsplach. Going for something a little different, maybe metal or something along those lines.


The guy who owned the house was a contractor. After seeing his work, I'm starting to wonder if he knew all the things to do to not get caught in the inspection and give me a house with issues. The house isn't old (for my area) built in the 60's and is in a very good neighborhood. I can't complain that much, just annoyed with what I've been finding around here, now that I started taking stuff down.

 

If you haven't pulled the sheetrock and the countertops are in place with a little gap, you could do as you say and install metal backing. Pardon the cell phone pix with a dirty lens, but here's one we did for a client, and bordered it all with matching slip on edging. Looked good, but a little too high for my liking. Customer is always right.

Attachment 2900

 

Are those 6" squares in the metal?

 

@ Chandler, Yes. The counters are installed and the left a little room behind them for us (me) to do something like that. I'm looking to order something in stainless or brushed color. My granite is dark colored. Hoping to have everything done by this coming weekend.

So far been working on this for 6 or so days. Cabinets are all installed, new fridge installed. Had to go back to H.D. and get another gas kit for my stove. Pretty annoyed with that. Then still have the dishwasher to install. The granite guys forgot to install the piece of wood to mount the dishwasher to, so gotta get on that tomorrow.

I'm having a hard time finding a stainless/brushed colored hood that goes under cabinets and will match LG appliance color. No one seems to know if it'll match or be close. My town only has 2 different hoods, one black, one white. Anyone have suggestions? I'm looking at this Zephyr 30" Zephyr AK1100 30" Breeze I Under Cabinet Range Hood with 250 CFM Internal Blower and 3-Way Ducting