8/3

Adventures with Peel & Stick Subway Tile!

Budget: $$, D.I.Y. Project, Home Decor, One Day Project
By Elsie Larson

Adventures in stick on subway tile via A Beautiful MessHey, guys! I am so incredibly excited about today’s post. As you know I have a major affinity for subway tile. We used it quite a bit in our home remodel. But the installation is both expensive and messy! So in an effort to save some money (and also just try something new!), we decided to use stick on subway tile in our laundry room for the walls surrounding the washer, dryer and sink.

I spent quite a bit of time searching for the perfect tile design. You can find them all over from the big box stores to smaller companies, but ultimately I chose these tiles from Amazon.

My new-ish project assistant, Collin, installed the tiles. So I’m going to hand it over to him to share some tips on installation! He’s been working with me for several months (behind-the-scenes on a big 10-room magazine shoot we just did!), and now he’s going to help more with DIYs. I never have enough hours in the week to try all the ideas I want to try! Anyway! I’m going to hand it over to him to share the secrets to a really nice installation for your stick on tiles.

Faux tile 1Cutting: Using a ruler, X-Acto knife and cutting mat, measure your cutting points and score over and over until you cut through the tile. This material is pretty rubbery, so be sure to hold it down/straight while cutting.

Faux tile 2Faux tile 2Faux tile 2Sticking: When sticking, start from the top, peel down about an inch and line it up, and then continue pulling and sticking slowly. If you pull the entire backing off and try to stick it on all at once, it’s easy to mess up the alignment. So take it slow.

Caulking: I added some white silicone-base waterproof caulk around the sink to make sure it was completely waterproof. You might not need this step if your area won’t get wet, although it does make the edges look nicer!

Warning: It is very sticky! Once it is stuck, it IS STUCK. It will literally rip off your drywall if you try to remove it. For this reason, we wouldn’t classify this project under “renter friendly” unless your landlord is OK with you adding these permanent stick on tiles, of course!

Faux tile 5Measuring to order the correct amount: This tile is a little annoying because each piece is less than a square foot. We ended up having to order more halfway through! Be sure to check the exact measurement of whatever tile you choose and measure your wall to determine the correct amount.

Adventures in stick on subway tile via A Beautiful Mess (back to Elsie now…) I’m really excited about how this came out. It looks GORGEOUS. So fresh and clean, and the tiles really feel like they will functionally be JUST as good as real tile. It is extremely durable and easy to clean.

Adventures in stick on subway tile via A Beautiful Mess Oh! And I know you’re probably curious about cost! These tiles cost us about $600 for the two large walls we wanted to cover (it would  be much cheaper if you just did a backsplash). That means that the price was about half of what it would have been to buy the cheapest subway tile and get it installed professionally. So a pretty good way to save a few bucks.

After doing this, I would definitely recommend it and do it again, especially for a lower priority room like a laundry room or a bathroom. If you had to prioritize real tile in only one room, I would personally choose the kitchen 100% of the time.

Alrighty! I know you probably want to see pulled-back photos, and I promise they are coming soon! We’re polishing up details, and this laundry room will be our next room tour VERY SOON. So excited. On a personal note – it makes such a HUGE difference to love your laundry room. I’m really happy we knocked it out now instead of waiting 2-3 years like we easily could have. xx -Elsie

Credits//Author and Photography: Elsie Larson and Collin DuPree. 

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