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Subway Tile: Kitchen Backsplash Tile Designs – Blends With Modern & Traditional
Subway tile has made its way into new homes and remodeled kitchens for many years now. You can use it to give your kitchen a classic elegance with a timeless feel.
There are so many type of materials used for subway tile including ceramic, porcelain, glass and natural stone.
Not only are there different materials to choose from, there are also attractive tiles you can get that include raised designs, unusual design graphics, and textures that may be perfect for your new kitchen design. By using one of these unique tiles, you can add a personalized touch to your
kitchen backsplash designs.
How it Became Popular
As most people know, subway tile got its name from the New York City subway that were opened in the early 1900's. This material became the model for subway finishes all over the world for its clean look and easy maintenance.
The original standard size was 2" x 6" but that changed over the years to 3" x 6." Today it is made in many sizes that give you flexibility with your design.
These tiles are commonly installed in a running bond pattern similar to brickwork. But today, changing up the design can give you a different look that you may be after. Tiles are now laid so that the joints line up on the ends.
They are also laid offset with a staggered appearance so that the vertical joints are only a couple of inches apart and don't break in the center of the tile that is above it. They are even being arranged so that the longest dimension of the tile is set vertically.
Design Ideas
What has become popular is to use a standard ceramic or porcelain subway tile with some type of design or band that runs thorough it using a glass tile (see the video on this page as an example). The banding is often finished with larger tiles or with smaller mosaic glass tile.
When using subway tile by itself, most homeowners use the same color material for the entire backsplash while other alternate colors for a checkerboard look. Sometimes a couple colors are seen that are placed together in a random pattern for a distinctive look.
Or maybe you want to use glass subway tile for the entire backsplash. This will give you a striking modern appearance that is perfect for a
contemporary kitchen design.
See how to install subway tile in this video.
Grout Joints
Some installers will put wide grout joints between the tiles. This may look good to some people because you see it often, but the tiles were originally designed to fit together tightly.
Keeping the grout joints narrow makes the grout almost invisible instead of making it a feature of the work. Also most homeowners choose a grout that will match the tile making the backsplash uniform in appearance.
Whether you want a wide or narrow grout joint is your choice. When it comes to your grout, it's best to use an epoxy or latex grout that gives a sealed joint and helps to keep stains to a minimum.
A lot of this type of tile has a smooth surface that makes it easy to clean. Glass, ceramic, or porcelain will hold up to the messiest of spatters. But if you use a natural stone, it is best to seal it for added protection.
A couple of the benefits of this type of material is that there is a large selection at affordable prices. This will give you the updated look that you want and stay within your budget. With all the colors, materials, and finishes that you can get, you're sure to find the perfect subway tile for your kitchen backsplash.
As most people know, subway tile got its name from the New York City subway that were opened in the early 1900's. This material became the model for subway finishes all over the world for its clean look and easy maintenance.
