Subway Tile Backsplash Ideas: Layouts, Sizes and Materials

The short answer: for a backsplash that will still look right in ten years, use white 3-by-6-inch subway tile in the classic brick layout. Pair it with grout a shade or two darker than the tile.

To make it feel newer, change just one thing: the layout, the tile size or the material. Change all three at once and it stops looking like subway tile and starts looking busy. Below is what each choice does to the look, which kitchens it suits, and how much harder it makes the job.

Pick your idea first. Then work out how much tile to buy and which grout color to use.

Layouts: the biggest change for the least money

The layout changes the whole feel of the wall. Most layouts use about the same amount of tile. Herringbone and chevron are the exceptions, because every row ends in angled cuts.

Classic brick (half offset). Each row shifts half a tile, like a brick wall. It’s the look most people picture, and it suits any kitchen, from farmhouse to plain modern. Lowe’s step-by-step guide is written for exactly this: 3-by-6 tile in a brick layout. In our view it’s also the easiest to get right, because the staggered joints hide small errors.

One-third offset. Each row shifts a third of a tile instead of half. It reads a little more relaxed and modern. It matters most with long tiles. Arizona Tile says that for rectangular tiles 15 inches or longer, the offset shouldn’t go past 33% unless the tile maker says otherwise. Long tiles can bow slightly, and a half offset puts a high edge next to a low one.

Straight stack. Tiles sit in a grid, with every joint lined up. It looks clean and modern, and it pairs well with flat-front cabinets. In our view it’s less forgiving: with no stagger, a crooked line runs the full height of the wall where everyone can see it. Take more care with your level.

Vertical stack. The same grid, turned so the tiles stand tall. It draws the eye up and makes a low wall feel taller. It suits a short run of wall, like the space between a counter and a range hood. The work is the same as a straight stack.

Herringbone. Plain rectangular tiles set at right angles to each other, so they zigzag across the wall. It’s the one layout that looks custom on a plain kitchen. It’s also more work: every row ends in angled cuts, and Fireclay Tile, a tile maker, says to order at least 20% extra tile for it. Try it on one small area, like behind the stove, before committing to a whole wall.

Chevron. Like herringbone, but the tile ends are cut at an angle, so the zigzag meets in a clean, unbroken point. Mercury Mosaics, a tile maker, says chevron is a little more complex and slower to install than herringbone, and that pre-cut chevron tiles make it easier. We’d buy the pre-cut tiles rather than cut angles yourself, and order at least as much extra as for herringbone.

Tile size and shape

3 by 6 inches, the classic. It works in almost any kitchen. That’s about 8 tiles per square foot, so a typical backsplash means a lot of grout lines, and those lines are a big part of the look.

2 by 8 inches, the skinny one. Longer and thinner, it gives more lines and a finer, more modern texture. It works well in a straight stack or vertical stack. Expect a few more tiles (about 9 per square foot) and more cuts at the ends.

4 by 12 inches and longer. Fewer grout lines, so the wall looks calmer and is quicker to wipe down. It suits big walls and open kitchens. At 15 inches or longer, keep the offset to a third or less, unless the tile maker says otherwise.

Beveled edges. Each tile’s edge slopes in, so every tile casts a thin shadow line. It reads traditional and a little more formal.

Handmade-look tile. Tile with wavy edges and color that shifts from tile to tile. It adds warmth to a plain white kitchen, and in our view it hides small layout mistakes well.

Whatever you choose, buy all the tile at once. Fireclay, which makes handmade tile, says it can’t promise an exact color match between separate orders, and colors can shift between batches of other tile too.

What it’s made of

Glazed ceramic. The standard, and what most “subway tile” is. Glossy ceramic bounces light around a dark kitchen and wipes clean easily, which helps behind a stove. Matte ceramic looks softer and more modern.

Glass. Glass subway tile looks bright and a little sleek, and it reflects a lot of light. The grout maker CUSTOM warns that sanded grout can scratch some glass tile, so check the tile maker’s instructions for the grout and adhesive to use.

Marble and other stone. Marble gives a soft, natural look, with veins that change from tile to tile. CUSTOM’s grout data sheet says absorbent stone may need sealing before you grout, to keep it from staining. Ask the seller how to seal and clean the stone you’re buying.

Which grout suits which layout

Grout color decides whether the layout shows. Our grout color guide covers the colors in depth. In short, by layout:

• Brick, beveled or handmade-look tile: grout close to the tile color. The bevel or the wavy edge already outlines each tile.
• Herringbone, chevron or a vertical stack: a darker grout, if you want people to notice the pattern you worked hard on.
• Colored tile (green, navy, soft pink): grout close to the tile color, so the wall reads as one block of color. It suits colored lower cabinets, like green cabinets with gold hardware.

How far up the wall, and where to stop

Up to the upper cabinets. The standard backsplash runs from the counter to the underside of the wall cabinets. It’s the least tile and the fewest awkward cuts.

Full height. On a wall with a window, open shelves or no upper cabinets, running the tile to the ceiling makes the whole wall one surface. It looks expensive, but it uses several times the tile.

Behind the range. Many people run the tile up to the hood here, even if the rest stops lower. There’s often no counter under this area to hold the first row. Lowe’s guide says to screw a straight board to the wall as a temporary ledge, then take it off once the tile has set.

Where to stop sideways. Stop at a natural line: the end of the counter, the side of a wall cabinet, or an inside corner. Don’t stop in the middle of an open wall. Finish the exposed edge with an edge trim or rounded tile. Lowe’s says that if you skip the trim, a bead of caulk matching the grout covers the cut edge.

If tiling sounds like more than you want to take on, peel-and-stick backsplash is the no-grout way to get a similar look.

Plan it so it looks right

A simple tile can look cheap if the cuts are wrong. Three rules from Lowe’s guide do most of the work:

1. Start from the center of the largest or “focal point” wall, as Lowe’s puts it. Mark a center line and lay out from there, so both ends finish with the same size cut.
2. Avoid thin slivers. Lay a row of tiles and spacers on the counter first. If a wall ends in a sliver of tile, shift your starting line so both ends get wider pieces.
3. Caulk, don’t grout, where tile meets the counter and cabinets. Lowe’s leaves a 1/8-inch gap at these edges and fills it with caulk once the grout has cured. The grout maker’s data sheet says grout isn’t meant for these joints.

Turn off the power and take off outlet covers before you start. Lowe’s tools list includes spacers for the outlet boxes too.

Common questions

Sources

• Lowe’s: How to install a tile backsplash (3x6 subway, step-by-step guide)
• Arizona Tile: Rectangular tile installation (offsets for long tiles)
• Fireclay Tile: Doing the math (overage, herringbone, batch color)
• Mercury Mosaics: Herringbone vs. chevron
• CUSTOM Building Products: Polyblend Plus grout data sheet (movement joints)