Basement Bar Makeover with Tile Backsplash

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. All thoughts and opinions remain 100% my own.

The basement makeover continues! The colorful basement makeover was revealed just a few months ago and we have loved spending time in our bright, new basement. However, the bar area was a bit of an eye sore for me. I wanted something just as vibrant as the rest of the basement. So, I partnered with The Home Depot to refresh the bar area and now I am in love!

The basement wet bar went from this….

painting laminate countertop white paint

To this!

Colorful basement wet bar yellow cabinets with teal tile

One of my 2020 New Year DIY resolutions was to learn how to tile. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to tackle this project that year, but now I have it complete! Tiling was a DIY skill that was more intimidating than it really should have been. Though I was scared to mess up, tiling turned out to be an easy to do project. Especially once I watched the How To Tile A Backsplash video on The Home Depot app.

How to install tile backsplash in basement wet bar easy tutorial

After watching the How-to videos, I learned what materials I would need for this tiling project. I used The Home Depot app to order all the tools and materials needed for the job. It was so easy to place my order on the app and curbside pick-up proved extremely helpful since I’ve been home with Chi-Chi while she was under quarantine. I’ve listed all the materials I used below.

Materials Needed for Tiling a Backsplash

Once you’ve downloaded The Home Depot app, if you haven’t already, fill your cart with the following materials to help you tackle that backsplash job. Keep in mind that the tile listed below and color of the grout were the ones I used and available in-store, but there is a vast amount of tile and grout options available online on HomeDepot.com.

Tools for Tiling a Backsplash

Teal Ceramic Tile Backsplash

Selecting the tile for your backsplash is probably the hardest part of the tiling process. I went through so many different options before selecting the final tile. The 3×12 teal ceramic tile was perfect for this space! Not only does it match the aesthetic of the rest of the basement, but it also modernizes the wet bar area. Tile of longer lengths and bolder colors have a much more modern look than the traditional white 3×6 subway tile. With the cabinets painted yellow, I wanted the tile to complement the boldness of the new cabinets.

Tile Wet Saw versus Tile Cutter

Selecting a tile cutter is dependant on your tiling needs. I started with a tile cutter and it was amazing. It worked great for all the single straight cuts I needed. The moving handle allows you to score each tile and then press downward to separate the tile. There is a helpful How To Cut Tile guide on the Home Depot app! The disadvantage to this tile cutter is when two cuts are needed. I had two outlets on the back wall and had to swap to a wet saw for those tile pieces. Unlike the tile cutter, the wet saw is much more messy but can cut more intricate pieces. The wet saw was especially helpful when I needed to cut pieces to fit around the cabinet!

I used The Home Depot app to order a wet saw for curbside pickup. I was able to continue working on other aspects of this project while I waited for my order to be ready. Then, I drove to my local The Home Depot to pick up my order at the curbside pickup parking spots!

How to use The Home Depot curbside pickup

How to Tile A Backsplash

1 Prep surface to be tiled! Prep surface to be tiled by cleaning the wall and removing outlet covers. Be sure to shut the power off to any outlets!

2 Cut a few tiles in half in preparation for install.

3 Apply adhesive to the wall using a trowel or butter the back of the tile. The adhesive should be smeared onto the wall in the consistency of the trowel. You do not want an over abundance of adhesive on the wall. An alternative to this is to butter the tile instead. This is recommended for the small/tight areas such as around outlets.

4 Continue to place tiles using spacers between the tiles. The tile spacers are important to maintain even grout lines. This is where the laser level will be important.

5 Let the tiles sit overnight before moving onto the grout. Then, remove the spacers and apply the pre-mixed grout between the tiles using a grout float. Apply the grout by gently smearing the grout between the tiles at a 45 degree angle. I prefer to wipe away any excessive areas of grout as I work so it doesn’t harden onto the tile and makes cleanup easier later! I was sure to avoid wiping away any of the grout just placed.

6 Allow the grout to sit for about 30 minutes then use a sponge damped with water to remove the excess grout.
I used a paper towel with a light cleaner to wipe the tiles afterward, making sure to avoid wiping the grout lines.

7 Wait another 24 hours before applying any grout sealers and you’re all set!

I’m so excited with how this bar area turned out! I ordered a few new colorful rainbow wine glasses and matching rainbow goblets perfect for this area now. I even created a mini plant feature where the old wine rack was. I used 6″ ceramic planter pots to house small plants and arranged them in the rack.

The new butcher block countertop looks amazing with the yellow painted cabinets and new teal tile backsplash. It was the perfect opportunity to upgrade the stainless steel bar sink and bar faucet as well.