Can You Install Glass Tile Over a Vinyl Backsplash?

Preparing the Vinyl

• Before attempting to install glass tile over a vinyl backsplash, you must roughen the vinyl surface. If you apply mortar to a vinyl surface that has not been prepared, the mortar will slide down the vinyl, making the laying of tile impossible. To roughen the surface of the vinyl, sand the vinyl using medium-grit sandpaper. Continue sanding the surface until it feels as rough as the surface of the sandpaper and it snags cloth when you run cloth over the surface.

Tile Layout

• As with most tile jobs, you should begin laying a glass tile backsplash in the center of the backsplash area. First, you must find the center by measuring down each side of the backsplash area, marking the midpoints of each, and then measuring across the bottom and top of the area and marking the midpoints. Once you have found the midpoints, connect the midpoints of each side with a line and the midpoints of the top and bottom with a line to create a centered grid on the wall.

Install the Backsplash

• Begin laying glass tile at the center where the lines meet on the backsplash area. Line up the initial tiles in the tile job with these center lines and use thinset mortar to secure the tiles to the wall. Always use tile spacers between the tiles to ensure that the tiles keep proper distance, and move outward along the lines toward the edges of the backsplash. At the edges, you will likely need to cut tiles down to fit into the remaining space; this can be done with a tile saw.

Better Option

• If possible, it’s best to remove vinyl before installing glass tiles to a backsplash. If you do choose to remove the vinyl, make shallow cuts into the vinyl with a utility knife, taking care not to cut into the wall behind the vinyl. Use a flat-head screwdriver or putty knife to pry the pieces of vinyl up so you can grab them. If you cannot pull the vinyl free of the wall with your hands, use pliers. Once vinyl has been removed, you must sand the area to remove the adhesive.