The Tile Shop: My Not So Good Kitchen Backsplash Experience!

One day as I sat in my kitchen I looked at my barren wall around my kitchen and stove area. I decided that I wanted a tiled back splash. So I decided to do a little research first like I always do before I undertake a project.

I looked on Craigslist for some contractors that did this kind of work. I looked at some samples pics they had posted. Then I looked on Angies list and got some reviews. I called some contractors and gave them my square footage, but I was unhappy with the pricing. I just thought the quotes were to high. So I wondered if I could do this myself. I figured how hard could it be right?

I watched a few hours of Youtube videos on installing back splashes and said to myself well that doesn't look to hard. I could install a kitchen back splash myself and I knew exactly where to go. I decided on the Tile Shop.

If you have never been to the Tile Shop then you will want whatever you see when you walk in. This place is nice. They have demo kitchens and bathrooms setup and it is a bit overwhelming but impressive. The tiles are laid out with all the pricing as well as all the supplies you could possible need.

When You get to the Tile Shop and ask for help the people are professional and very nice. When I told them what I was looking to do the sales man listened to my needs. I wanted to install stone tile, Bergin, in my kitchen. I asked if it was hard to do and he told me, "No, We have classes. it's easy!" I gave the sales rep my square footage and he told me what needed to buy. He loaded me up with tiles, mortar, a wet-saw, grout, sponges, and all the stuff to make me a tile installer. Oh..he also gave me the class schedule. The class was on Saturday morning at 9 am.

The class was nice and the teacher was professional. After this two hour class I was going to have the skills necessary to have a professionally installed back splash in my kitchen. He showed us how to lay the tile, grout it sponge it, mix the mortar and use the wet-saw. When the class was done I was ready. I was going to install my back splash. Is that what happened when I got home? HELL NO!

Installing this stone back splash was by no means an easy task. Maybe I just don't have the knack for that sort of thing but after a week of struggling with cutting one piece, ONE PIECE OF BERGIN TILE, I gave up. I ended up digging out the phone numbers of the contractors I looked up. When the contractor arrived at my house he told me that cutting stone was not easy to do. If I was just laying tile it might be a different story. He proved to me how hard it was because I could hear him cussing at the job as the job went on all afternoon.

In conclusion, the Tile Shopi s a great place but I was upset because I was led to believe I would be able to put in a back splash. Then again I may have no legit reason to be upset, it was a learning experience. Perhaps my pride is hurt more than anything else!