DIY Stone Backsplash – Rachelle Alaine

It’s done!!!! We have been dying to rip out the tile behind our stove and add stone since the moment we saw it. It just adds the perfect amount of coziness and warmth to the kitchen. It was also so much fun picking out the exact stone and grout we wanted to use to compliment the space. Read below to see all the photos and my guide to DIY-ing your own stone backsplash!

Before jumping in, here is my guide to all materials we used in this project!

https://liketk.it/55bCB

I’m unable to link the stone on my LTK, but it’s the Floor & Decor Alamo Sandstone Random Ledger Panel.

First demo out the existing material on the wall. You’ll want to rip out even drywall because the stone is so heavy and you’ll need concrete backer board to hold it up. Then, position your backer board and use concrete screws to drill it into the studs. We used backer board tape and mortar for the cracks and space between the board and the surrounding walls. Next, I recommend measuring out the space you’ll be covering and position the stones how you want them to fit in the space. Make sure to leave 1/2 inch to a couple inches or so between the stones for the grout. When you’re ready to adhere the stone to the wall, mix your mortar with the drill attachment. We used a standard large Home Depot bucket to mix it in. Use your notched trowel and scoop the mortar out onto the wall and smooth it to where you have it spread out relatively flat on the wall. Enough to where when you scrape the edges of the trowel over it, it won’t expose the backer board. Once you have the section you’re working with covered, use the side of the trowel to draw horizontal lines across the mortar (this will help the stone adhere/settle into the mortar). For extra security of the larger stones, we added a bit of mortar to the back of the stone as well before putting it up. When you’re ready to place the stone on the wall, place it in the position you want against the mortar, slightly slide up and then back into place. This will help fill in the grooves you previously made. Add any spacers as necessary around the stone to make sure you have the spacing you desire. Continue this until the entire area is complete.

We waited a couple days to ensure the mortar was dry or settle before moving onto the grout. When ready for the grout, mix it to get it ready for application (we again used a Home Depot bucket to mix). Using the pointed trowel, transport the grout from the bucket to the grout piping bag, filling up approximately half to 3/4 of the bag. Then grab another bucket (it can be a Home Depot bucket or as small as a one gallon bucket) and fill with water. Bring these with your sponges to the backsplash area. I advise wearing gloves for the next step since the grout can be a bit rough and it’ll get very messy. Take the piping bag and fill in all the spaces in between the stones. I recommend doing a small section at a time to avoid the grout from hardening before you spread and perfect it. Wet your sponge and go over the grout to spread it and wipe off any excess grout that smeared onto the stones. Rinse your sponge and repeat this until you’re finished! Just a note that the grout can shrink a tiny bit to cause cracks or small spaces, so you may need to go back over a few spots again.

We left the grout to dry a couple days, and then a couple more days after the touch ups. The last perfecting touches are to brush over the stone with the sealer to ensure you won’t get stains, oils, etc. to sink into the stone! The fumes were pretty strong in this step, so you may want to keep a window open on this day. Lastly, get your caulk and go around any adjoining areas (such as the stone to the countertop, in this case!).