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Wall coverings

Wall tiling and kitchen splashbacks

Bathroom walls, a splashback behind the sink and hob, a feature wall: we fix ceramic wall tiles, metro tiles, zellige or mosaic to a prepared wall, with a layout planned around every socket and every corner.

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Kitchen with wooden units and a white metro tile splashback

At a glance

Wall tiles and splashbacks in a nutshell

Wall tiling means bonding wall tiles (glazed ceramic, porcelain, mosaic or zellige) to a prepared wall with a tile adhesive, then grouting and finishing the edges. A splashback is the tiled area that protects a kitchen wall between the worktop and the wall units, especially behind the sink and the hob.

On a wall, every flaw sits at eye level: a row that slopes, a thin sliver in a corner, a rough cut around a socket. That is why we give the setting out and the finishes as much care as the tiling itself, in Paris, Évreux and the surrounding areas.

  • Wall checked and prepared according to its type
  • Rows set from a level line, not from the floor or the worktop
  • Clean cuts around sockets, windows and corners
  • Flexible sealant where the tiles meet the worktop and the bath

Materials

The wall tiles we install

Wall tiles carry no foot traffic, so the choice comes down to looks, upkeep and exposure to water.

  • Ceramic wall tiles (faïence)

    A porous fired-clay body (water absorption above 10%) under a glaze. Light and easy to cut, it comes in bold colours as well as soft whites. It is for indoor walls only: never on floors, never outdoors.

  • Metro tiles

    Small rectangles inspired by the white bevelled tiles of the Paris metro. They are laid in a brick bond, stacked vertically or in herringbone. A cut removes the bevel, so the layout hides cuts in corners and under the wall units.

  • Zellige

    Handmade glazed terracotta tiles, traditionally from Morocco, with irregular edges and shifting reflections. Variations in thickness and shade, and small chips, are part of the product: the tiles are sorted and mixed before laying.

  • Porcelain on walls

    Denser and less porous than ceramic wall tiles, it can clad a shower wall or a whole wall in large formats, or carry the floor tiles up the wall. Its weight and hardness call for a suitable adhesive and cutting tools.

  • Mosaic

    Small glass, ceramic or stone pieces on a mesh. It follows niches, window reveals and curved surfaces, and makes a striking band or a graphic splashback.

  • Finishing trims

    Aluminium, stainless steel or PVC profiles protect external corners and give a clean edge where the tiling stops mid-wall. We match their shape and colour to the tile.

Our method

How we tile your walls

A well-tiled wall shows in its lines, and those lines are decided before the first tile goes on.

  1. Wall assessment

    We identify the substrate (plaster, plasterboard, cement render, concrete, old tiles, paint) and check that it is flat, sound and clean. In a bathroom we also map out the areas exposed to splashing water.

  2. Substrate preparation

    Paint is sanded or stripped, wallpaper is always removed and old tiles are tapped one by one and degreased. A primer suited to the substrate is applied. In a shower area, a water-sensitive substrate also receives a waterproofing system under the tiles (SPEC).

  3. Setting out

    We mark a level line and the wall’s centre lines with a laser: the middle of the hob, the sink, a window or a mirror. The pattern is fixed (straight, brick bond, vertical or herringbone) and the cuts are balanced to avoid thin slivers in the corners and under the ceiling.

  4. Starting batten

    A temporary batten is fixed level at the height of the second row. Tiling starts on it and works upwards, so nothing slips. The bottom row is cut to size and fitted last, making up for a floor or worktop that is never perfectly level.

  5. Fixing and cutting

    The adhesive is chosen for the substrate and the tile, then combed on with a notched trowel. Openings for sockets, pipes and windows are cut with a grinder or a diamond hole saw. External corners receive a trim, or a mitred joint on tiles that allow it.

  6. Grout and finishes

    Once the adhesive has set, the joints are filled and tooled, with cement grout or, behind the sink and hob, epoxy grout if you want better stain resistance. Internal corners and the junctions with the worktop, bath or shower tray receive a flexible sealant, then the socket plates go back on.

  7. Cleaning and handover

    The grout haze is removed, then we check the work with you and tell you how long to wait before the first shower or before putting strain on the sealant joints.

A splashback or a wall to tile?

Send us a photo of the wall, its dimensions and the tiles you have in mind: we will arrange a visit and a free quote.

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Tools

Our tools

On a wall, accurate setting out and clean cuts make all the difference.

  • Laser level for level lines and centre lines
  • Starting batten and straightedge to check plumb and flatness
  • Notched trowels matched to the tile size
  • Manual tile cutter for clean straight cuts
  • Wet saw with a diamond blade for porcelain and fine cuts
  • Grinder and diamond hole saws for socket and pipe openings
  • Tile nippers for small adjustments on ceramic tiles
  • Spacers and wedges for even joints
  • Rubber float, sponges and sealant gun for the joints

Good practice

Standards and good practice

Wall tiling follows the trade’s rules too, especially in wet rooms.

NF DTU 52.2
The French reference standard for bonded tiling covers walls as well as floors: accepted substrates, preparation, choice of adhesive for the substrate and tile size, and joints.
Wall exposure classes
French rules rate indoor walls by their exposure to water, from EA (low) to EC (very high). A shower wall in a home is usually rated EB+ privatif, which determines the accepted substrates and the protection needed under the tiles.
SPEC (waterproofing under tiles)
A liquid or sheet membrane, complete with corner tapes and collars around pipes, that protects water-sensitive substrates such as plaster and plasterboard in shower areas.
Moisture-resistant plasterboard
In bathrooms, plasterboard partitions are of the moisture-resistant type (H1, often tinted green). They cope better with humidity but are not waterproof, so behind a shower they also receive a SPEC.
Flexible joints at junctions
Between two materials or two planes (wall and worktop, wall and bath, internal corners), a flexible sanitary sealant replaces cement grout, which would eventually crack.

Trade terms

See the full tiling glossary

Your questions

Frequently asked questions

Can wall tiles go on a painted wall?

Not on just any paint: the adhesive can never hold better than the paint itself. Sound matt paint is sanded to key the surface, dusted and coated with a suitable primer. Gloss paint, or paint that flakes or lifts when you pull off a strip of adhesive tape, is removed. In a shower area, we go back to an accepted substrate before applying the waterproofing.

Should the splashback go in before or after the kitchen units?

The worktop must be fitted and fixed before the splashback: the tiles sit above it, with a flexible sealant joint. For the wall units there are two options: fit them afterwards, with the tiles running slightly above their lower edge to hide the cut, or fit them first and tile in between. We agree this with your kitchen fitter so that no awkward join shows.

What happens to the sockets when the wall is tiled?

The power is switched off and the face plates are removed. When setting out, we try to place each socket in the centre of a tile or centred on a joint, symmetrically, then cut the opening cleanly. As the wall gains a few millimetres, the back boxes are brought flush with the tiles using extension rings. Adding or moving a socket is a job for an electrician.

Why a silicone joint between the worktop and the splashback?

Because the worktop and the wall do not move in the same way: wood and laminate react to humidity, and a worktop takes knocks and loads. A cement grout joint at that point almost always ends up cracking and letting water through. A flexible, watertight sanitary sealant absorbs these movements and is easy to renew after a few years.

Do bevelled metro tiles need special installation?

Yes, in two respects. A cut removes the bevel, so we place cuts in internal corners, under the wall units or against the worktop, where they are least noticeable. An external corner cannot be closed neatly with two cut tiles, so it receives a finishing trim, or corner pieces when the range includes them. Joints stay thin so that the bevels define the pattern.

Is zellige suitable for a splashback or a shower?

Yes, as long as you accept its nature: a handmade, irregular tile whose glaze may show fine crazing and whose edges stay porous. We sort the tiles, lay them with tight joints and, where needed, apply a protective treatment before grouting so the grout does not stain them. Behind a hob, it needs regular cleaning with mild products.

How high should a splashback or bathroom wall be tiled?

There is no single height. A splashback covers at least the space between the worktop and the wall units; behind the cooker hood, it often goes up to the hood or to the ceiling. In a bathroom, the shower area is best tiled well above the shower head, and many clients choose full height. We finish on a full row of tiles or with a trim.

Our other services

  • Bathroom tiling

    Floors, walls, bath panels and vanity walls, laid on water-protected substrates with joints suited to wet rooms.

  • Walk-in shower

    Level-access showers on a tileable tray or mortar fall, with a point or linear drain, waterproofing under the tiles and tiles that follow the slope.

  • Large-format tiles

    Tiles of 60 × 60 cm and above, laid on a strictly flat substrate, back-buttered and aligned with a levelling system.

  • Floor and wall tiling

    Indoor floors and walls in porcelain, ceramic wall tiles or mosaic, laid on a prepared substrate with even grout lines.

Further reading