Experience with peel-and-stick backsplashes?

[skimomma]

My kitchen is in dire need of a little spruce up.  Due to some reconfigurations and age, much of the backsplash wall is irregular and in poor condition.  My plan was to install ceramic tile or stainless steel or even repairing/replacing the drywall.  We have been saving for this for years and other more urgent projects keep coming up that drains that fund.  I am sick of looking at my ugly kitchen.  Money is tight, but I'd like to do something, ANYTHING, to make it better.  I am looking at these peel-and-stick option like this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/smart-tiles-Ravenna-Farro-9-80-in-W-x-9-74-in-H-Peel-and-Stick-Self-Adhesive-Decorative-Mosaic-Wall-Tile-Backsplash-4-Pack-SM1127G-04-QG/304833996#overlay

Anyone try this?  Does it look OK?  Hold up well?  I have seen claims that they can peel off but it appears this can be mitigated with proper surface prep.  I cook a LOT and part of the reason the current backsplash is so ugly is that over time the splatters from food prep have stained or damaged the wall.  So whatever goes up must be easy to clean.  I'd like to say this is a temporary solution and that a "proper" fix would be forthcoming but looking at my 130+ yo house, I'm guessing our current status of whack-a-mole repairs will mean that whatever goes up will probably be there until I die.

 

[Katy]

No clue but what you chose is very pretty.  I might like something like that in my kitchen, where the backsplash is drywall.

[Carrie12345]

I currently have peel and stick in my kitchen and main bathroom as mostly “for now” solutions. I like them just fine, and they look terrific from a distance, but I don’t really like the up close, obviously fake look. And there is some minor corner peeling that makes me think it’s just going to get worse over time. 

I’m still glad to have done it rather than putting a lot of money into something else at the time. I just don’t find it to be a good permanent solution.

[skimomma]

3 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

I currently have peel and stick in my kitchen and main bathroom as mostly “for now” solutions. I like them just fine, and they look terrific from a distance, but I don’t really like the up close, obviously fake look. And there is some minor corner peeling that makes me think it’s just going to get worse over time. 

I’m still glad to have done it rather than putting a lot of money into something else at the time. I just don’t find it to be a good permanent solution.

How long has yours been up?  Any tips on types of patterns that look more or less fake?  I have seen what looks to be cool subway tile-like patterns but I think they might look really fake in person.

[PrincessMommy]

I agree that they are a good temporary choice.  There are lots of pretty options available now.   I'm actually looking for something to brighten my guest bathroom while we save up money to do it properly.

 

[JustEm]

I considered this a while back and my research ultimately got me to a point that it was a waste of money.  Not only does it not look good up close, which I would be viewing it that way while doing dishes.  But it would start to peel sooner rather than later so I would likely start disliking it again pretty soon and wishing I'd gone with tile in the first place.  If you can do that tile work yourself, which isn't hard to do, the cost doesn't have to be too expensive.  So, I personally would save up for it and learn to tile

[EmilyGF]

We had one in our kitchen when we moved in. We had it there for seven years and it held up fine. I don't know how long it was in before we moved in.

It did look fake, but it did a fine job keeping the dry wall behind it from becoming a wet wall. 🙂 

I think it is a great multi-year stop-gap to deal with a deteriorating wall. It is definitely easy to clean. I have tile now and it is annoying that I have to clean grout. 

Emily

[skimomma]

I feel like the takeaway here is to try to find the least fake-looking option....which is hard to do online.  But probably a good enough solution.  We are very much NOT handy so trying to actually tile it ourselves would likely be a disaster.  But I already know from having the job quoted that the prep work for real tile would be daunting for us.  We also have to rip out the entire floor in the not-so-distant future which might also require ripping out part of a wall so I hesitate to install anything expensive or difficult.

I wonder if something metal-like might be better?  https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/mosaictileoutlet-linear-12-x-12-metal-peel-stick-mosaic-tile-in-metallic-silver-mtot1225.html

 

[gardenmom5]

3 hours ago, hjffkj said:

I considered this a while back and my research ultimately got me to a point that it was a waste of money.  Not only does it not look good up close, which I would be viewing it that way while doing dishes.  But it would start to peel sooner rather than later so I would likely start disliking it again pretty soon and wishing I'd gone with tile in the first place.  If you can do that tile work yourself, which isn't hard to do, the cost doesn't have to be too expensive.  So, I personally would save up for it and learn to tile

especially if you consider the 3d peel and stick tiles are $10+ a square foot (that box is barely over two square feet)  - that's more than some ceramic tile.  (not including grout, tile cement, and renting a tile saw - the cost of which goes down per square foot if you have more sq ft to do.)

I've looked at them for my laundry room, as it is my next project on my list.  (I'm JUST NOW finishing my home theater - I naively thought I'd be done by October.)  Not a lot of moisture (and the area where I'd put the 3d backsplash tiles has no moisture exposure) - we'll see what I end up doing, but some of what I was looking at was rejected for lack of durability.  They are made as temporary solutions - for people living in ugly rentals who just want it to be more aesthetic while they're there.

I know it's possible to get "printed" tile that looks real - one of the most important things (in addition top pixels) is the pattern must be random - not repeating.  I have some "travertine" porcelain tiles that had a stone good looking back and forth multiple times, he was impressed.

here's a subway tile that I'm considering - approved for showers/waterproof, and cheaper.  They also have marble in different patterns. (incl. herringbone - which I'm considering for my laundry room).  Art3D was another sturdier brand.

I did vinyl sheeting on particle board for laundry room shelves years ago. Some parts stuck well, others didn't.  But it's a laundry room - and I have more money now.  

[almondbutterandjelly]

That peel and stick stuff is very expensive for what you get.  If I were you, and we kind of were, but for the bathroom sink area, I would get glass mosaic tiles, in a square pattern that is not offset at all.  Like a 12x12 square has a bunch of little squares in it, all in rows.  You need the stuff that sticks it to the wall (mortar?) and you need grout.  Since they are all in a row, no offset, you don't need any finishing extra tile pieces to make it look nicely lined up.  Also because the little squares are like an inch big, you can easily cut your tiles a little to fit the space as needed without buying any weird tools.  Just normal scissors cut the mesh that is between the squares.  Plus get glass (and not, say, tumbled stone) because it's easy to see the grout to be able to wipe it off completely before it dries.  Something like this:  https://www.lowes.com/pd/Abolos-Metro-11-Pack-Green-12-in-x-12-in-Glossy-Glass-Subway-Wall-Tile/1001432176 but in a color you like obvioulsy.  

[lmrich]

Years ago I had a friend put up contact paper for her backsplash. It looked great and held up really well. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Those are often used in RV renovations.  The RV Reno group I belong to has very positive experiences with them.  I did DH’s cargo trailer we made last year in it.  It has held up great.  There are some very nice ones that look like tile even close up.  Lowe’s had some that looked like glass recently that was really nice but a little pricey. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by itsheresomewhere