Renter Friendly DIY Stenciled Tile Backsplash

You know when a DIY project turns out so well you can’t help but be impressed with yourself? Ya, this is one of them. When Cricut reached out about taking the Cricut Joy for a stenciling spin, I immediately thought of my sister’s apartment. She wanted her rental kitchen to feel like a more permanent retreat so when she’s meal prepping it doesn’t feel like she’s still in a shared, dorm kitchen. It lacked style or cohesion and a custom, renter friendly DIY stenciled tile backsplash was the first step to add personality. I’ve tried other peel and stick backsplashes before and the styles were pretty limited. That’s where the Cricut Joy comes in.

I’ve talked about my immense love for my Cricut Joy before, but 2 key features make this the ideal machine for this job. With the new “smart” materials, you don’t need a mat to make cuts! That means less setup time and longer, continuous cuts. I can cut a full 4 feet of tile stencils (i.e. long enough to cover a good swath of backsplash) without having to reload vinyl! Plus, the smaller size makes it easy to pick up and bring to the job site. No more driving back and forth between my house and my sister’s- I can literally put the Joy in my backpack with all the supplies and set up shop on her kitchen counter.

You’ll Need
peel and stick vinyl tiles
utility blade
metal drafting triangle (easier for consistent straight cuts)
Cricut Joy
mosaic petal tile cut file
Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl
Cricut Joy Transfer Tape
spray paint
clear gloss sealant spray
foam boards
Command strips

1. Use a utility knife and triangle to cut your peel and stick tiles to size. You’ll get the cleanest finish if you cut from the back to score, bend towards the front to break, then cut the vinyl facing from the front. I went with a 4×4″ size to cleanly get 9 tiles from these tiles. Remember that the Joy can cut up to 4.5″ wide if you’re planning on a square design.

2. Load the mosaic petal cut file to your Cricut Joy and let it do its thing to the removable smart vinyl! The cut file has a border and overhang for you to line up the edges and give you a place to lift off the vinyl after painting. I was able to get 11 tile stencils per roll for the 4×4″ design. Weed out the areas to be painted and apply the stencil to the tiles with transfer tape.

3. Lay out the tiles and apply a light coat of spray paint. You only need 1 coat- any more will make the paint goop up around the stencils and make it harder to remove. Let dry for 5 minutes then start peeling up the stencils. This part gets sticky, so take your time and work in small batches! Let dry for 24 hrs then seal with a clear, gloss spray. (You’ll want gloss for easier backsplash clean up- the shiner the finish, the easier it is to wipe up!)

4. Cut your foam board to backsplash size. Attach to the wall with Command strips in each corner and along the top and bottom edges roughly every 1.5 feet. I liked starting with the foam board on the wall, then tiling to ensure tile alignment over any parts a tile might overlap two boards.

5. Start sticking up your tiles! This is a preference, but I liked starting from the middle, outwards and leaving about a coin’s width distance between the tiles to make it look more realistic. With my layout design, 2 rows span across each “section”, so I wanted to ensure those through lines were perfectly straight and could act as a guide for the remaining rows. If you get to a point where you need half tiles, just repeat step 1 to cut your tiles to size.

Gah, this backsplash makes me so happy!! There are so many ways to customize your home with a Cricut, from seasonal front porch decor to planter makeovers. Make sure to visit the Cricut blog to find weekly home renovation inspiration! What will you create?