How We Installed a Zellige Tile Backsplash (DIY)
I’ve always loved the rustic and eclectic charm of zellige tile and dreamed of using it somewhere in our home. Zellige is a handmade tile, crafted in the Fez region of Morocco. I love that each piece is unique and perfectly imperfect. Even though the tiles have a Morrocan vibe, they have been used in various home styles including European kitchens, bathrooms and beyond! In this blog post, I break down zellige tile installation in just a few easy steps + how we created a beautiful tile backsplash in our French style kitchen.
**Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning that at no extra cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
What are Zellige Tiles?
Maybe you’ve seen some stunning pictures of zellige tile and wondered what this unique and simple tile is… Well here is everything you need to know about my fave unique tiles!
Zellige tiles are crafted from non-refined natural clay, which gives them their characteristic unglazed finish and slight variations in color. Even if you order all one shade of tile, you will end up with very subtle color variation which really enhances the antique look of these tiles.
Each tile has a distinctive appearance with subtle imperfections that add to its beauty (in my opinion). Unlike conventional clay tiles, zellige tiles are porous and often have uneven edges, contributing to their unique charm.
If you’ve seen my home, you know I have an affinity for imperfect, lived-in raw materials. We used all unlacquered brass hardware in our kitchen and I am obsessed with the unique patina. Unique materials really elevate your home and make it truly one-of-a-kind which is my favorite.
If imperfectly perfect is your vibe, then you should go for zellige tile in your home!
Our Zellige Tile Kitchen Backsplash
I’ve wanted to use Zellige tile somewhere in our home forever and our mini kitchen refresh seemed like the perfect place to start.
I shared in THIS post all about our plans for our small cottage kitchen space. Our goal was to do a fairly low-cost refresh of our kitchen because we are still trying to decide if we plan to do a larger kitchen remodel down the road.
One unique (and if I can be honest, annoying) aspect of our 1930’s kitchen is that there is no range hood over our stove nor is there room for one anywhere in the kitchen.
The stove basically just sat against a wall with nothing behind it and a super ugly vented fan higher up on the wall above. Because my La Cornue stove is the highlight of the entire kitchen, I really felt that it needed to be framed out in a way to draw attention to it and make it flow with the entire kitchen.
We considered several different options for this space. At first, we thought about doing a full backsplash that went under the cabinets (like a normal backsplash) and wrapped around the corner to connect to the stove area. But this led me to a lot of puzzling questions such as:
“Where do we stop the tile?”
“How do we transition back to the beadboard?”
“What if we tear all these cabinets out eventually anyway?”
After lots of consideration, I decided:
- I like the original beadboard and wanted to keep most of it.
- I don’t want to spend an obscene amount on the tile until we know for sure the extent of our renovation plans.
- The main focus is to “frame out” the beautiful stove and let that be the star.
Before starting this project, my husband installed a super cute shelf over the top of the stove to give me some storage around the cooktop as well as provide a simple frame for the Zellige tile. I’ll give all the details of this accent wall later on. Next, I ordered my zellige tiles!
How much does Zellige tile cost?
So, how much does zellige tile cost and where can this traditional Moroccan tile be sourced?
Well, just like any materials of a handmade nature, this stuff isn’t the cheapest tile out there. It can also be a bit hard to source. I found 3 companies that offered really high quality, expertly crafted zellige:
I ended up ordering samples from each of these and they were all basically identical. Additionally, the price points were all about the same. For a standard 4×4 zellige square in a white tone, it was the following price breakdown:
Riad: $18.50/sq foot
Cle: $19.95/sq foot
Zia: $18.85/sq foot
Note: Cle tile had a minimum order requirement which is why I ultimately went with Riad tile for our selection because I needed such small quantities for this backsplash project.
Ultimately I ordered one box of 4×4 Zellige tiles from Riad tile in the shade “snow white”. They also offer another shade called natural white which according to reviews comes out looking more grey. I’d say the snow-white shade is a really pretty off-white. It looks to be out of stock on the website currently so double-check this before ordering.
Materials + Supplies:
- Riad zellige tiles 4×4
- Wet saw (recommended) or traditional tile cutter (score and snap)
- Tile Adhesive cement + spreaders (small and large)
- Tile spacers and wedge spacers
- Damp cloth
- Bucket of water
- Kitchen caulk
How to Install Zellige Tile:
Here are all the details of proper installation when working with this type of tile.
Of note, the manufacturer gave detailed instructions which is basically what we followed with a few extra steps to guarantee great results the first time.
Before beginning, it is recommended to unpack all the tiles from the box, especially if you have several boxes. Because the color can vary, you want to be sure to mix and match tiles from multiple boxes to create a cohesive look.
Riad Tile recommends soaking the tiles in water for half an hour before installation. It is supposed to help the tiles adhere better.
Step 1: Preparation
The first step was to prepare the section of wall behind the stove where the backsplash would go.
The first thing we had to deal with was cutting out a section of the beadboard so we could install the tiles directly to the wall. We considered just installing the tiles over the beadboard but this would have made the tiles stick out too far and the beadboard also had some warping that would have looked uneven.
We used a multi-purpose saw like this one to cut into the beadboard and were able to get an amazingly straight line all the way down (this tool is AWESOME).
After ripping the beadboard out we scraped and sanded the wall to get any major sections of adhesive off. The wall must be level and clean but we didn’t hyperfixate on a perfectly smooth surface too much. As long as the surface is flat and even, the tiles should go on great.
Step 2: Planning and Layout
4×4 zellige tiles are traditionally laid in a stacked pattern. This makes it really simple and gives a vintage vibe. The most important thing is to make sure your tiles are lining up and not gradually “drifting” as you lay. The tiles, due to their uneven nature, don’t always line up perfectly, but, as a general rule, it’s good to ensure a nice crisp line as you go.
The easiest way to do this is with a laser level. We set our level up with a perpendicular line to follow as we went. Once we knew our sides and our top line were perfectly straight we were able to follow those lines instead of using the level the entire time.
NOTE: The first row across and the first row down are most important! You really want to make sure that the tiles are perfectly straight and aligned!
Step 3: Application
Next, we applied a layer of adhesive to the wall using a notched trowel. For best results, use a circular motion to spread the adhesive evenly. We were sure to work in small sections to prevent the adhesive from drying out.
After applying adhesive to the wall, I applied more adhesive to each tile with a smaller notched trowel. This part was kind of fun. I felt like I was “buttering” the tiles.
Next, we pressed each tile into the adhesive on the wall, making sure it was well-adhered and in a straight line. There were a few places where I used tile spacers to maintain even lines if a tile was gradually sliding. For the most part, as long as the tiles were stacked side by side, the lines looked even and perfectly imperfect.
Make Cuts as Needed
For a small project like this, we could have probably got away with a manual tile cutter. However, since we have so many tile projects coming up at the house, we decided to purchase a wet saw. (THIS one is amazing, BTW!) There were only a few places we had to make cuts along the top and sides and the cuts were super easy to do with these small tiles.
To grout or not to grout?!
I have always loved the look of dry stacking zellige tiles instead of grouting. If you are working in light traffic areas or a place that won’t come in contact with lots of water, a no-grout look is totally fine.
I have also seen it done in showers, shower floors, and other wet spaces but I’d be concerned about cleaning/gross stuff growing down in those cracks (EW). We are planning to use Zellige tile in our upcoming master bathroom renovation and we will for sure be using grout! For this project, because it’s really more for a decorative element, we decided to skip grout and I love the results!
Finishing Touches
If using an unglazed natural zellige tile it is important to apply a sealer. My tile was glazed and the manufacturer specifically said not to use a sealer.
The final step of the installation process was to use a kitchen and bath caulk to caulk in all the side cracks and spaces. This gave it a more finished look and also helps protect the tiles from water/residue getting under the sides.
Zellige Tile Maintenance
Zellige tiles are relatively low maintenance. Regular cleaning with a damp cloth and mild soap will keep them looking their best. Avoid harsh chemicals and excessive moisture, especially in wet areas, to preserve the tile’s finish.
I’ve used my favorite thieves water-based cleaner and a microfiber cloth when it needs a wipe down and it has worked great.
We love having this little unique accent in our kitchen to frame out our lovely stove. What are your thoughts on Zellige tile?! Let me know below!
