Welcome to the once a month blogger! The purpose of this blog is really to share ideas/thoughts/projects and maybe even a story or two!

I became a stay at home mom after having my second child. As a new stay at home mom I wanted a way to document the things I'm working on as well as share with anyone who might care to listen. I have gotten so many great ideas from others that I want to pay it forward in any way I can.

As for the name, "The Once a Month Blogger," Well, I have to be honest, that is extremely ambitious for me! I've had a personal blog site for about 6-7 years and have probably written on it less than a dozen times. My posts aren't likely to be long. I like to try to keep things as brief as possible!

As a warning, if you're looking for comic relief or inspiring literary genius...you won't find it here. But

I promise I will do my best to post once a month or more, even if only to briefly update you on a current project. Hopefully you can find something you'll like!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Tips on tiling backsplash with SimpleMat

I have to say, this task was a bit daunting to me, having never tiled before, but once we got the hang of things, it really wasn't so bad.  And we're so happy with the results!! 



We went to our local Home Depot and found some tile we like.  Looking back it would have saved us a ton of time to use the sheets of tile, instead of individual tile pieces, but it ultimately saved us money to do it this way, and we really liked the natural stone look. 

Here's out Materials list:

  • Tile - We used 11 packages of 9 stones each (equal to 1 sq ft.).  Each pack was $4. - $44
  • SimpleMat- We got the large roll 30 sq ft. - $50
  • 3/16" spacers -$3
  • rubber grout float- $4
  • Sponge - $2
  • Grout- 2 containers of 1qt alabaster premixed SimpleGrout- $11 each - $22
Total = $125

We borrowed a tile saw from a friend and he came over to help us get started.
Now, there are a ton of videos out there on how to tile, etc.  They're worth looking at.  This post is mainly a review of, and tips for using SimpleMat. 

We didn't want to have to deal with thinset since this was such as small project and using Simplemat seemed so easy.  Basically it's a super sticky glue-like backing to place your tile on.  It really does seem like it would be a great product in the right setting. 

Would I use it if I was to do this project over again?  No.  Here's why.  Because we did a diamond pattern instead of a square pattern, we had to make a lot of cuts.  When you cut with a tile saw the pieces get wet.  Water and SimpleMat don't mix well.  We found that if our pieces were even slightly damp they had a hard time sticking to the wall.  After the first few experiences we got out the blow dryer and we didn't have much trouble after that. 

If you're doing a project without a lot of cuts, it might be a good option for you.  I also think if we were to do another backsplash, say in our bathroom, and we were using the sheets of tile, I would probably give SimpleMat another shot.  I can see how it might be really easy and mess-free to use with the sheets.  

Quick Tips:
  • Don't put tile on SimpleMat when tile is wet
  • If you're set on using SimpleMat, choose a tile the is not too large or too heavy
  • Sheets of tile, rather than individual pieces, are likely your best bet.
  • Don't put it on your wall until you're sure it's where you want it.  If you try to peel it off you'll pull off paint too.

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