Step 5: Cut the Backsplash

cut the backsplash
Photo: William P. Fuller
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Lay the panel on a piece of plywood or 2x4s set on sawhorses for full support. Using a circular saw fitted with a diamond blade (set just beyond the depth of the material), cut the outline of the backsplash. Cut on the inside edge of your traced outline.

Using a drill/driver fitted with a 3/8-inch masonry bit, drill pilot holes inside the four corners of any cutouts. Using the jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade, slot the blade into the holes and cut out the piece. Use the pilot holes to turn the blade.

TIP: If you're working with a patterned material, cut the panel faceup to be sure your cuts fall in easy-to-match-up areas. Just make sure to cover the shoes of your saws with tape to keep them from scratching the backsplash.
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    More in Kitchen

    Tools List

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    • hot glue gun
      Hot Glue Gun

    • four-foot level
      4-Foot Level

    • circular saw
      Circlar Saw

    • jigsaw
      Jigsaw fitted with metal cutting blade

    • drill
      Drill/Driver fitted with with 3/8-inch masonry drill bit

    • utility knife
      Utility Knife

    • caulk gun
      Caulk Gun

    • hammer with nailset
      Hammer and Nail Set

    Shopping List

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    1. Solid-Surface Wall Paneling. Look for 1/4-inch-thick material, available in large sheets at home centers or through distributors. Get the widest sheets you can find to minimize joints.

    2. All Purpose Kitchen Cleaner, such as Formula 409 or Fantastik, to clean grease off the wall and prepare it for adhesive.

    3. 1/4-Inch Plywood, aka luaun, to make the template.

    4. Painter's Tape

    5. Construction Adhesive to adhere the backsplash to the wall.

    6. Tack Cloth

    7. Heavy-Duty Double-Stick Tape to hold the panel in place while the adhesive sets.

    8. All-Purpose Caulk to seal seams between panels and against cabinets. Get a color to match the solid-surface material, or else use clear.

    9. 1x3 Pine Lumber to cap any exposed edges.

    10. 1 1/2-Inch Finish Nails

    11. Paint to coat any molding detail to match the backsplash material.