Tiling & Backsplash in Boston
Shower surrounds, kitchen backsplashes, and wet walls — tiled over real waterproofing, with even layout, tight cuts, and grout that actually holds.
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Wall tile in a wet area is really a waterproofing job with tile on top. The tile you see is the easy part; what keeps a Boston shower from rotting the wall behind it is the membrane and backer underneath. Skip that step, or install straight over old drywall with mastic, and it looks perfect for a year — then the grout stains, a corner goes soft, and you find out the hard way that looking finished and being waterproofed are two different things. We build the wet wall correctly to the standards published by the Tile Council of North America — backer, waterproofing membrane, sloped and sealed where it matters — then set the tile with an even layout and clean grout lines.
Kitchen backsplashes, shower and tub surrounds, bathroom walls, and accent walls, in porcelain, ceramic, subway, and mosaic. If your backsplash gap has been on the "getting to it eventually" list since a previous owner lived there, this is that job, finally done.
Tiling & backsplash is part of our remodeling & big jobs service.
What's Included
- Kitchen and bar backsplashes
- Shower and tub surrounds
- Bathroom and accent walls
- Cement backer and waterproofing membrane
- Even layout, cuts, and grout lines
- Sealed grout and caulked changes of plane
Pricing & Time
Free quote by area, tile type, and prep. Backsplashes are often a day; showers run longer with cure time.
Tiling & Backsplash FAQs
Why does shower tile fail?
Almost always missing waterproofing behind it, not a problem with the tile itself. Mastic straight onto drywall, no membrane, or a corner that was never sealed — it looks fine for a while, then water gets behind the tile and the wall goes soft. We build the wet wall right first, to the standards the tile industry actually publishes, before a single tile goes up. See TCNA installation standards.
Can you do a backsplash in a day?
Most straightforward backsplashes, yes — layout, cuts, and setting the tile can wrap in a day, with grout finished the next. A full shower surround takes longer because the waterproofing and mortar need real cure time before grout goes on.
Do you waterproof behind the tile?
In any wet area — showers, tub surrounds — always, no exceptions. It's cement backer board and a proper waterproofing membrane, sloped and sealed at the changes of plane, not tile set straight over the old wall.
What does tiling cost in the Boston area?
It depends on square footage, tile size and layout, and what condition the wall is in underneath — a wall that already needs backer board or waterproofing repair costs more than one that's ready to go. We quote after seeing the space or good photos, not off a per-square-foot guess.
Can you match or replace just a few cracked tiles?
Sometimes, if we can source a close match and the surrounding tile isn't also failing. Often a few cracked tiles are a sign the wall behind them has already been compromised, so we'll check what's underneath before promising a quick patch.
Should I try tiling a backsplash myself?
A small, dry-area backsplash is a reasonable DIY project if you're comfortable with layout and cuts. A wet area — anywhere near a shower or tub — is where DIY tiling most often goes wrong, because the waterproofing has to be right before the tile ever goes up, and mistakes there don't show up until months later.