How to Add a Peel and Stick Kitchen Backsplash in a Rental

Whenever we move to a new house, especially on base, I always hold my breath before the initial walk-thru. What will the kitchen look like? So much of a rental can be masked over – walls you can paint, the floors can be covered with beautiful rugs, but the kitchen, it’s tougher. Our current kitchen is one of my least favorites we’ve had. It dates the house more than any other space. The laminate cabinets with wood trim are not my favorite look. While there were a lot of things in this kitchen that I couldn’t change like the cabinets and mismatched appliances – I can do some things to help. I decided early on that I would do some sort of faux backsplash and eventually landed on a peel and stick kitchen backsplash option I loved.

Adding a peel and stick kitchen backsplash draws the eye away from the ugly cabinets and towards a vibrant pattern that adorns the walls. Let me show you the difference.

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If you are looking for some pretty patterned faux kitchen backsplash, I shared some options for peel and stick backsplash here. I opted for this blue and white (of course) faux cement tile looking backsplash. The installation was rather straight forward but I do have some tips to share.

Some Tips for Installing Peel and Stick Kitchen Backsplash

Save money by picking a pattern that repeats both up and down and left to right. While I love the pattern I chose, I ended up with a lot of waste. If I would have picked a pattern that had a smaller repeat or repeated the same both up and down and side to side, I could have used up some of the waste I had. Unfortunately every time I would cut off the excess, it wasn’t able to be used anywhere else because the patterns did not match up. That being said, I used three rolls of this backsplash which ended up being approximately $225. That’s a small price to pay for the impact on this space. If you have a smaller space to cover, I think it’s worth the investment to splurge for the peel and stick backsplash you love even if you may end up with some waste.

Measure, measure, measure. I kind of winged it when it came to measurements. I ended up only have enough to do two walls because initially, I hadn’t ordered enough rolls. I had to order another roll leaving my job 2/3 complete for several weeks. The shop that I ordered my peel and stick from is very helpful so if you are unsure how many rolls you’ll need, you can always ask for guidance.

Get yourself a Xacto knife. I learned this trick when I did the removable wallpaper in my office at the Florida house. Box cutters will work in a pinch but a nice sharp Xacto knife is the key to cutting nice crisp lines for the edges of your backsplash.

Installation
Supplies needed:
Rolls of backsplash (I needed 3 – this is the one I bought)
Xacto Knife
Credit card or some type of straight edge to get out any air bubbles
Sharp Scissors
Tape measure

The installation of this peel and stick kitchen backsplash was pretty straight forward. The first thing I did was remove everything from the countertops, wiped down all of the walls really well so that the sticker backing would adhere properly.

Start by gently folding back the sticker backing about 2 inches and line up the sticker at the top of your backsplash area. I started on the edge of the wall, working your way over – here I’m starting on the edge of my stove. Press firmly to adhere the sticker to the wall. Swipe your hand across the sticker to make sure it’s secure, then gently and slowly start pulling the backing away, pressing down the sticker to the wall as you go.

As you reach the end of your backsplash area press down firmly where the wall meets the countertop, I run my finger along the ledge to make sure it’s secure. That’s where you’ll use your Xacto knife to trim off the excess backsplash sticker. I find that cutting right along the caulk line to be most effective. You’ll continue to do this along your backsplash area making sure to line up the pattern as you.

Here’s a little tip for when you get to the outlets. I place the sticker right over top of the sticker, then gently cut an X shape in the sticker right where the outlet is. Doing this gives you a little flexibility in that spot and you can gently use your Xacto knife to cut around the outlet. Another option is to take the outlet cover off so that your sticker doesn’t have to be cut perfectly around the outlet cover.

It’s hard to overstate how much of a difference this peel and stick kitchen backsplash makes in our home. It’s just that good. Not only does it bring your attention to that pretty tile rather than the ugly cabinets, it truly makes the small space feel much larger.

This peel and stick tile is obviously great for kitchen backsplashes but you can use them in so many other ways: bathroom walls, around a fireplace, on a kitchen wall, etc.

Here are some beautiful peel and stick backsplash options that I found on my search for the perfect one for my space.

If you’re a renter – what are somethings you’ve done that have really brought your temporary place to the next level? Let me know in the comments!