How to retile a row on kitchen splashback?

[perryloh]

Hi all, 

For context, I hired a tiler to get kitchen splashback done, and then we had to raise the top cabinets. That move left a gap on from the top of the splashback, which after much consideration I decided to start a DIY project to fix that. I would re-tile the first/top row. 

Last few days I've been removing grout and chipping away at those tiles. The effort I went through appeared MUCH harder than what I typically see on youtube video's of people removing their kitchen tiles. 

And then I looked at my tiles which were removed. It looks to me like the tiler just went with slapping on a blob of adhesive onto centre of the tile and stuck that on. To be fair, I've had no problems with the tiles on the wall. But boy, removing them was helluva time. Not to mention having parts of my plasterboard get ripped out in the process (see photos).

Question I have, is this a valid technique for tiling a splashback which I could "stick" to or highly recommended I go with the conventional "spread adhesive on wall with notch trowel" approach?

Thanks in advance 

[EricL]

Hello @perryloh 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about tiling.

The "blob method" (also called dot and dab) is sometimes used for large format tiles, uneven surfaces, or quick installations, but it's not the best practice for a kitchen splashback. While it can hold tiles in place, it often leaves voids behind the tile, reducing adhesion strength and making future tile removal a nightmare—exactly what you experienced. It also increases the risk of moisture getting behind the tiles, which isn't ideal in a kitchen setting.

For your re-tiling project, it’s highly recommended to go with the proper method: spread the adhesive evenly on the wall with a notched trowel. This ensures full coverage, better adhesion, and a much easier removal process if you ever need to redo it in the future. It also helps prevent hollow spots and improves durability.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric