1. Classic subway, running bond

3×6 white ceramic, 1/3 offset, mid-grey grout. It has been popular for a century because it works with everything. The quickest backsplash to install, and it will not date. Best in the 1980s and 90s kitchens common across Ajax and Pickering.

2. Large format slab-look

A single large porcelain panel behind the range, often matching or complementing the counter. Almost no grout lines, very easy to keep clean, and strongly contemporary. Needs a flat wall. Works well in the newer Whitby and Markham builds.

3. Vertical stack

Subway tile turned vertical and stacked rather than offset. Draws the eye up, which helps in kitchens with standard 8-foot ceilings — which is most GTA homes. Same cost as classic subway, noticeably more current.

4. Zellige or handmade

Irregular, glazed, with visible variation between pieces. Beautiful and full of character. It is slow to install and needs wider grout joints because no two tiles are the same size, so it is the most expensive backsplash to install. If you want a kitchen that does not look like anyone else’s, this is the one.

5. Marble-look porcelain

The veining of marble with none of the sealing. Excellent behind a range where real marble would etch from anything acidic. See our materials comparison for the full trade-off.

6. Herringbone accent

Keep the main run simple and do the section behind the range in herringbone. Contained cost, real focal point.

What we would avoid

• Very busy mosaics across a whole kitchen. Striking in a photo, tiring in daily life, and murder to keep clean behind a stove.
• Bright white grout. It will not stay white. Use epoxy or go a shade darker.
• Anything unsealed and porous behind the range. Grease wins.

Practical notes

Standard height is counter to underside of upper cabinets, usually 18 inches. Going full height behind the range is a strong look and costs little more. Decide on outlet placement before tiling — horizontal outlets or under-cabinet strips keep the field clean.

Get a free estimate

Ultra Renovations Inc has been installing tile across Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and the wider GTA for over ten years. We are a registered Ontario corporation with general liability insurance.

Call (647) 648-8985 or request a free estimate and we will come out, measure properly, look at your subfloor, and give you a written quote for your backsplash at no cost.

Labour and waste compared

Why herringbone costs more

Every tile sits at 45 degrees to the wall, so every perimeter tile is an angled cut. The pattern is also unforgiving — a small error at one end compounds visibly across the floor. It takes a slower, more careful setter, and it takes longer.

It is also the pattern that most clearly separates a skilled tile setter from a general handyman, which is partly why we chose a herringbone unit as the basis of our logo.

Where each works

Straight lay — large format tile, modern interiors, and anywhere you want the floor to recede rather than announce itself. With big tiles and matched grout it reads almost as a continuous surface.

Running bond — the default for subway backsplashes. Classic, forgiving, timeless. A 1/3 offset looks better than a 1/2 offset with longer tiles, because it reduces lippage at the centre of each tile.

Diagonal — makes a narrow room feel wider. Genuinely useful in a small bathroom or a narrow hallway.

Herringbone — entryways, feature walls, and small floors where the extra cost is contained. A herringbone entry in a Ajax or Whitby home is a strong first impression for a manageable premium.

Ordering for pattern

Order 15 to 20 percent extra for herringbone or diagonal, not the usual 10. The offcuts are less reusable because of the angles.

One honest recommendation

If budget is tight and you want visual interest, do herringbone in a small, high-impact area — the entry, a powder room floor, a backsplash — and keep the large areas straight. You get the effect for a fraction of the cost.

Get a free estimate

Ultra Renovations Inc has been installing tile across Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and the wider GTA for over ten years. We are a registered Ontario corporation with general liability insurance.

Call (647) 648-8985 or request a free estimate and we will come out, measure properly, look at your subfloor, and give you a written quote for your layout at no cost.