Shekinah Renovations LLC · Service
Tile Backsplash Installation in Oklahoma City
Shekinah Renovations LLC installs kitchen and bar backsplashes across the Oklahoma City metro. A backsplash is one of the shortest projects that changes how a whole kitchen reads, and it is also the one where sloppy layout shows most, because it sits at eye level right where you stand every day. Owner Jimmy Garces Jr. sets the tile personally. Free estimates. Call or text (405) 532-3348.
Prep Work Before the First Tile
A backsplash goes on drywall in most kitchens, and that drywall usually has grease film on it, old paint, patched holes from the previous tile, and outlet boxes that sit at slightly different depths. We clean and de-gloss the surface, repair anything that is not sound, and flatten bulges so a straight tile does not rock. Counters and cabinets get covered and taped because thinset dust travels. Outlets get shut off at the panel and the plates come off so tile can run behind the cover plate line instead of being cut awkwardly around it, and box extenders go in where the box now sits behind the new tile face.
Layout, Focal Points and Cuts
The layout starts at the range or the sink, whichever is the visual center of the kitchen, so full tiles land where you look and cuts fall at the ends of the run or under the upper cabinets. Vertical alignment matters as much as horizontal: on a wall with a window, the tile courses should relate to the window trim rather than to whatever height the counter happened to be built. Outlet cuts are the tell for quality work. Clean cuts sized so the plate covers the edge, and cuts made with a wet saw or a grinder with the right blade rather than snapped by hand, are what separate a professional backsplash from a weekend one.
Materials That Work in a Kitchen
Ceramic subway tile is affordable, easy to clean and never looks dated. Glass mosaic sheets add depth and reflect light, and they need a white setting material because the color behind glass shows through. Large-format porcelain and slab-look panels cut the grout lines down to almost nothing, which is popular right now and makes wiping down behind a stove trivial. Natural stone and marble mosaics look expensive and are porous, so they need to be sealed and kept away from acidic cleaners. We will tell you which of these will still look good after a few years of cooking on it, and which one will need more upkeep than you want.
Grout, Caulk and the Finished Edge
Grout color is a design decision as much as a maintenance one. Matching the tile makes the wall read as a single surface, contrasting grout makes the pattern the feature. Behind a range, a grout with better stain resistance is worth the small upcharge. The joint where the tile meets the countertop is a change of plane and gets flexible caulk, not grout, because the counter and the wall move independently and grout there will crack. Exposed vertical ends get finished with a metal trim profile, a bullnose tile, or a mitered edge, and we will show you the options before we start rather than making the call for you.
Free Backsplash Estimates in the Metro
Backsplash pricing depends on square footage, tile size, pattern, and how many outlets and edges are in the run. A herringbone pattern with a lot of cuts takes longer than a straight-set subway run of the same area. Call or text (405) 532-3348 with photos of the kitchen and we can usually give you a range on the phone before coming out for a free written estimate. See also [kitchen remodeling](/services/kitchen-remodeling) and [kitchen cabinet installation](/services/kitchen-cabinet-installation). Serving [Oklahoma City](/locations/oklahoma-city), [Edmond](/locations/edmond), [Moore](/locations/moore), [Bethany](/locations/bethany) and [Warr Acres](/locations/warr-acres).
A shower fails behind the tile, not on it
Tile is the finish. Whether a bathroom is still sound in ten years is decided by the layers nobody ever sees, and by whether anyone bothered to lay the job out before cutting.
Backer board set in mortar and screwed down
Cement board over a subfloor needs a bed of mortar under it and to be fastened properly. Screwed down over an air gap, it flexes, and flex is what cracks grout and tile later.
Waterproofing behind the surface
Seams, corners, and changes of plane are where water gets in. Those get waterproofed before tile goes on. A shower that was never waterproofed can look perfect and still be rotting the wall behind it.
The layout gets planned before the first cut
Niches lined up to the tile joints, full tiles where the eye lands, and cuts pushed to the edges. A niche that was cut in as an afterthought is obvious forever, and it is the detail people complain about most.
Slope, drain, and grout done to spec
Pans get sloped to the drain so water actually leaves. Grout and sealant get the right product for a wet area, and the joints get the cure time they need before the shower goes back into use.
Part of Our Kitchen Remodeling in Oklahoma City Services
Tile Backsplash Installation in Oklahoma City is one of the services included under our broader Kitchen Remodeling in Oklahoma City offering.
← Back to Kitchen Remodeling in Oklahoma CityLetting someone you found online into your house
It is a fair thing to be careful about, and we would rather answer it straight than talk around it. Shekinah Renovations is a newer company name. Jimmy is not new to the trade. He started at fourteen, learned it from his stepdad, and has been doing this work ever since.
- Every photo and video on this site is Jimmy's own work around the OKC metro. None of it is stock.
- We will put you in touch with people we have done work for. Ask on the walkthrough.
- Oklahoma does not issue a general contractor or remodeler license, so for most of what we do there is no state license to hold. Where a trade is licensed, we say so and bring in the right partner.
- The estimate is free and written down. You know the number, and the scope, before anything starts.
- The person who quotes your job is the person who shows up to do it.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on square footage, tile size, pattern and how many outlets and edges are in the run. A herringbone pattern with many cuts takes longer than a straight-set subway run of the same area. We give you a realistic window at the estimate.
Painted drywall is normal and just needs cleaning, de-glossing and any repairs. Tiling over existing tile is sometimes possible but adds thickness at outlets and edges, so it gets assessed on site rather than assumed.
Power is shut off at the panel, cover plates come off so tile runs behind the plate line, and box extenders go in where the box now sits behind the new tile face. Clean, properly sized outlet cuts are the clearest sign of professional work.
No. That joint is a change of plane where the counter and wall move independently, so it gets flexible caulk. Grout there will crack.
Fair question, and it is the one we would ask too. Shekinah Renovations is a newer company, but Jimmy is not new to the trade. He started at fourteen, learned it from his stepdad, and has been doing this work ever since. Every photo and video on this site is his own work around the metro, not stock, and we are glad to put you in touch with people we have worked for. He is also the one who shows up for the estimate and the one on site while the work happens.
Oklahoma does not issue a general contractor or remodeler license, so for most of what we do there is no state license to hold. For the trades the Construction Industries Board does license, Jimmy has applications in progress and we will tell you that plainly rather than imply otherwise. Where a job requires a licensed plumber, electrician, or registered roofer, we bring in the right trade partner for that portion. Ask about your specific job and you will get a straight answer.
Usually the same day. Call or text (405) 532-3348 and it reaches Jimmy directly. If he is on a job site with his hands full he will get back to you as soon as he is off it. Most people call two or three contractors and hire whoever actually answers, so we try to be that one.
Want This Priced for Your Place?
Call or text (405) 532-3348 or send us the details and we will come look at the job in person. The visit and the written estimate are free, and you are not committed to anything by asking.
Get a free estimatefree · no obligationCall or text Jimmy directly at (405) 532-3348