She Made More Than 400 Hexagon Tiles From Clay and the Backsplash Looks Store-Bought
Most kitchen backsplashes begin with a trip to a tile showroom. This one started with a slab of clay. In a project shared by Reddit user Notaneditor10, more than 400 handmade hexagon tiles were cut, fired, glazed, and installed to create a custom backsplash that now spans the kitchen walls.
The project involved shaping tiles from clay, firing them in a kiln, testing glaze colors, producing custom edge pieces, and planning the final layout before installation.
White cabinetry, white countertops, and stainless fixtures provide a neutral backdrop for the finished blue-green tilework. At first glance, the backsplash resembles a custom collection from a specialty tile manufacturer. The process photos reveal that every piece was made specifically for this kitchen.
Hexagon Tiles Were Cut From Large Clay Slabs
Each tile began as part of a large clay slab. A metal hexagon cutter was pressed into the clay to create matching shapes before the excess material was removed and reused.
Because the backsplash would require more than 400 tiles, maintaining consistent size and spacing from the beginning helped reduce problems later in the process.
Early Tile Layouts Tested the Design
Groups of freshly cut tiles were arranged into sample layouts before firing. These test boards provided an opportunity to evaluate spacing, proportions, and the overall appearance of the hexagon pattern.
At this stage, the tiles still showed the natural color of the clay and had not yet been fired or glazed.
Firing Turned the Clay Into Ceramic Tile
After drying, the tiles were fired in a kiln where the clay hardened into ceramic. The process changed both the strength and appearance of the pieces, producing a much lighter surface than the raw clay shown earlier.
This firing created the foundation for the glaze that would be applied later in the project.
Glaze Introduced the Final Color
Different glaze combinations were tested before the final blue-green finish was selected. Once fired, the glaze produced visible variation across the surface of each tile rather than a completely uniform color.
Those shifts in tone became one of the defining characteristics of the finished backsplash.
Tile Placement Was Planned Before Installation
Finished tiles were arranged on large templates before reaching the kitchen wall. The layout process allowed color variation to be distributed across the installation while confirming that enough tiles had been produced.
Reference notes and measurements helped preserve the pattern during installation.
Custom Edge Pieces Completed the Pattern
Special edge pieces were produced for exposed sections where full hexagons would not fit. These custom pieces allowed the backsplash to terminate cleanly at cabinet ends and wall intersections.
Without them, the installation would have required visible trim or irregular cuts.
One Kiln Load Held About 70 Tiles
The creator used a Skutt KM1027 kiln to fire the backsplash tiles. According to the Reddit discussion, a single firing could hold about 70 tiles using this shelf arrangement, with additional capacity available if more shelves were added.
Completing the backsplash required multiple firing cycles and roughly 40 to 60 hours of work spread across four months.
Finished Backsplash Looks Like Custom Tile
Blue-green hexagon tiles now stretch across the kitchen wall, creating contrast against the white cabinetry, countertops, and stainless fixtures. Variations in glaze and surface texture give the installation depth that would be difficult to achieve with a uniform factory-produced product.
What started as a pottery project eventually became one of the most distinctive features in the kitchen. Hundreds of handmade tiles now form a backsplash that looks as though it was commissioned specifically for the space.
All images belongs to Reddit user Notaneditor10.