Demolition is thrilling, but there’s always that little voice reminding you that everything you tear out has to be replaced.
A bummer, for sure.
We didn’t linger on it long. Right after demo we headed straight to The Tile Shop (in my sister’s borrowed SUV) to buy cement board so we’d have supplies ready when demo wrapped. Between removing tiles and plywood, we wanted to be prepared to rebuild without delay.
We used 1/4″ Permabase Ultrabacker cement board. With The Tile Shop’s 10% discount code it came to about $10 per 3ft x 5ft sheet, and we ended up using four sheets. I accidentally bought eight at first because of a miscalculation, so after returning the extras our final cost for cement board was around $40.
We planned to cover the entire back wall behind the stove—our future focal wall, which will have tile to the ceiling, a large range hood, and open shelves—and to install 18″ backsplash sections on the remaining walls. I started with the 18″ backsplash boards since they were smaller and easier to handle. Careful measuring was important to cut accurately around the window and outlet openings.
I cut the boards with a jigsaw and wore a proper respirator to avoid breathing the dust. The blade choice wasn’t ideal for the cement board—by the end the blade had a lot of teeth missing from sanding through the coarse material—so next time a more appropriate blade, possibly a carbide or diamond blade, would be wiser. Despite that, the cuts worked and I was glad to have it done.
Installing the cut boards was straightforward. They sat nicely on the existing plywood since they were the same thickness, which helped create a seamless surface for tiling. I leveled them, drove screws so the heads were flush, and checked spacing while Sherry kept Clara safely away from the construction area.
Once all the screws were sunk flush—important so tiles will lay flat—I continued around the room. It turned out to be less painful than expected, especially compared with a previous bathroom rebuild that felt laborious. Maybe time softens the memory.
The 5ft tall boards matched the 5ft tall wall behind the stove almost perfectly, so I didn’t have to trim those large sheets except for outlet holes. With Clara napping, Sherry helped hold the big pieces in place while I drilled, which sped things up considerably.
The temporary outlet near the vent will eventually serve the range hood. We positioned it where we think the hood wiring will work; if it needs adjusting there’s some slack in the junction box and the hole will be hidden behind the future vent cover.
Although the hood won’t be perfectly centered on the tiled section, it will be centered on the entire back wall when you account for the doorway area. Once we add penny tile to the ceiling, open shelves, and the built-in hood, styling the floating shelves with frequently used dishes, vases, small art, and a plant or two should visually balance the space.
Cement board installed didn’t mean the walls were finished. We still had the area above the sink and pantry to address.
We considered tiling that wall to the ceiling as well but decided one tiled focal wall plus standard 18″ backsplashes on the other walls would feel more balanced. Tiling over the pantry seemed odd, so we left it as the natural stopping point.
The kitchen walls aren’t drywall; they’re painted paneling, which adds a soft texture and coziness once painted. So yes—we bought a sheet of paneling. It felt a little retro at the checkout, but it matched the look we wanted and we had an extra painted panel from a previous project to reuse to the right of the window. I only needed to buy one 4ft x 8ft sheet.
The Lowe’s staff cut the pieces to size so they’d fit in our car and so we didn’t have to do large cuts at home. I did pick up a fresh jigsaw blade to cut the microwave outlet hole, which made that small task easier.
We skipped removing a small piece of plywood behind where a future upper cabinet will hang to avoid moving the pantry; that area will be concealed once the cabinet and crown molding are installed. A minor shortcut that saves time and effort.
Cement board seams will be taped and covered with thinset before tiling, following The Tile Shop’s recommendation for a durable surface. Looking at the wall straight on, the layout begins to make sense with cabinet placement and shelving in mind.
The window sits off-center on that section, but once a small upper cabinet is added to the right of the pantry there will be 14″ of wall between the cabinet and the window trim and 14″ between the window trim and the 12″ floating shelves on the focal wall. The symmetry will come together once the shelves and cabinets are in place.
When we finished installing the cement board and paneling the kitchen already felt improved. Without upper cabinets crowding the space it’s easier to imagine the finished look once the backsplash tile is in. The balance between the focal wall and the two 18″ backsplash areas is beginning to show.
Both of these are interior walls—the window looks into a well-insulated sunroom—so we didn’t add insulation during this step. We lived through a cold, snowy winter and the sunroom remained comfortable, so the kitchen hasn’t felt drafty.
The whole demo and rebuild took two days: one day for demo and buying materials, and one day to install the new cement board and paneling. It left me sore, but paint touch-ups are next and they’re less grueling than demolition. Once paint evens things out the room will feel much more cohesive despite mismatched appliances and finishes for now.
Have you ever installed cement board or bought new paneling? Any ceiling painting on your to-do list?
Pssst—We’re chatting on BabyCenter about the birthday time capsule we made for Clara to open on her 18th birthday.
Pssst—We listed our black above-the-range microwave on Craigslist if anyone’s interested; it’s a year old and still in good working condition.