The Great Tile Coverup!

The word of the day is: Substrate. Substrate is a surface which a vinyl graphic is adhered to. In the sign industry, this is generally some hard plastic or wood surface, or is a colorful banner.

In our little niche industry, a substrate ranges from a wall, to a piece of glass or mirror, to a tile, and the list goes on. A substrate simply means the background piece of material—and in home décor the background material can mean a lot. Tiles, for example can range from a decorative tile that is on a stand with a sentimental favorite placed on it—think “Welcome” or “Give Thanks” or even a monogram design. A more utilitarian use that goes along with tile as a substrate is to cover up some existing tile on a wall or backsplash.

Now in our house, we have a great master bathroom (celestory 2 story windows aren’t in the average bathroom—I’ll admit we’ve got it good here). What is not in my personal taste is the run of peachy, salmon-y, southwestern-esque tiles that run around the tub, around the shower, and all over the floor. I’ve seriously considered a sledgehammer, but that would mean breaking out my tile saw and fixing the problem. Unfortunately, I’m held back by powerful memories of doing a ton of tiling in an old rental that we fixed up. I’m also determined not to break out the trusty old loud tile saw until I’m ready to get rid of the mismatched laminate counter tops in the laundry room, the other bathrooms, and the ceramic steps on the front patio that have seen better days. As long as gorilla glue is holding those precious ceramic babies on the steps, I see no reason for major demolition.

So, what to do with the colorful tile that brings to mind a décor featuring a cow skull and a lariat (not that there’s anything wrong with that, I’ve just spent far too long in a high valley desert to ever want to incorporate that into my bathroom décor). Ah, fire up the vinyl cutter and cover the tile with some fun design—that’s what! We’ve got a range of tile tattoos that will cover, ahem, interesting tile choices. If you don’t have the time, money, or inclination (or abject ownership of said tile), then think about covering some or all of the tile with something fun to make the space a bit more modern and fun.

And while you’re at it, consider that decorative 12 x 12 tile for a welcoming greeting in an entryway. Better yet, have a few tiles ready to swap out with the seasons—they’re quick, easy, inexpensive, and look fantastic. Fear not the substrate!