Backsplash ending questions are just never ending! :-) There are so many different situations and sometimes it seems no two are alike! See what advice I recently gave a reader below.

I received this question on another backsplash post I’d written about the transition between a typical 18” high backsplash under cabinets to a 42” high raised bar situation. I had used one of my projects as the example of how I like to see that detail.

Backsplash transitioning to 42” high bar | carlaaston.com

Basically, I don’t like to see a backsplash hanging in mid-air traveling on down the wall when the cabinets have stopped. I almost always prefer to stop the backsplash at the upper cabinets.

This scenario was a little bit different because the upper cabinets were closer to the opening and the 42” high bar. In my previous example, there was about 6-8” between the bar and the upper cabinet.

So here was the photo of the cabinet situation, recently installed.

Where to end this backsplash with the bar/opening like this? carlaaston.com

The homeowner wanted to know how to install the tile around that opening that would receive a ledge/bar. You can see, previously, the tile had gone back up to the 18” height to match what was installed on the “cabinet” side of the opening.

I told her to leave it low, just to take that tile all way across at the same level as the the slab material there. I do like an edging or a “jolly” trim piece in these situation, as you can see in my project’s photos.

Here’s what I’d do with that small section of wall at the end of the counter. I would not go back up the wall with the height of the splash. carlaaston.com

Here is a “jolly” trim piece. Not every tile has a piece like this. Many have bullnose pieces on both the short and long sides of the tile, those are also a good way to end a backsplash on a wall.

End section of a jolly tile trimpiece | carlaaston.com

Here’s another tile trimpiece I recently used on a job. See how it starts at the end of the upper cabinet run and then dies into the countertop? Perfect installation.

End of tile backsplash lining up with the upper cabinet with a nice trimpiece. carlaaston.com

BTW, this tile did not have any trimpieces, I found a nice trim from another line that matched in color and it looks great with the tile. I prefer this look to Schluter edging, as that just makes the tile look chopped off and rather unfinished to me.

Here’s how I’d do the opposite side of the opening. I like that the cabinets are close to the opening here so that the countertop/end of backsplash can be detailed like this.

Notice how I’d overlap the edge of the counter around that wall, just like you’d do a window sill. We call it a “dog-ear” around here, but it helps to create nice finish transitions if you think this through before you remodel.