Attaching a wooden knife block to a tile backsplash without drilling.

Submitted by mrHL7 t3_1000o5z in DIY

I’d like to attach this magnetic knife holder to our backsplash without drilling or damaging it if possible.

https://imgur.com/a/aaWnR0a

I’ve tried a few things and can’t seem to get a good bond at all. Command strips, gorilla and 3M mounting tape (rated for both wood and tile), I even tried silicone adhesive and after curing for 12 hours it peeled right off.

Maybe my expectation is just unrealistic. But the whole thing will weigh no more than 5 lbs. The knives are pricey so I want to avoid having them fall off the wall, but obviously not as pricey as a new tile backsplash. I’d prefer something that I’d possible to remove later, even if it requires some elbow grease.

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Comments

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LippencottElvis t1_j2eu2jy wrote

If you do end up drilling just go in the grout instead of the tile. It's easy to patch a little screw hole with more grout.

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definitelytheA t1_j2fihj7 wrote

This! Grout is relatively easy to patch. Also, it’s not the weight of the knife holder plus knives. The biggest issue requiring a sturdy attachment is the strength of the magnet that requires a sturdy pull (torque) to pull knives off of it.

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SofaSpudAthlete t1_j2f0ovr wrote

What if you made a mount connected to the bottom of your upper cabinet. Then hang the magnetic mount to that down to your preferred height

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g_st_lt t1_j2fauu5 wrote

I don't think there is an adhesive solution that will do what you want without damaging the tile when you remove it.

I suspect the texture on the tile is interfering, but also wonder if you've cleaned the tile well enough for the adhesives to work.

Perhaps two-part epoxy would work.

But I vote for drilling into the grout, as someone smarter than me suggested here.

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CorvisTaxidea t1_j2fdoec wrote

Yeah, my thought was that they aren't getting a close fit between the wood and the tile because of the texture.

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sonbarington t1_j2etzje wrote

Get some 3M dual lock Velcro fastener that they use for toll passes in cars. That stuff is super sticky and hard to get off. Also it’s a hook and loop if you want to remove the golden for whatever reason.

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JerseyWiseguy t1_j2esijx wrote

Any kind of adhesive mount is always going to be iffy. That's what it really comes down to. It might hold forever, or it may fall off in an hour, a day, a month, a year, or even ten years. And there's always the chance that the adhesive will, in some way, discolor and/or damage the tile or grout.

Depending on your setup, there's an option you can consider that will hold that wood bar in place securely without damaging the tile, but it's a little bit more involved. If you have cabinets right above there, you could get two more pieces of wood (you could even buy another one of those same pieces and cut it in half), screw the ends to the ends of that board, and screw the other ends to the bottom of the cabinets. So, the knife holder would sit against the backsplash, but it would actually be hanging down from the cabinets above.

If you wanted to do something maybe fancier but more involved, you could even get something like a one-foot-square wood cutting board (any kind you like--you could even have it say "MrHL7's Kitchen" in fancy script), screw it to the bottom of the cabinet so it's hanging down in front of the backsplash, then mount the knife holder near the bottom of that cutting board.

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itsgettinglate27 t1_j2esv3y wrote

I've used the Scotch extreme mount tape with success before.

Make sure the tile is clean and dry (give it a wipe with rubbing alcohol) don't go over the grout lines, cut the tape. The trick is you need to find a way to keep it under pressure for the first little while, like you'd use a clamp on glue.

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Knowledge_ t1_j2ex5ol wrote

I would have guessed that the 3m tape would work, maybe wait a few days before putting any weight on it. Or just get a magnetic block that doesn't need to be mounted. The ones that stand on their own.

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Berry_Togard t1_j2f1xho wrote

Surprised silicone adhesive didn’t work—I used regular old silicone caulking on mine. Looks exactly like your setup. Been holding up for 8 years now. Maybe clean the tile and the back of the wood with alcohol first. Then make sure it’s properly taped so everything is held in place while it’s drying.

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JonJackjon t1_j2f9pxc wrote

I see two possible solutions using 3M tape.

  1. The 3M VHB is the strongest however your tile has some pattern and the amount of contact with the tape could be an issue.
  2. 3M Heavy duty foam tape is not a strong as the VHB but it is more tolerant of non flat surfaces.

In either case the surfaces must be very very clean.

Removal of either can be performed by getting some thin steel picture hanging wire or craft wire. Using the wire you can "saw" down through the tape. Then you only have to remove the residue, not easy but doable.

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put_some_dirt_on_it t1_j2er0jm wrote

3M Heavt Duty Dbl Sided Tape, works great.

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GypsyBagelhands t1_j2ev7cz wrote

This! The stuff with the red backing is pretty sticky. Another option may be carpet tape.

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New_Engine_7237 t1_j2fcf12 wrote

If you build a simple stand to support the weight of the knives, you can then use silicon to attach it to the tile, avoid the grout joints, to keep it from leaning forward.

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bcossa2001 t1_j2fok70 wrote

I think I would try contact cement on a couple of small wooden blocks within the field of 1 or 2 tiles (don’t overlap any grout joints) and then screw the holder to the blocks…

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Admirable_Flower_469 t1_j2fplj6 wrote

If you use a couple lengthwise strips of the 3/4” grey 3m double sided tape(with the red backing, auto shops have it) it will stick there for ever and if you want to remove it you can cut it free by working string/floss though the double sided tape.

Clean both surfaces thoroughly for best adhesion, it will rip the tile off before it pulls off, super easy install, kiss method.

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beakersandbitches t1_j2fvikt wrote

I have been pleasantly surprised by alien tape. I've been able to attach stuff even up to ~7lbs or so to bathroom and kitchen tile surfaces.

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Karnorkla t1_j2fmg1x wrote

Command strips.

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Ownfir t1_j2fje2f wrote

Have you tried hot glue? Maybe even a combination of hot glue and super glue.

It doesn’t work great for repeated tension but for the nature of a magnetic knife rack it might hold.

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