Herringbone Backsplash: Planning It with Handmade 2x6 Tile

A herringbone backsplash turns a plain run of wall into the focal point of the kitchen. With a handmade tile, every piece catches the light a little differently, so the zigzag reads as texture rather than a hard graphic. This guide covers choosing the tile, the direction of the pattern, grout, and how much to order.

Why a 2x6 handmade tile suits herringbone

Herringbone needs a rectangle, and the 2x6 is a classic proportion for it: long enough for a crisp zigzag, small enough to fit around outlets and under cabinets.

Our 2x6 is bejmat, the traditional Moroccan rectangle. Like our zellige, each tile is made by hand, so the edges and the surface vary slightly from tile to tile. That variation is what makes a handmade herringbone look different from a machine-made one: light breaks across the wall instead of sliding over it.

Bejmat colours for a herringbone backsplash

Each of these is shown in a herringbone layout.

• White herringbone backsplash: Bejmat Silk White, a clean, luminous white with soft silky undertones. The quietest option; the pattern shows through texture and grout lines.
• Warm and golden: Bejmat Burnt Honey, rich golden and honey tones that suit oak and brass.
• Amber clay: Bejmat Glazed Terracotta, amber and sunbaked clay under a glaze.
• Matte clay: Bejmat Unglazed Terracotta, earthy and unglazed, for a softer, rustic wall.
• Deep reds: Bejmat Oxblood and Bejmat Maroon, for a backsplash that is the room's main colour.

Some bejmat colours sell through and are restocked, so check the product page for current stock and lead time. All of our zellige and bejmat is in the zellige tile collection.

Vertical or horizontal herringbone?

• Vertical (the V points up): draws the eye up the wall. Good behind a range or on a short backsplash under open shelves, where you want height.
• Horizontal (the V points sideways): runs along the counter and makes a long wall feel longer. Good on a full-length backsplash.

Either way, centre the pattern on the thing people look at, usually the range or the sink, and let the cuts fall at the ends of the run.

Where a herringbone backsplash starts and stops

• Bottom: on the counter, so the first row is a full zigzag.
• Top: the underside of the wall cabinets, or to the ceiling on a wall with open shelves. Running it to the ceiling avoids a cut line halfway up the wall.
• Sides: stop on a clean vertical line, such as a cabinet edge or a wall corner, not mid-wall.

Every edge of a herringbone is cut at an angle, so ask your installer to plan the layout on paper first and to quote it as herringbone, not as a straight lay.

Grout for a herringbone backsplash

• Tonal grout (close to the tile colour) makes the zigzag soft and lets the handmade surface lead.
• Contrast grout outlines every tile and makes the herringbone the main event.

Lay samples on a board with the grout you are considering before you decide. Read our zellige and bejmat installation guide with your installer; handmade tile needs an installer experienced with it.

How much tile for a herringbone backsplash

1. Measure the backsplash area in square feet (width times height for each section).
2. Add 20% for herringbone. A straight lay needs 15%, but herringbone cuts tile at every edge, and handmade tile also needs spares set aside.
3. Our tile calculator counts a box of 2x6 bejmat as 7.23 sq ft (90 tiles).

Example: a 30 sq ft backsplash plus 20% is 36 sq ft, which is 5 boxes of bejmat. The tile calculator and every product page do this math for you.

Order the whole job at once. Handmade tile is final sale, and a later batch can differ in shade.

Herringbone backsplash questions

What size tile is best for a herringbone backsplash?

Any rectangle works. A 2x6 like bejmat gives a fine, detailed zigzag that suits a backsplash's small area. For sizes and layouts in general, see our herringbone tile pattern guide.

How much extra tile do I need for herringbone?

Add 20% to the measured area, against 15% for a straight lay, because every tile along every edge is cut at an angle.

Can I use herringbone bejmat on a floor?

Unglazed terracotta bejmat is the one described for floors and herringbone layouts. Glazed tile belongs on walls. For a patterned floor, see handmade cement tile.

Can I see the colours before I order?

Yes. Up to 5 samples are free; you pay $7 shipping for the first and $4 for each one after. Look at them in your kitchen's own light. Order free samples.

Designers and contractors: an approved trade account gets 25% off every order. Planning the whole kitchen? Start with the zellige tile backsplash page.