Brass Backsplash

Here is what you need:

• Brass Shimstock

• Adhesive to apply to shimstock (I used liquid nails but you could use something else

• Foam Brush

• Flexible Plastic Spreaders

• Scissors

• Utility Knife

• A spray bottle filled with diluted vinegar

• A towel to help absorb vinegar

• A spray bottle with just water

Enter Brass Shimstock. I saw this product on HGTV originally as Allison Victoria used it on a project and I thought to myself, could this be applied to a wall? The answer is yes and it is totally amazing. I’d say that is project is 100x more simple than installing wallpaper and is totally DIY friendly.

Brass Shimstock comes in rolls, as you can see in image to right. I got mine at Grainger, but you may be able to find it at your local hardware store. What's really important is that you get very thin brass. You want it to be able to be manipulated easily, which is why I got the .001" thick.

You’ll need adhesive, plastic spreaders, scissors, and a utility knife to do the install of the brass. Then you will need vinegar, towels, and water to do the aging of the brass.

Let’s do this:

1. Measure out your first strip of brass and cut with scissors.

2. Apply adhesive in a *thin* layer all over the brass using a foam brush

3. Apply to wall and use plastic spreader to adhere brass to wall (this technique is really similar to wallpaper install.) Don’t press too hard because you don’t want to bend the brass and make it curl.

4. Use utility knife as needed to cut off access.

The Quick Aging Process

You can skip this phase if you don’t want the brass to have a patina. I think that the patina is what makes it so pretty but it’s totally your choice.

1. In a small section, spray diluted vinegar onto brass. you can use a paper towel or towel to dab the vinegar around and get the right texture that you want.

2. Move onto next section and repeat until all areas have been treated.

3. Let it sit on the brass until it gets the patina that you are looking for. I let mine sit for an hour before rinsing off.

4. When ready, spray water onto brass and get off all access vinegar. Use a towel for this, you will likely need to spray a lot of water.