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Short answer: Test the purple. In Kristi Linauer’s October 2018 backsplash experiment, a later tile made with teal, purple, white and gold—without green—looked like a possible winning combination, while the original turquoise-and-green palette became too bold when repeated across a large group. Purple is therefore a strong accent or replacement for green, but the right choice depends on how much color variation your wall can carry.
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This was an iterative craft project, not a controlled test or a manufacturer-certified backsplash system. The resin, inks, heat, cleaning and installation results below are Linauer’s reported experience with her materials and conditions. Use the method as a design experiment, then verify that the resin you select is approved for your tile substrate and the heat, moisture and cleaning exposure at your site.
What the experiment actually tested
Linauer’s October 2, 2018 post describes covering each tile with clear resin, dropping alcohol ink into the wet surface and using a heat gun to move the colors into a marble pattern. She used about 12 drops per tile in random colors and arrangements. Compared with a resin-and-latex-paint trial from the previous day, she found the alcohol-ink version more vibrant and visually interesting. The prominent palette combined turquoise, teal, green, white and gold; she also showed purple and pink variations and ruled out pink for the pantry.
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The reader-facing decision was simple—“Add the purple? Or stick with the turquoise and green alone?”—but a wall changes the calculation. A single dramatic tile can look exciting; more than 200 tiles repeating that drama can become visually overwhelming. Linauer estimated that her pantry would require more than 200 tiles, so she had to judge the colors as a field rather than as isolated samples.
After the first post, she made another test in teal, purple, white and gold, deliberately leaving out green. She called that tile a possible winning combination, while noting that it was still wet when photographed. That is evidence of a promising color direction, not proof of how a fully cured installation will look.
Read the original October 2, 2018 experiment for the author’s photographs and initial color trials.
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How the color choices compare on a backsplash
| Palette | Color behavior | Best use | Risk to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turquoise, teal, green, white and gold | Vivid, high-variation marbling with several related cool hues | A small accent area or a room designed around saturated color | Can read as too bold when many tiles are installed together |
| Teal, purple, white and gold | Cool contrast between blue-green and purple, with white and metallic highlights | A controlled accent palette when you want variation without adding green | Purple can dominate if drops are too large or concentrated |
| White and gold over an existing batch | Softens and mutes a strong underlying palette | Rescuing tiles that look louder than planned | Additional resin changes thickness, cure timing and finished appearance |
| Pink variations | Warmer and more playful than the pantry direction Linauer selected | A separate color study or a room that supports warm accents | It was not the color chosen for her pantry project |
For a large wall, make enough sample tiles to view at a distance and in the room’s actual light. Look for the ratio of quiet tiles to high-contrast tiles, not just the prettiest individual pattern. If the turquoise-and-green group feels too forceful, try purple as a partial replacement for green rather than adding every hue to every tile.
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Materials and preparation
Reported project materials
- Clear epoxy resin used as the tile’s decorative surface and the medium for the ink.
- Alcohol inks in turquoise, teal, green, purple, pink, white and gold variations.
- A heat gun for the initial marbling stages.
- Tiles, a razor blade for removing cured-edge drips, regular mortar and unsanded grout, according to Linauer’s follow-up comments.
The follow-up identifies ArtResin as the resin used. Linauer does not identify an ink brand. Treat those names as a record of her project, not a universal product recommendation: resin systems differ in viscosity, cure schedule, adhesion and chemical resistance.
Set up a batch-sized work surface
For the larger run, Linauer prepared a 4-by-8-foot work surface, placed boards around the perimeter and lined the area with contractor bags to contain drips. She elevated each tile on short pieces of 2-by-4 lumber so resin could flow off the edges. This preparation matters more as the quantity grows: pooled resin can bond tiles to the work surface, and drips on the backs can interfere with installation.
She also reported that plastic cups had melted beneath the heat gun during an earlier attempt. Use containers and tools that the resin and the heat source can tolerate, and keep the heat gun moving rather than holding it over one spot.
Step-by-step: the initial marbled tile experiment
- Protect and elevate the work area. Cover the surface, contain the perimeter and raise each tile so resin can drain from its edges.
- Apply clear resin. Coat the tile evenly enough to create a continuous working surface. Follow the selected resin’s label for mixing, pot life, depth and cure conditions.
- Place the ink. Linauer used about 12 drops per tile in random colors and patterns. Start with fewer drops on a sample; a large pool can overpower the base color.
- Move the colors. Pass a heat gun over the wet resin to pull the drops into marbled movement. Heat changes the flow, so short passes are easier to control than prolonged heating.
- Compare tiles as a group. Photograph samples beside one another and view them from the distance at which the backsplash will be seen. Decide whether purple should replace green, join it sparingly or stay out.
The alcohol ink made this trial look more vivid than the previous resin-and-latex-paint approach, but vividness is not the same as suitability for a working backsplash. The final surface still depends on the resin system, substrate preparation and cure.
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Scaling the method to many tiles
In the follow-up tutorial dated October 11, 2018 and updated February 14, 2019, Linauer increased the amount of ink for a larger production run. Her recipe used about 22 drops per tile:
| Component | Approximate drops per tile | Timing or handling note |
|---|---|---|
| Colored inks | 8 | Distributed among the chosen hues |
| White ink | About 6 | Used to create contrast and cloudy movement |
| Gold ink | About 6 | Added shortly before the heat-gun pass; shake the bottle because it separated quickly |
| Total | About 22 | Project-specific quantity, not a manufacturer formula |
Those numbers are a starting point for her batch, not a ratio that will behave identically with another resin, tile size, ink concentration or room temperature. Make a small test first and record the drops so you can repeat a pattern you actually like.
Why the first large batch changed
Once the tiles were viewed together, Linauer felt the first large group was too bold. She applied a second resin coat with white and gold inks to mute the palette. That adjustment illustrates an important advantage of layered resin work: a strong first pass can sometimes be quieted instead of discarded. It also adds another surface layer, so the tile edges, cure time and eventual grout clearance must be considered.
She remained dissatisfied after the second coat and made a third and final coat. In that version she placed ink drops in the resin and allowed them to mix without a heat gun. She reported that this third version became the tiles she used. The no-heat stage produced a different kind of movement from the earlier forced marbling: the drops were allowed to flow and interact on their own. Do not assume the same appearance will result if your resin has a different working time.
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Drips, curing and installation details
Removing edge drips
Linauer described removing drips from the backs with a razor blade. With her ArtResin and working conditions, she found drips easiest to cut away 8–12 hours after pouring. After roughly 20 hours they were much harder to remove; once fully cured, sanding was the remaining option she reported. These are observations for her materials, not guaranteed cleanup windows for another epoxy. Check the resin maker’s cure schedule before cutting or sanding.
Cutting and setting
In a follow-up comment, Linauer said she cut the tiles with a wet saw after the resin cured. She also said she used regular mortar and unsanded grout because sanded grout could scratch the resin surface. Those choices describe her installation; tile substrate, adhesive compatibility, joint width and local building requirements may call for a different system. Confirm compatibility before committing a large batch.
Allowing the surface to harden
The tutorial says she intended to wait for the resin to cure before installation so the surface would be less likely to scratch during handling and grouting. Use the product’s stated full-cure time, not only the point at which the surface feels dry. Moving or grouting too early can mark a coating that has not reached its designed hardness.
Safety when handling resin and alcohol ink
Uncured resin components require more care than the finished tile. The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says, “Before they cure (dry), some epoxy or resin components can be hazardous.” Its April 3, 2024 guidance also says, “Follow safety instructions on the label or safety data sheet for any epoxies and resins you use.” Read the documents for the exact product, increase ventilation and select protective equipment suited to that product.
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OSHA describes epoxy exposure risks that include skin irritation and allergic sensitization, particularly from uncured materials. Keep uncured resin and contaminated tools away from food-preparation areas, avoid skin contact, and follow the product’s disposal instructions. Cured resin is generally safer to handle than uncured components, but sanding or cutting a cured coating can create dust; use the controls and respiratory protection specified for that task.
See the CDC/NIOSH epoxy and resin guidance and the OSHA Technical Manual discussion of epoxy hazards before beginning.
Will resin tiles withstand cleaning, heat or a shower?
Twice-weekly warm-water wiping
A reader asked how well the tiles would hold up to “a twice-a-week wipe-down (with warm water).” The project account does not provide a controlled cleaning test, chemical-resistance data or a long-term wear result. A resin may tolerate that routine, but the answer depends on the exact formulation, cure, thickness, grout and cleaner. Ask the manufacturer for documented resistance to your intended temperature, frequency and cleaning products.
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Shower installation
Another reader asked, “how do you think these would work in the shower??? I would love to do that technique in my bathroom but will the resin hold up?” Linauer said she was uncertain and suggested asking resin manufacturers about constant water and heat exposure. The available account does not establish that these decorative tiles are suitable for a shower, steam area or other continuously wet location.
Kitchen backsplash limits
The experiment was for a pantry backsplash, not a certification study for every kitchen. It does not establish performance beside a cooktop, under direct heat, with oil splatter, with abrasive cleaners or after years of grout movement. Before installation, obtain written product documentation for adhesion to the tile, maximum service temperature, water exposure, cleaner compatibility and any restrictions on food-contact areas.
A practical decision framework for your own project
- Define the exposure. Record whether the surface is a dry pantry wall, a sink-side backsplash, a cooktop zone or a shower. The more water, heat and cleaning involved, the more important product-specific documentation becomes.
- Make a representative sample. Use the actual tile, resin depth, ink colors, grout width and finishing method. Include the color balance you plan to repeat across the wall.
- Choose the palette by repetition, not by one tile. Compare turquoise-and-green, teal-and-purple and a muted white-and-gold overlay at the wall’s viewing distance. Purple can be an accent, a green substitute or a separate feature group.
- Document your drops and timing. The author’s 12-drop trial and 22-drop batch show how quickly quantities change when scaling. Your notes let you reproduce a successful result without guessing.
- Confirm the resin system. Check substrate adhesion, ink compatibility, working time, full cure, cutting guidance and resistance to the actual heat, moisture and cleaning exposure.
- Plan edge cleanup before pouring. Elevate tiles, protect the work surface and schedule drip removal within the product’s workable window. Keep a safe method for fully cured drips, such as the sanding procedure specified by the manufacturer.
- Install only after full cure. Follow the resin maker’s cure instruction, then verify that your mortar, grout and cutting method are compatible with the finished surface.
What this experiment demonstrates—and what it does not
It demonstrates a flexible decorative process: clear resin can carry alcohol-ink drops, heat can create active marbling, and additional coats can change an overly bold palette. It also shows why a color decision made on one tile may need revision when hundreds are viewed together. Linauer’s final tiles came from a third coat in which the ink moved without a heat gun, not from the first recipe alone.
It does not demonstrate a universal resin formula, a guaranteed 8–12-hour cleanup window, a certified backsplash assembly or dependable shower performance. Those questions belong to the technical documentation for the exact resin, tile, adhesive and grout you intend to use.
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