How do you put up back splash in a kitchen? What items would you need?

Have you considered peel and stick tiles for the backsplash? Super easy and they look great!!

If there is no existing backsplash, then you'd probably want to build it out from the wall with a strip of plywood, MDF or cement board. Since most areas that have a backsplash are wet by nature, cement board is a good choice. For tile, apply tile adhesive with a grooved trowel (or if you don't have one, apply thin coat and run a comb through it), pressing tiles in place, leaving enough space in between for grout. You will have to trim some tiles for the narrow edges unless you can find precut ones. Other options are laminate (you can find these premade at home stores), metal, coins, glass tiles, stone (you might be able to find a stone shop that will cut a long strip of marble or granite to fit). Your imagination is your guide.

1x4s make a great backsplash. You can color them however you want. (Stain or paint)

I once used tin ceiling tiles. We merely tacked them up with small nails, didn't even use our nail gun and they looked amazing. I painted ours and then sanded them lightly to let the silver of the tile color show through. Very inexpensive. We now have white subway tile. A breeze to put up. Mastic and the tiles! I didn't grout them, I butted them up against one another and they've been great, no filth in the joints at all. Again, another very inexpensive option. The only thing I had trouble with was cutting the tile, but once you get the hang of it, it's not too bad.