The Best Ways And Tools For Cutting Ceramic Tiles

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Tile Cutting Tool
• Things to consider when choosing a tool
• Which tool to use
• Methods for cutting tiles

Tile Cutting Tool

The tool can be manual or electric.

Hand tools include tile cutters, or their ancestors - glass cutters.

The power tool can be universal, designed for various operations (angle grinder, jigsaw, electric drill) or special. The special tool includes tile cutting machines.

Things to consider when choosing a tool

The factors that must be taken into account when choosing a tool can be both technical and purely domestic.

The technical nuances include:

• the need for curly cutouts in ceramic tiles;
• the need to trim the end of the tile at an angle;
• need for interior cutouts or curved lines;
• unevenness of the face of the tile and others.
• amount of work required.

Domestic factors include the following:

• the need to maintain silence;
• the need to cut tiles without dust ;
• availability of free space;
• availability of free funds and others.

Which tool to use

Let's review from cheap tool options to more expensive ones.

If there is no need for complex trimming, and the tile has a flat front surface, it is quite possible to do with a hand tool. For those who do not have any special tool in their arsenal, a glass cutter may be the cheapest option. Cutting rates will be minimal, and the same can be said for quality. But if the volume of work is not large and you are determined to keep costs to a minimum, you can start with it and see the results. If the quality suits you, you can stop there. If you do not have basic knowledge and basic skills in using a glass cutter, then the question remains, how to cut ceramic tiles?

It is worth considering purchasing a tool that can facilitate and speed up the process of cutting tiles. It is important to consider the possibility and necessity of using this tool in the future. For example, the use of a manual tile cutter is limited to this operation only. In other areas, you will not be able to use it. And if you do not plan to do this business regularly in the future, the purchase of this tool is unlikely to be justified.

However, for household needs, an angle grinder (grinder) may well come in handy. Depending on the cutting wheel, it can cut metal, wood, brick, concrete, and ceramic tiles. Buying this power tool would be well worth it.

Alternatively, a jigsaw can be used. It is also applicable for cutting various materials. Its advantage is the ability to cut along curved lines. Such a need arises when you need to bypass the tiles of plumbing connectors, sockets and other protruding elements. For drilling porcelain tiles, you will need to purchase a diamond core bit.

The grinder can also cut curved lines, but with relatively large bending radii. In this case, to decide, the better to cut the tiles can be experimentally or presence elekroinstrumenta capable of performing the necessary trimming.

The disadvantage of using angle grinder (grinder) will be increased noise and the presence of dust. The jigsaw will also make some noise, but the dust will be much less.

For a person planning to professionally engage in this type of work, the acquisition of both a manual tile cutter and various power tools will be relevant. It is worth considering the option of a tile cutting machine, the price of which can range from several thousand to several tens of thousands of rubles.

Methods for cutting tiles

There are various ways to cut ceramic tiles. First, we suggest watching a video on how to cut ceramic tiles and listening to the opinion of experts.

The tile cutter is the fastest and easiest way to cut tiles in a straight line. First, a cutting line is marked on the tile (with a pencil or thin marker). The tile is inserted into the tile cutter and the edge perpendicular to the cut is pressed against the stop bar (on the far side from you). In this case, you will get a smooth cut under 90⁰. The lever with the diamond cut-off roller is pressed against the nearest edge of the tile and is moved with a uniform movement to the opposite side. Then the lever must be pressed (not hard). The tile should break along the cut line. If it does not break, you need to once again walk the roller away from you until it stops and press down again.

If necessary, irregularities are removed on the edge resulting from cutting. This can be done with a spatula or other metal object of sufficient hardness.

Video:

Now let's discuss how to cut tiles without a tile cutter

Glass cutter. After you have gone through the cut line with a glass cutter, the tiles must be laid on a flat surface. A small diameter nail should be placed under one edge of the cutting line parallel to the cutting line. On the one hand, we hold the tile with our hand, on the other, we press down with a level or rule. This method allows good craftsmen to cut strips from 15 millimeters wide.

Video:

Bulgarian. This method has several advantages over hand tools. With the help of a grinder, you can cut relief tiles. After marking the cutting line, the tiles must be positioned so that there is no support under the cutting line, since the cutting wheel will sink below the tile. It is also advisable that the tiles lie not on a hard surface, but on rubber or hard foam. These materials will dampen possible vibration.

Video:

How to cut the tiles in a circle ? For cutting with a grinder, there are special circles for cutting ceramic tiles. Their cutting edges do not have cuts or waves that are found on wheels for brick, concrete and other materials. Also, diamond dusting consists of smaller particles. These two factors contribute to cutting with much less chipping. It is important not to exceed the diameter of the circle provided for your grinder and use a protective cover.

Video:

Electric jigsaw. This tool is mainly used when there is a need to cut holes inside a tile for protruding elements. For this, a line is preliminarily marked, then a hole with a diameter exceeding the size of the file is drilled inside, and from this hole a cut is made with a smooth approach to the intended line.

Video:

Tile machine. What kind of disc to cut ceramic tiles on the machine? A circle from a grinder may be suitable for the machine. However, the advantage of the machine is that it can cut dust-free if wet cut is used. In this case, a wheel for wet cutting is required, which has the corresponding designation.

Since in the machine the cutting edge is fixed on the bed, this method makes it possible to evenly cut the relief ceramic tiles. More expensive machines with cutting angle adjustment allow you to cut tiles at 45 degrees to the surface, and some at intermediate angles.

Video:

You can cut tiles diagonally with a tile cutter, a grinder, and a machine. The tile cutter will not work if the cut is not full length.

Video: