How to cut tiles at home: the best ways. How to cut ceramic tiles with high quality with various tools Cutting tiles with a manual tile cutter

Every master should know how to cut tiles with a tile cutter so as not to spoil the rather expensive material. Any facing work with ceramic tiles is not complete without trimming when you need to get fragments of the required size and shape. For a good appearance, it is necessary that the cut be even and neat, and after grouting the seams, a sharp, uneven edge does not stick out.

Classification of manual tile cutters

For cutting tiles in small quantities, you can use a hand tool. It is much more convenient to cut a tile in large volumes, using devices with the electric drive.

Based on the design features, the following types of manual tile cutters are distinguished:

1. Roller. The simplest device in which a carbide roller is used as a cutting element.
2. Mechanical. The tool is equipped with a rigid carriage, thanks to which you can cut with extreme precision.
3. On bearings. The softness of the stroke when cutting is determined by the presence of bearings on which the bushings are installed.

Cutting tiles can be done both with a hand tool and with an electric tile cutter, grinder, wire cutters, glass cutter. This can even be done with a jigsaw, but it is better to use tools specially designed for this, since they allow you to achieve the desired cut quality.

Advantages and disadvantages of manual tile cutters

Like any other tool, a manual tile cutter has positive and negative qualities that you should definitely consider when choosing a tile cutting tool.

Among the advantages are the following characteristics:

• independence from electrical networks;
• the ability to use at any temperature and humidity;
• compactness;
• light weight;
• low cost.

The disadvantages include the following qualities:

• unable to cope with a large amount of work;
• does not allow cutting a strip of tile less than 1 cm;
• difficult to cut particularly hard material.

Manual tile cutter

The device of manual tile cutters is the same, there are only some differences regarding functionality. The following working parts are distinguished:

• a base that serves as a platform for the location of all work items;
• tubular guides along which the carriage with the cutting wheel moves;
• carriage - in addition to the cutting roller, it is equipped with a special concave foot for breaking off the cut off part of the tile;
• the cutting element is a hard-alloy roller rotating on an axis;
• handle that moves the carriage.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter

Experienced craftsmen, before cutting tiles with a manual tile cutter, recommend holding the tile for some time in warm water. It will become a little softer, which will reduce the likelihood of cracks and chips. To reduce friction and improve cutting quality, it is advised to drip machine oil directly onto the marking line or onto the cutting roller.

Safety

You need to know how to safely carry out work on cutting tiles with your own hands, how to avoid possible injuries. There are a number of requirements that must be met:

1. Inspect the tile cutter for operability and breakdowns.
2. Check carriage travel. It should move smoothly, without jerks.
3. The guides must be even and smooth, without damage.
4. The cutting disc must have a flat surface, without burrs and potholes. It should rotate freely on the axis, without creaking or getting stuck.

For safety reasons, you need to use protective plastic glasses and fabric gloves.

How to use a manual tile cutter

To properly use a manual tile cutter, you should be guided by the following technology:

1. Draw a marking line on the front side of the tile with a marker or felt-tip pen.
2. Fix the material with special clamps, while the marking line should be located exactly under the cutting wheel.
3. Install the cutting element at the beginning of the marking and lightly press it.
4. Grasping the handle, smoothly move the carriage away from you along the cutting line. The pressure should be strong enough to cut the icing. With great effort, you can break the tile or damage the glazed layer at the cut. Insufficient pressure will not allow breaking the hard coating and then breaking the tile.
5. Move the handle to the middle, lower the lever (if it is included), then press it or hit it hard. In the absence of a lever, the tile is placed on the edge of the table along the cut line and broken by pressing on the part protruding beyond the edge.

If everything was done correctly, the tile should break neatly exactly along the cut line. Some models are equipped with a built-in ruler and a swivel base for cutting tiles at an angle of 45 degrees. More on video:

How to use a tile cutter

For a small number of cuts in tiles, you can use a tile cutter. They are convenient for making rounded cuts and fine fitting of fragments when laying tiles. This device is similar to pliers. The cutting roller is placed on the holding jaws.

Cutting is carried out as follows:

• marking is applied to the glazed surface of the tile;
• along the line, in one motion, an incision is made with a cutting disc from the far edge towards itself;
• forceps are placed with tool paws up (on the glaze), the cut line should be in the middle (between the side surfaces of the paws);
• gently press the handles, breaking off an unnecessary fragment.

How to work with a roller tile cutter

A roller tile cutter is the simplest tool for cutting tiles, but its capabilities are limited. They can cut soft material, but they will not be able to cut hard and dense tiles. This tool can only cut a few pieces, because its productivity is low.

A groove is made along the marked marking line with a cutting roller from edge to edge of the tile. If the incision is deep enough, then the element is easily broken along the cut line. To do this, you can put the tile on the edge of the table or on a large nail and press.

How to use an electric tile cutter

Specialized equipment for working with tiles of various thicknesses (even more than 16 mm) is considered an electric tile cutter. They can make straight cuts, diagonal and curly. The design of the electric tile cutter includes: a working table, an electric drive, a saw head with a cutting disc for tiles and a cooling system.

How to properly cut ceramic tiles with an electric tile cutter can be understood from the following instructions:

• markup is made;
• the desired position of the element is set, along which the material is displaced along the cut line;
• the workpiece is placed on the desktop of the device;
• the engine is turned on;
• hands push the tile to the cutting disc (the force is increased when the disc comes into contact with the material);
• the equipment is turned off.

Another type of electric tile cutter is produced, in which the engine is located on top, and the tool must be held in hand. In this case, supports are installed on a horizontal plane, tiles are laid on them. The tool cuts along the line.

A hand tool will suffice for small masonry and for a small number of cuts. Professionals when working with tiles will need a powerful and reliable power tool that allows you to cut more efficiently and has unlimited possibilities.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter

Even with the most careful planning and layout, it is unlikely to avoid cutting tiles. Moreover, it may be necessary to cut in a straight line, as a rule, the trimmings are glued symmetrically at the edges of the walls, and cutting holes of various shapes - to skip utilities. Depending on the volume and complexity, the methods of cutting tiles also differ.

Tile cutting methods

Tiles can be cut in a variety of ways, from simple glass cutters to powerful electric tile cutters. Depending on the equipment used, the following types of tile cutting are distinguished:

• with a glass cutter. It can be recommended for cutting a small amount of thin tiles, it has an increased percentage of rejects, it is not suitable for cutting thick tiles;

You can try to cut thin tiles even with a nail 120 - 150 mm long. A deep scratch is scratched on the front side, then the tile breaks. But you can use this method only out of hopelessness, when there is not even a glass cutter at hand.

• using a manual tile cutter. The principle of cutting does not differ from the glass cutter, but due to the design of the device, thick tiles can also be cut;

• using a grinder and cutting wheels for working on stone. The advantages include high productivity, but cutting is accompanied by a strong dusting of the room, the edges of the tiles are sloppy, crumble. Can be recommended for outdoor work with a large scope of work;

• with electric tile cutters. The working body of these mechanisms is a diamond wheel rotating at high speed. In addition to high performance, such mechanisms use water to cool the disk and remove dust. due to this, the cut is perfect, not requiring additional processing. But the use of electric tile cutters is justified only with a large amount of work;

• in some cases, it is necessary to make a through hole of a round shape in the tile. The use of a manual or electric tile cutter is not possible in this case. To do this, it is recommended to use a special nozzle on the ballerina drill. You can also try to make such a hole with a glass cutter. Tiles can also be cut with a jigsaw.

The choice of cutting tool also depends on the tile itself. For thin tiles, a regular glass cutter is also suitable. But it will be extremely problematic to cut thick porcelain tiles with a glass cutter or a small manual glass cutter. For such material, it is recommended to use a grinder or an electric tile cutter.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter

A tile cutter allows you to cut a strip of at least 10-15 mm wide from a tile (depending on its thickness). The wheel is much larger than in the glass cutter. For convenience, the tile cutter is equipped with a ruler, some models contain cutters for cutting round holes in the tile.

Some models are equipped with a swivel mechanism, which greatly facilitates cutting.

Before cutting, the tile must be marked, then it is laid in such a way that the wheel does not move from the intended line when moving. When the lever is lowered, the wheel is pressed against the surface of the tile. Then, with constant effort, you need to move the wheel along the tile in the direction away from you, a deep groove should remain on the tile. One pass is enough.

note

Do not apply excessive force to the lever. Tiles can just break.

Then the tile must be broken along the cut line. You can do this in two ways:

• put under the fault line, for example, a long nail and press on both halves of the tile;

• put the tile on the edge of the table so that the fault line falls exactly on the edge. Then, holding the tile, sharply press on the hanging part.

If one of the parts of the tile breaks off crookedly, you can try to save the rest by biting off the excess part of the tile from the fault line with pliers.

Speaking about how to properly cut tiles, we need to mention the soaking of the tiles. There is an opinion that soaking tiles in water makes it much easier to cut. In fact, this is not so, and moistened tiles are no easier to cut than dry ones.

Proper cutting of tiles will significantly reduce the amount of waste and reduce the consumption of tiles.

The secret to properly cutting ceramic tiles without a tile cutter

During the use of ceramic tiles as a facing material, the methodology and technology for working with tiles has constantly improved. They learned how to cut tiles with high quality and with minimal physical effort.

The result is a smooth rounded edge that does not require additional grinding.

In creating professional tools for cutting tiles, the unique features of the material were taken into account and, based on experience, the most effective ways to influence it were formed.

A high-quality and productive cutting method is possible with an electric tile cutter that uses a diamond cutting wheel and water supply. This technology guarantees a minimum amount of dust, a minimum expenditure of physical strength. How do you cut tiles without a tile cutter? Is it possible to cut ceramic tiles at home with comparable results?

When laying tiles on a floor or wall, cutting ceramic tiles will definitely be required.

Professional tilers, having thoroughly studied the properties of tiles, have learned how to use different tools to work with ceramic material. Moreover, if for some reason it is not possible to use professional equipment, they are able to make a tool from improvised means. With this tool, cutting tiles is easy.

It is recommended to use the invaluable experience of specialists

To cut the material when carrying out facing work at home, you must have the following tools:

• flat surface;
• a guide ruler with a right angle at one end, the so-called "gon";
• drill with a winning tip;
• glass cutter, clerical knife;
• "pliers with a tile cutter function" - miniature tongs with a wheel for cutting tiles on one side and a transverse convex plate on the other;
• drill with nozzles in the form of "crowns";
• jigsaw with diamond wire;
• "Bulgarian".

It is important to remember that before cutting the tile material should be prepared. If ceramic tiles are soaked for thirty minutes before working on them, the problems of dust, brittleness and increase in their pliability can be solved.

In order to qualitatively cut off a part of the tile, you need to draw a clear groove on the glossy surface and then break it with a quick, confident movement. You can easily do this with the help of different tools: a glass cutter, a drill with a victorious tip, a cardboard knife and a ruler guide. The procedure in all cases will be the same:

Glass cutter - the most affordable tool for cutting tiles

• lay the tile on a flat surface with the inside down;
• make the necessary markings and draw a clear line with a pencil using a “gon”;
• we draw a groove along the ruler, pressing with medium force on the glass cutter or drill;
• we put a drill under the notch line, press on the tile from both sides and break it. In another option, you can break the tile if you place it on the edge of the table along the cut line and sharply press it.

With the help of "pliers with a wheel" it is much easier to break the tile, since they are specially designed for this. It is enough to bring the transverse plate from above so that the cut groove runs exactly in the center of the pressing plate, and then squeeze the tongs. In this case, a qualitative fracture is obtained.

Clamp the tile with tongs in the center on the marked line and press down on the handles

At home, it is possible to make sufficiently suitable tools for cutting tiles if it is not possible to use a special tool.

For example, a drill bit with a 6 or 8 mm diameter pobedit tip can be ground on a diamond disk like a pencil. The main thing in this: do not grind off the victorious layering and make a point without edges.

The rounded shape of the point allows you to make deep cuts when applied to the side of the "square".

All of the above methods are suitable for cutting wall tiles, but in cases of working with thicker floor tiles that have a dense structure, it is necessary to resort to other tools.

For example, it is advisable to use a “grinder” along with improvised tools. At the same time, in order to complete it, the most suitable blades for cutting granite with a smooth crown and diamond blades, which allow you to quickly cut tile material.

The process of cutting with a grinder is quite simple and accessible even to non-professionals.

The sequence of work may be as follows:

First, you need to draw a fairly deep line with a glass cutter or a special drill. To do this, you can spend several times on the outer surface.

Then, with the help of a grinder, you need to start carefully cutting along the outer edge of the incision. At the same time, it is desirable to go deeper no more than 3 millimeters. After performing this procedure 2-3 times, you can get a high-quality cut.

Cutting floor tiles can be done in another way:

On a glossy surface, we also draw a furrow using the same improvised tools.

We turn the tile over and from the inside, exactly according to the outer marks, we make an incision with a “grinder”.

After breaking, it is recommended to sand the edges with sandpaper.

Straight and curly cutting of tiles can be carried out using a "grinder" with a diamond disc. The productivity of such work is comparable to an electric tile cutter. Although the quality of the cut with the help of a grinder is inferior, but if you need to carry out large-scale mobile work, this tool is indispensable. After the incision, additional grinding measures will be required.

Particular attention when working with the "grinder" should be given to safety

• Work should be carried out in protective goggles and a respirator, since cutting in this way is accompanied by a large amount of dust.
• Do not use the tool without a protective “casing” and with a loose disc. In this case, you can only cut with a diamond blade.
• The incision should be made in the direction "away from you".
• Tiled material must be firmly fixed on a horizontal surface.
• "Bulgarian" is a dangerous tool, so certain skills are required to work with it.

If you want to make holes and semicircular cutting lines at home, use a drill with special nozzles, wire cutters with carbide clamps.

To make holes in the tile, use a special nozzle on the drill.

When drilling you need:

• prepare a point on the tile, having previously beaten off the glaze;
• start drilling with a spear drill, and then use nozzles.

The peculiarity of working with tongs is to “bite off” fragments of ceramics along a pre-drawn contour. It should be remembered that only small pieces need to be separated. In any case, after such procedures, it is important to polish.

How and with what to cut ceramic tiles for wall and floor cladding?

• How to cut ceramic floor tiles?
• Cutting tiles without a tile cutter and grinder
• What can be the conclusion?

Considering the question of what and how to cut tiles, first of all, it is necessary to decide on the type of work to be done and their volume. This is due to the fact that you need to use one tool to process wall tiles, and another to cut floor tiles. At the same time, figured sawing also requires other equipment than linear cutting.

Photo 1. Types of manual tile cutters.

How to cut tiles for wall decoration?

In most cases, relatively soft tiles are used for wall cladding, because during operation they are not subjected to strong mechanical stress. It is for this reason that its cutting does not cause any difficulties. For such work, you can do with an ordinary glass cutter or a manual tile cutter.

If you need to carry out a small amount of work, then the best tool for the price and quality of the cut is a roller glass cutter with a diamond coating (photo 1). Before processing the tile, it is recommended to hold it in water for 30-40 minutes. So you prevent possible cracking of the material when cutting.

After that, using a pencil and a ruler, markings are made on the enamel. It should be noted that the cut line should be no closer than 8 mm from the edge of the tile.

Then, along the marked line, they are passed with a glass cutter in the direction from the far edge towards themselves.

To avoid the formation of scratches and burrs, the incision is made only once, while the pressure on the tool must be the same along the entire length of the cut.

You just have to correctly break the cut tile. You can do this in two ways:

Photo 2. The device of a mechanical tile cutter.

• place the tile on the table so that the cut line coincides with the edge of the table, then press on the protruding part of the tile;
• place a steel wire, match or other similar element under the incision and lightly press on the facing material from both sides.

If small burrs form after breaking the tile, they are removed with wire cutters and sandpaper.

If you need to cut a large number of tiles, you can use a manual tile cutter (photo 2).

The main difference between this tool and the glass cutter is that it is equipped with a large diamond wheel, which allows you to make a deeper cut, as well as a special device for breaking tiles.

For cutting, the tile is placed inside the tool, after which the cutting element moves away from itself to the far edge. Then, by pressing the handle, the facing material is broken.

How to cut tiles correctly: work technology, use of a tile cutter, cutting with improvised means

When carrying out construction work on your own, there is often a need to cut ceramic tiles at home. To do this, it is not necessary to have a professional tool - a tile cutter. The tile is cut with improvised means, you just need to be patient and time.

For cutting tiles at home, both universal and narrowly focused tools are suitable. The following devices are used to cut tiles with a tile cutter:

• Tile cutter.
• Tile cutters.
• Angle grinder (Bulgarian).
• Electric jigsaw.
• Glass cutter or tool with a sharp cutting edge.

Tool from the list is selected in accordance with the type of work performed. When it is required to cut a small amount of tiles, it is enough to use a glass cutter and wire cutters. For a large amount of work, a tile cutter or grinder is used.

It is necessary to consider the device of the tool in order to understand how to properly cut the tile with a tile cutter. The tool consists of the following elements:

• Platform.
• Tubular guides.
• cutting element.
• Control knob.
• Dividing line.
• Sharpened metal wheel.

Manual tile cutter easy to use, allows you to cut ceramic tiles with minimal effort. Among the shortcomings, the impossibility of cutting off the edges of the tile with a width of less than 5 mm is noted.

Preparatory stage of work

Before the next use of the tile cutter, you will need to conduct an external inspection to check its functionality and exclude the possibility of injury during operation. Checking is recommended in the following sequence:

Conduct an external inspection of the tile cutter for damage, platform defects.

Inspect the tubular guides, make sure there is no dirt or grout on their surface. If the guides have been cleaned of dirt, at this stage it is recommended to lubricate them with machine oil.

You need to make sure that the cutting disc is in good condition. The disk should be free of potholes and burrs, rotate around the mounting axis without getting stuck and squeaking.

Check the smooth running of the carriage.

Making an incision

Having prepared the tool for work, proceed to cutting the tiles. The process consists of several stages:

Mark the proposed incision site with a marker or felt-tip pen.

Install the tile on the tile cutter platform so that the tool wheel falls on the markings made earlier.

Follow the marking with the wheel using the control knob. It is recommended to perform this operation no more than once, since in the case of frequent repetitions, the edges of the tile will turn out to be uneven as a result.

After making an incision, the tile is laid on a flat surface and with a sharp pressure on the cut line, the tile is broken into even pieces. If the edge of the product turned out to be uneven, it can be leveled with a grinding stone or sandpaper.

Cutting without specialized tools

It is not difficult to cut a tile using a special tool, however, there are ways to achieve a good result using improvised means. Let's take a closer look at how to cut tiles without a tile cutter, using specific tools and work technologies as an example.

Making a cut with a grinder. The grinder is a universal tool that is also suitable for cutting ceramic tiles. With this tool, you can perform both straight and curved cuts of any shape. For work you will need:

• Bulgarian.
• Stone cutting wheel.
• Protective glasses.

When all the tools necessary for work are prepared, they proceed to laying out the tiles. Fulfill it using a marker or a sharp object. In the process of working with a grinder, a lot of dust is generated, so the previously outlined lines can be erased.

After the markup is completed, the cutting of the product begins. An angle grinder cut is performed in the following main ways:

• Several passes are made according to the markup. For each pass, they deepen up to a distance of 3 mm. This operation is performed until the end result is reached.
• If the marking length is less than 2 cm, then the cut is performed for the entire thickness of the product.
• Marking is applied on both sides of the product. On the front side, a cut is made with a depth of up to 3 mm. Then, on the reverse side, an incision is made along the markings of 3 mm per pass. This method, although labor-intensive, avoids accidental mechanical damage.

It is recommended to use a grinder for difficult cuts, because when using it, a lot of dust is generated, and it takes a long time to get the final result. For straight cutting, simpler solutions are used.

The use of a jigsaw

To use this tool in working with tiles, you will need a special stone file. The tile is installed on a flat surface, where the cut is performed. To simplify the process, it is recommended to soak the tiles in advance.

A jigsaw is used if you need to cut curved segments with a large radius. It should be noted that this tool is not recommended for use when cutting porcelain stoneware, as this material is much stronger than tiles.

Glass cutter or tool with a cutting edge

This tool cuts only tiles in a straight line. To make a cut, you will need: a glass cutter or other tool with a sharpened cutting edge made of diamond or a win; metal ruler for drawing the cut line.

To make the cut even, a scratch on the glossy surface of the product must be applied carefully, firmly pressing the glass cutter to the work surface. After making a cut below the glossy layer, the tile is split. There are the following ways to split:

• Using a solid rod. The tile is placed with the back side at the place of the risk on a solid rod. After that, a sharp pressure is applied to the product with hands from both sides.
• With clamps. The essence of this method is to fix the products between the clamps at risk and sharply press on the protruding edge.
• Hitting a flat corner. When using this method, the tile is taken in hand and a sharp blow from the back is applied to a scratch on the product. The blow must be applied sharply from a distance of no more than 5-10 cm from the surface of the corner. In order for the fault to turn out to be of high quality, the angle must be sharp and hard.

Using tile cutters

To create curly holes, it is advisable to use tile cutters. It is recommended to apply on the surface of the cut line along the breakout boundary by any available method.

Biting off pieces of tiles when using this tool is recommended in small pieces so as not to break out the excess area beyond the cut boundary.

Nozzles for cutting round holes

To create round holes in the tile, tools such as a drill or screwdriver are used. When drilling holes, it is important to know which nozzle to choose in a particular case.

Drilling required at low speed(no more than 500 per minute), otherwise not only the product, but also the nozzle will be damaged. Depending on what holes need to be obtained, nozzles are divided into the following types:

Small diameter (15-30 mm). These nozzles include sharp-angled drills and spear-shaped tile drills.

Large diameter (30-50 mm). This type includes crowns with various coatings (diamond, tungsten carbide, etc.).

If you need to cut a hole larger than 50 mm in diameter, then you can use the grinder.

Thus, it is possible to cut tiles without a specialized tool, provided that the cutting technology is observed.

How to accurately and accurately cut ceramic tiles with a tile cutter with a diamond blade

The diamond tile cutter is simply indispensable for cutting tiles made of natural stone and other hard materials. In this article, a professional tiler explains how to perform the most difficult types of cutting: curved, corner and thin strip cutting.

Execution time

A couple of minutes

Not a single tool can replace a diamond tile cutter when it is necessary to cut a corner, an arc or cut off a small piece of a tile of a certain size, cut a decorative tile made of natural stone or other hard material.

In this article, we will show you how a professional craftsman performs the most difficult cutting, getting a first-class result.

Water-cooled diamond tile cutters can be rented from large home improvement stores or ceramic tile stores.

Install the machine in the yard, in the garage or in the workshop. If it is more convenient to work in a room, cover the floor and wall behind the instrument with plastic sheeting. Then fill the tub with water.

Although the tile cutter looks intimidating, its blade is not serrated, but abrasive, so it is safer than a conventional wood saw.

However, safety precautions must be observed, as with any saw.

Basic cutting methods

Photo 1 illustrates the basic technique for making straight cuts. Wait for the water to cover the blade before cutting. In the process, follow the markings and adjust the position of the tile: the blade should always be on the line.

To make a neat cut, slowly move the tile towards the blade. If you hear the saw slow down, you are cutting too fast. The harder the tile, the slower the web feed should be.

When the cut is finished, before turning off the machine, place both hands on the tile and roll the cutting table back out from under the blade.

Special cutting technique

Photo 2 shows how to make a diagonal cut. Use this technique to cut any corner along the markings on the tile. The most important thing is to align the blade with the intended line. If the tile is too large to fit between the edge and the blade, place it on the edge.

Glossy tiles are difficult to mark. If the marked line is difficult to distinguish when cutting, stick masking tape on the tile and make markings on it.

Arc cutting without problems

You can use such a saw even for cutting in an arc (photo 5–7). After the extra strips of the canvas are broken off (photo 6), everything else is removed with an abrasive diamond disc and the arc is polished.

Care must be taken to work, as strong side pressure can damage the blade. Slowly move the tile at a right angle to the blade, pressing lightly and cutting off a small piece each time (photo 7).

Hold the tile firmly with both hands and lift the edge closest to the blade up off the table to make a vertical cut.

The secret of cutting narrow strips

Cutting off a small piece from a tile is quite difficult, because the blade constantly strives to slip off the edge of the canvas. But a way out can be found. We clamp the blade between the tile, which we are going to cut a little, and an unnecessary piece (photo 8). It may be necessary to make several passes to remove the necessary part of the canvas.

We make cuts in stone at an angle of 45 ° as easily as in wood

Shaped tiles or decor are very popular and are often used for decoration. At the same time, they have to be cut at 45 °, for example, when finishing corners. This work is very easy to do with a water-cooled diamond blade tile cutter using the technique shown in photo 9.

Tips for solving simple problems

With a little practice, cutting with a water-cooled tile cutter is almost effortless. However, there are several problems that can be avoided or solved by using the right technique.

Sometimes, when cutting, the tile breaks when the cut is almost finished. Photo 10 shows how to solve this problem.

Another difficulty is to strictly adhere to the cutting line, not to deviate from it, especially in the absence of a side or guide. It will not work to return the blade back to the marking line by turning the tile.

Instead, it is better to go back and repeat the cut again, cutting off a small piece of the canvas until the blade returns to the markup again.

Safety rules when working with a tile cutter

• Use a grounded socket.
• Remove jewelry. Do not wear loose clothing. Pin back your long hair.
• Wear protective goggles and ear protection.
• Guide the tile onto the tile cutter blade with both hands.
• Do not put your fingers under the blade.

Take care of the tools in advance:

• Roulette.
• Pliers.
• Rent or buy a water-cooled tile cutter.

materials

• Masking tape.
• Wax pencil.

How and how to cut tiles - cutting tiles with a grinder and a tile cutter

When working with ceramic tiles, it is impossible to avoid cut rows that are laid in inconspicuous places. Usually cut tiles are glued symmetrically along the edges of the walls. The need for cutting tiles arises when facing walls around doorways, utilities and other obstacles that require careful installation.

In any case, a master tiler, especially a beginner, needs to know how to cut ceramic tiles in each case. After all, the technology for performing a straight cut is significantly different from the technologies for curly cutting.

The right choice of tool allows the master to perform facing work efficiently and without downtime, and also to prevent a large amount of waste in the form of unevenly split tiles.

How to cut tiles: video example of work

Tile cutting tools

Cutting tiles can be carried out not only with special tools called tile cutters, developed by manufacturers specifically for this facing material. Glass cutters, grinders, wire cutters, electric drills with various nozzles are also used, which are also used when cutting other building materials.

Each tool has its own characteristics and tricks of operation, requiring a certain skill from the person working with it, which comes with experience. Therefore, experienced craftsmen advise to carry out trial cutting, using one of the spare tiles for this purpose. This will allow you to adapt to the tool and material with low losses.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter

There are hundreds of models of tile cutters, which can all be divided into two large groups: manual and electric.

• Manual tile cutters are produced in the form of tongs, which look like pliers. Using this tool, first, a neat cut is made on the front side of the enameled tile with a diamond cutter. After that, using the corner of the tile cutter, the tile is simply broken off. Special skills in work are not required, so the tool is suitable for beginner amateur craftsmen.

• Desktop models of manual tile cutters with different base lengths are used to cut tiles whose thickness does not exceed 15 mm. For example, cutting tiles with a thickness of 8 mm used for wall cladding is carried out with a tile cutter, the length of which does not exceed 400 mm. Some models equipped with a circular cutter are capable of making rounded holes up to 80 mm in diameter in addition to straight cuts.

Using a manual tile cutter

• Electric tile cutters are used when carrying out facing works in large volumes. This power tool is indispensable when cutting thick tiles. When choosing a machine for cutting tiles, they look at its power, the size of the diameter of the cutting circle, the depth and length of the cut, the dimensions of the table, the weight of the tile. The time during which the machine can work in continuous mode is also important.

• Electric tile cutters are divided into two types, which differ from each other in the way the engine is placed. Models with a lower motor location are compact in size, so they are used when working in small spaces. The top arrangement of the engine is applied in a design of rail tile cutters which are much more convenient in work. In addition, the quality of cutting tiles they have an order of magnitude higher. The diamond disc in all tile cutters is cooled with water. The advantage of electric tile cutters is their ability to cut ceramic tiles at an angle not exceeding 45 degrees.

How to cut tiles with a grinder

Angle grinder, called the grinder by the Russians in honor of the first manufacturer who began supplying this power tool to Russia. It is a multifunctional tool capable of carrying out and processing tiles with a diamond cutting wheel.

Both rectilinear and figured cutting of tiles with a grinder is possible, while the disk is changed to a diamond wheel designed for dry cutting. When making a cut, it is not necessary to strive to capture the entire thickness of the tile, as it easily breaks along the incised line.

The quality of the edges of a tile cut by a grinder is lower than when processed with a tile cutter, but it does not require preparatory work.

note

The disadvantage of using a grinder when cutting tiles is the formation of a large amount of dust and fragments flying in different directions.

Therefore, the master tiler must work in goggles, gloves, observing all safety requirements.

Cutting porcelain tiles on a machine

How to cut porcelain tiles

For cutting porcelain tiles, grinders, small and medium, with a diamond blade are used. There are several types of diamond discs:

• for dry cutting;
• for wet cutting;
• ventilated;
• non-ventilated.

It is better to cut porcelain stoneware with a ventilated diamond blade, because during operation it overheats and requires additional cooling. At the same time, diamond discs provide cutting accuracy and adjustment of the tile cut.

The disadvantage of using a grinder for cutting porcelain tiles is the increased level of dust and noise. It is convenient to cut porcelain stoneware with special machines designed for wet cutting.

At the same time, the cut of the tile looks smooth and even, there are no chips.

As you can see, ceramic tiles are cut in various ways, from which you can always choose the most convenient one.

To drill holes in tiles, pobedit drills are used, as well as hole saws and ballerinas. We hope after reading this material, you will not have any questions about how to cut tiles.

You will know exactly what tool to buy or rent in a specialized store.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter

A manual tile cutter is the simplest and most convenient device that allows you to cut tiles into pieces. It costs from 200 rubles (and more, depending on the trickery), and it saves a lot of time and effort. By the way, some stores rent it, so if you need it for a short time, ask at the store, or at the place where you bought the tiles.

The tile cutter is arranged as follows: the tile is fixed and cut with a wheel in a straight line along the line of the future fault. Then the lever is lowered and breaks the tile into 2 parts. The whole process takes a maximum of 1 minute.

Before using the tile cutter, pour a few drops of oil on the guide frame and on the marking wheel.

Make sure the wheel is properly secured (it's often held in place with a small bolt) and that it doesn't move from side to side, otherwise the notch will be crooked.

Check if the wheel is worn out and if necessary, replace it (you can find a suitable one in a tile shop).

Depending on the structure of the tile you are working with, you can cut even 5-6 mm tiles with a tile cutter. Generally, the denser the tile, the easier it is to cut with a tile cutter and therefore more likely to cut a narrow strip.

And although this is not necessary, it is better to experiment before making the necessary cuts.

If you are unable to cut a thin strip of tile with a tile cutter, you can use an electric tile cutter or make a notch with a tile cutter and break off any excess with wire cutters.

In extreme cases, instead of a tile cutter, you can use a glass cutter and a nail. Make a notch on the tile with a glass cutter and place it back on the nail, aligning the cut line with it, and press down on both sides of the tile with your thumbs.

You can also cut tiles with a hand saw (jigsaw) with a carbide blade, but the procedure will take 5 to 10 minutes, while with a tile cutter it will take 5 to 10 seconds. However, none of these methods gives such a clean cut as a tile cutter.

How to cut ceramic tiles with a tile cutter

To make a straight cut with a tile cutter, first mark the cutting lines with a felt-tip pen on the tile. Lay the tile on the base of the tile cutter, aligning the cutting line and the marking wheel. (If you are making many cuts of a given size, secure the bounding box in one position with a screw). Hold the tile in place with one hand and the wheel handle with the other.

Raise the handle so that the wheel touches the surface of the tile on the top side of the tile and move the handle towards you. Press down with just enough pressure to draw a line and make only one pass with the wheel. Usually, if several passes are made along the cutting line, then the cut is of poor quality.

In order to divide the tile into parts according to the intended risk, set the “wings” at the base of the handle at the level of the lower third of the tile. It is better to glue the “wings” with adhesive tape, thanks to which there are no traces of them on the tile. Many craftsmen hold the tile in position by lightly pressing down on the handle with the thumb of their left hand, then tapping the handle lightly with the palm of their right hand.

If the tile does not break, hit harder. If the tile still does not crack, another tile is taken and the whole thing starts again.

If the cut edge of the tile is visible after the tile is in place, you can trim the sharp corner with a grindstone or sandpaper. Craftsmen usually have several types of stone for soft and hard tiles. If another tile covers the cut edge, such as in an inner corner, there is no need to align the edges.

Electric tile cutter

A properly operated electric tile cutter with a diamond blade is a serious machine. It makes perfectly straight cuts with smooth and slightly rounded edges, as opposed to the sharp edges that come with simple tile cutters.

Pros of using: the best quality of the cut tiles, can be used for making curved cutouts, the ability to cut pieces smaller than 5 mm, can cut tiles and porcelain stoneware of any hardness. Another obvious plus is the cleanliness of the work - dust and tile particles settle in the water tank and do not scatter throughout the area.

Cons of using: relative high cost, requires compliance with safety measures, you have to constantly change the water in the pan - otherwise the blade will become dull.

Neither method is complete without pruning. That is why, let's figure out how to properly cut tiles with a tile cutter.

List of tools

Some of the tools you may need in the process include:

• The cutting tool itself is a tile cutter;
• Pencil or marker;
• Metal ruler;
• Manual tile cutter.

Manual tile cutter

When thinking about how to cut tiles with a tile cutter, many people mostly mean manual. And this is understandable - this option is optimal both in terms of quality and cost in general.

Hand tool

So, let's take a closer look at the tool itself, which consists of:

• Bases - supports;
• Guides for the cutting element;
• Directly the cutting element itself, represented by a roller with a cutting disc;
• Lever.

Device advantages

As already mentioned, this is the best option, and here's why:

• Ease of use, due to the fact that the design is simple;
• The handle that moves the carriage with the cutting disc plays the role of a lever, which, accordingly, according to the laws of physics, reduces the required force on the cut;
• Clear, precise cut.

Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages:

• it is impossible to cut at a distance of less than 5 mm from the edge of the tile itself;
• If you need to cut off small pieces, 5-7 mm, you need to be careful, as there is a possibility of breaking the tile.

So, we are getting closer to the answer to the question of how to cut with a tile cutter, so let's not stop.

Safety

As with every tool, the following personal safety rules should be used when working with a manual tile cutter:

• Before work, be sure to inspect the tool for breakages, uneven guides themselves, visible damage;
• Walk the carriage “idle” several times - the move should be smooth, without jerks;
• Check the tubular guides - they should not have dirt, mortar residues, pieces of small tiles, if you have cleaned them - do not be lazy, lubricate with machine oil;
• Also - check the cutting disc itself, it should be even, not bent, rotate freely around the mounting axis, there should be no extra sounds such as creaking, just as there should be no burrs, potholes on the disc itself.

For you, it is better to use safety glasses and gloves to avoid injury.

Carving basics

Before, we advise you to double-check your measurements and accurately mark the line on the tile along which the cut will be made. It is advisable to draw a line with a marker so that it does not fade, and you can clearly see where you need to move.

Cutting with a manual tile cutter

So, fix the tile, clearly fixing it relative to the carriage with the disk. In some designs there are special clamps with rubber layers, and in some you will have to hold the tile with one hand and drive the carriage with the other. However, there is nothing difficult in correctly cutting tiles with a tile cutter in this way.

Another thing is important - when making an incision, you need to “meter out” the pressure of your hand on the handle. If you press too hard, you can ruin the top glazed layer, but if you don’t press it, you won’t be able to break the tile along the line, and it’s not recommended to walk along the tile a second time.

That is why, take some broken material for training, fix it, and smoothly draw a line with the carriage “towards you”, fixing for yourself how exactly you need to put pressure on the tile.

Once again, it is important to make an incision in ONE movement; it is forbidden to run the disk over the same place several times, since then there is a high probability of damaging the upper decorative layer.

So the cut is done. Now lay the tile on a flat surface on the edge along the cut line, and holding with one hand, press with the other. The tile will break right along the line. In some designs of a manual tile cutter, there is a special handle, pressing on which the tile breaks along the cut. Well, that's all, the cut is ready! Now you know how to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter, let's take a look at its electrical counterpart.

Quality video

Electric tile cutter

If you have such a miracle as this electrical appliance and you are wondering how to properly use an electric tile cutter, then first let's clarify everything that you will need to work.

Design features

The construction of an electric tile cutter is somewhat reminiscent of the same circular saw or a miter saw. All tools have the same arrangement of the motor itself, the disk, the support and the bed with a swivel head.

Working with an electric tool

The only thing in a good electric tile cutter is a cuvette with water at the bottom, which during the cutting process not only cools the cutting disc, but also reduces the amount of dust to a minimum.

Advantages of this option

The electric device has a number of undeniable advantages:

• The evenness of the cut;
• The formation of chips is minimized;
• Cutting tiles at an angle;
• Minimum amount of dust;
• Cutting small pieces.
• However, there are also disadvantages:
• It is not possible to make a curved incision;
• High price.

Safety

Of course, when working with any electrical device, safety precautions must be observed. And in this case, the requirements are similar:

• You need to work in protective glasses;
• Before work, carefully check the tile cutter: if there are any breakdowns, if the disk is even, if it is dull, if it rotates smoothly;
• The presence of malfunctions, incomprehensible, uncharacteristic noise during operation, sparks are unacceptable, the tool must be immediately turned off and contact the service center;
• Check for water supply to the disc;
• You need to start working at the moment when the disk spins up to its maximum speed.

tile cutting

The beauty of working with this tool lies in the fact that it is elementary.

Install the tile in such a way that the disk is just directed to the cut line. While holding, guide the tile, and remember that the first touch should be somewhat light, but then you can apply a little effort to move the tile.

If your tile is fed manually, without fixing, make sure that it does not vibrate in your hands, since in this case the formation of chips is inevitable.

Important! During the carving process, especially if you have a lot of tiles, it is recommended to change the water from time to time, as dirty water, getting on the disk, reduces its operation time.

Also, during cutting, you need to put pressure on both sides of the tile so that the “filling up” of the tile and skew during work does not happen. So, that's all you need to know about how to properly cut tiles with a tile cutter, so we wish you good luck!

Video - guide

During the repair, when all the dirty, rough work is done, it is worth thinking about finishing the floor, walls and ceiling. Many stop their eyes on the tiled cladding.

Tiled, like tiled, is one of the oldest, but no less practical coatings. Today, tiles are made from many different materials, such as ceramic, cement, stone and, in some cases, even glass.

Any tile, regardless of the material from which it is made, requires special care.

When tiling walls or floors, it is almost impossible to guess the dimensions of the covered canvas, so fragmentary laying is still in great demand today.

The tile is a very wear-resistant and durable material, however, when curly cutting, splits and cracks are not uncommon, which leads to the complete unsuitability of the canvas. Manually, without using any special tool, it is unrealistic to make a tile cut perfectly even. To save your money, time and effort, we will consider all possible options for cutting ceramic products.

For the first, cheapest and clumsiest way, you will need an ordinary manual glass cutter, which can be bought at any hardware store for 100-250 rubles.

This option is only suitable for thin tiles. This method involves the use of a ruler, a glass cutter and patience, but despite all your efforts, it is quite difficult to avoid marriage: the tile strives to slip out or move out from under your hand, thereby making the cut uneven, and in places of strong displacement a split is possible, which will make the tile unusable.

For a correct cut, a deep scratch is made on the front side, which will then become the point of refraction of the tile. With this method of cutting, it is very easy not to calculate the pressing force: strong pressure will instantly make an incision on the tile, and weak pressure will cause a crooked fracture.

Among amateur and professional builders, the most popular is the method of cutting tiles using a manual or machine-mechanical tile cutter. This method is relatively inexpensive, but at the same time no less effective than working with an electric tile cutter.

A tile cutter, depending on the level and quality, costs an average of 300 rubles. You can find cheaper, but the quality of such a tool is fully consistent with its low price. It is worth noting a number of other advantages of this tool:

Maximum security. Even the smallest member of your family cannot be injured with such a tile cutter, unless he drops it on himself.

Easy to use. Many who have never used such a tool before note that mastering the cutting technology takes an average of 10-15 minutes. The quality of the cut is not much different from the professional level.

The device of a manual tile cutter is considered as simple as possible. It uses a movable handle, at the end of which there is a cutting element and paws that break the tile. The main surface of the tool has a shallow recess, with the help of which the fracture is obtained as even as possible. It is very easy to cut a tile diagonally using a manual or mechanical tile cutter.

The first thing to do is to fix the tile and prevent it from slipping. It should be fixed with the front side to the handle. Then, without much effort, draw a pen over the surface of the tile, forming a risk. The last action is to apply some force with the paws, which will lead to the breaking of the tile along the cut line.

The main disadvantage of this tool is that it will be extremely difficult to make an incision, and then a crease of the tile edge less than 5-6 cm, which is the determining factor when choosing a cutting method.

Cutting tiles with a grinder and stone circles is no less popular type of work than cutting with a tile cutter.

Professionals choose this method for large work fronts, where smoother cuts can be neglected for the sake of speed in finishing and repairing.

To cut a tile or tile with a grinder, we need:

• Bulgarian;
• diamond blade for cutting stone;
• pencil and ruler.

To cut, you need to take measurements, and then walk the grinder along the line, without making any extra effort. The grinder should slide smoothly over the tile, otherwise chips will form.

By repeating the same action several times, you will achieve a perfectly even cut. It is worth noting that the grinder should be pressed to the opposite side of the incision.

This will help minimize the number of chips.

The best solution, of course, is the use of an electric tile cutter. This is a full-fledged professional equipment that will not only increase the speed and quality of the work done, but also increase your convenience. Such a tool can be considered a full-fledged machine: it is energy-intensive, massive and demanding for maintenance.

But despite all this, the electric tile cutter is a leader among builders of any level - from an amateur beginner to a professional. This method, despite its complexity, is considered the most productive and high-quality than its counterparts.

In the device of an electric tile cutter, there is the same device as in a mechanical one. However, instead of a cutting element that looks like a nail or blade, this machine uses a saw blade, similar to that used in a grinder.

Very often, to design protruding corners, an incision in the shape of the letter “g” is required. Many fall into a stupor, because the tile cutter cuts tiles strictly in a straight line.

The simplest solution is to divide the work surface into two parts.

The first cut is made perpendicular to the long side of the tile, and the second cut is parallel, thus avoiding the formation of a terrible seam, which is formed when two tiles are added in the shape of the letter "g".

You can also try cutting with a glass cutter and pliers. A sufficiently deep risk is made with a glass cutter, along which a break is subsequently made with the help of pliers.

Washing tiles at an angle of 45 degrees is no less common practice than a figured cut. If your tile cutter has an inclined mechanism, then such an incision will not be difficult, but if there is no such mechanism, you should not be upset.

Washed down the tiles can be done using the same angle grinder "by eye". Grind while holding the tool slightly at an angle.

Such a gash is very often needed to hide the outer, protruding corners of the walls, but this method is not recommended for rooms with slippery floors.

It is safer to use curbs, which will make the corner less sharp, but at the same time not greatly spoil the perception.

For information on how to cut tiles at 45 degrees at home, see the following video.

Tile is one of the most popular ways of decorating and finishing buildings, and is considered the most practical option than its counterparts. Initially, the tiles were made of clay and covered with glaze. Now manufacturers are not limited to clay alone, but use stone, ceramics and even glass, although production technologies have not changed much.

The selection of the required sizes and shapes of tiles is achieved by cutting them. For an ordinary person who is not associated with the construction industry, cutting tiles is a complex, painstaking and not always successful process. However, in reality, anyone can do it.

The choice of tool depends on the goals and type of work.

For repairing an apartment, a cheap manual tile cutter and a grinder are suitable, while for larger-scale work, an electric tile cutter is indispensable.

The process of cutting tiles is not difficult, however, do not rely on luck and it is better to purchase a little more material. This will eliminate the need to run, pick up and buy the missing one.

The appearance of the room and the quality of the work performed depend on the correct and accurate cutting of tiles.

How and how to cut ceramic tiles - an overview of methods and devices

When planning the laying of tiles, you need to decide how to cut ceramic tiles. Facing material is available in several versions, and for each type of tile there is a priority method for cutting it. You will learn more about how to cut various tiles, and what devices exist for this.

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The basis of most types of tiles produced now is baked clay - ceramics. On the front side, the tile is covered with a thin, but more durable waterproof coating, which at the same time carries an aesthetic load. Facing material is divided into two types:

• wall-mounted (for finishing vertical surfaces);
• for floor cladding.

Floor tiles can be internal and external (for laying on thresholds, verandas, terraces). Floor cladding material intended for indoor use is usually made with a smooth face, outdoor tiles often have special anti-slip protrusions or a rough surface, which is taken into account when choosing a cutting device.

Wall tiles are easier to cut than floor tiles because they are thinner.

With wall cladding material, too, not everything is simple. In addition to the most common tile, which has a smooth decorative surface, there is a tile with a relief finishing layer (including a frieze - separating elements between the panel part of the wall and its “top”). Not all methods that allow you to cut a smooth tile are suitable for a corrugated surface.

When choosing how to cut a tile, its thickness, strength, area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe proposed lining and the complexity of the geometry of the pattern are taken into account. Wall tiles are thinner than floor tiles, their strength is lower, so a regular glass cutter or manual mechanical tile cutter is suitable for cutting them.

Floor cladding material requires a more serious tool, especially if its surface is rough or has anti-slip protrusions.

If a lot of complex patterns are expected (holes for sockets, bypassing pipe communications), care should be taken to have devices for curly tile patterns.

When determining with which device to cut tiles at home, the volume of the intended finish should be taken into account. For small areas and simple patterns, a simple tool will do. If there is a lot of work, it makes sense to use more advanced devices so that it does not take longer to cut the tile than to lay it.

Now ceramic tiles are cut using several devices that differ in design complexity and functionality.

If you have to cut ceramic tiles at home, while the cladding area is small (for example, a kitchen panel), an ordinary glass cutter is suitable for work. These simple tools can be equipped with a cutting wheel or a diamond tip. Choose a glass cutter that has worked or which one you think is more convenient - you can cut tiles with any type of tool.

If you need to cut a small amount of tiles, any glass cutter will do.

How to cut tiles with a glass cutter correctly? The essence of the process is identical to working with glass: you need to scratch a groove on the front surface, which will become a fault line.

To do this, first we take the dimensions of the fragment necessary for laying, make the appropriate marks on the decorative side of the whole tile and draw a straight line with a marker corresponding to the intended cut.

The tile is laid on a flat surface, located at a height convenient for work (table, workbench). The working part of the glass cutter with an average uniform pressure is moving from the far end of the tile towards itself.

In this case, a clear shallow furrow should form without interruption areas. To make the cut as even as possible, you can use a guide bar.

But it is better to make an incision under visual control, combining the cutter with the drawn line. It is not advisable to run a glass cutter twice along the same line - it is very difficult to get into the same furrow a second time.

As a result, the incision will not be of very high quality. You need to try to make a furrow in one motion.

Then we do the following. If the cut-off part is more than 3-4 cm, the tile is laid on the table (face up) or other hard surface so that the cut line coincides with the edge of the stand. We lay the wider part on the table, the narrow segment hangs down.

Holding firmly that part of the tile that lies on the table, you need to sharply press on the hanging fragment, as a result of which it breaks off exactly along the drawn groove. When the width of the cut off fragment is small, another tactic is used - the excess part of the tile is gradually broken off with special wire cutters.

If they are not at hand, you can use ordinary pliers for these purposes.

Cutting tiles with a glass cutter requires skill and firmness of the hand. These qualities are acquired quickly, so do not be upset if the desired result does not work the first time.

To quickly acquire a skill, you can sacrifice one tile, and make many different strips and rectangles out of it, making cuts with a glass cutter, and then proceed to the pattern of the tile fragments necessary for laying.

The glass cutter is only suitable for working with smooth tiles

The glass cutter is suitable for working with smooth wall tiles. The corrugated surface of the tile cannot be cut off with this tool. It is very inconvenient and long with the help of a glass cutter to make circular patterns.

To do this, you will have to soak the tile for at least an hour (so that the ceramic base gets wet), make a circular incision, and then look for a suitable stand that best matches the geometry of the intended hole. The tile is laid on a stand and with gradual, gentle pressure, the cut section is forced to separate from the main fragment of the tile.

It is problematic to deal with thick and durable floor tiles with a glass cutter, so if you need to cut this type of tile, it is advisable to use more advanced tools.

A manual tile cutter is essentially an improved glass cutter, and its cutting element is the same roller, only more massive and durable, designed to withstand greater force.

Increases the pressing force in the device under consideration, the lever, which forms a single mechanism with the cutting wheel and is fixed on a carriage moving along two parallel skids.

The guides are fixed on a frame equipped with a support from below, on which the cut tile is laid. On the stand, according to the course of the cutting element, a metal protrusion is built in, which serves as a stop when breaking the tile.

A special device (press) is movably attached to the movable carriage next to the cutting roller, with the help of which pressure is transferred from the lever to both halves of the cut tile.

There are many models of manual tile cutters that differ in the following characteristics that affect the performance of the fixture:

• the maximum size of the tile that can be cut;
• sliding mechanism of the carriage along the guide skids (dry running, lubrication, bearings);
• backlash of the cutting element;
• material for the manufacture of the main parts of the device;
• equipped with an additional device for cutting circular holes.

With a better performance of tile cutters, their cost increases accordingly, therefore, when choosing a cutting device, one should understand for what purposes it is necessary.

If one-time work on laying tiles in relatively small volumes is expected, it is not advisable to buy a model at a cost above the average - an inexpensive product will do. When there are large tile laying areas in the plans, it makes sense to purchase a model more expensive.

High-quality manual tile cutters are widely used in their work even by professional tilers.

To properly cut a tile with a tile cutter, follow the following steps:

1. We mark the notch line on the front side, after taking the necessary preliminary measurements.

2. We lay the tiles on the frame so that the drawn line coincides with the longitudinal protrusion on the base.

3. Using the lever, carefully set the cutting wheel on the far edge of the tile (the cutter must coincide with the beginning of the reference line).

4. Slightly pressing on the lever, we stretch it with a continuous movement towards us until the wheel comes off the tile.

5. We raise the lever and install a kind of double-sided press on the tile approximately in the middle of the cut line.

6. We press the lever (not very hard and quite smoothly), as a result of which the tile breaks into two parts.

A manual tile cutter is a handy tool suitable for processing fairly thick tiles.

To acquire the initial skills of using the device, it is advisable to make several trial attempts.

It is convenient to work with a manual tile cutter, but there are some limitations. This device, like a glass cutter, does not work on a relief tiled surface and some types of floor tiles, especially outdoor tiles, are also too tough for the tool. In addition, the tile cutter will not be able to cut strips less than 15-20 mm.

A water saw is sometimes called an electric tile cutter, which is similar in design to a circular saw and belongs to professional tools with corresponding capabilities and cost.

The device is equipped with a working table, in the longitudinal hole of which a diamond-coated cutting disc rotates. The peculiarity of the electric tile cutter is that the cut of the tile occurs in the presence of water, which abundantly wets the disc.

It enters the place of the cut through a special pipe (in more expensive models) or the disc is wetted, being partially immersed in a pan with water.

Water saw - a professional tool suitable for cutting any tile

Wet cutting at high blade speed allows you to create an ideal cutting edge that does not differ from the factory one (a chamfer is formed at an angle of 45%). Due to constant wetting, no dust is formed during cutting, as well as chips on the cut-off tile edge.

It is possible not only straight, but also curly cutting, the formation of holes of various configurations and sizes. The quality and type of tile only affects the cutting speed, and then only slightly.

A water saw will cut a strip of any width from any tile - wall, floor and even porcelain stoneware. An electric tile cutter is the best option for cutting floor tiles, both internal and external, as well as tiles with a relief surface.

At the same time, it is not necessary to use plastic corners when laying the facing material that cover the cutting edge - it is enough to fill the corner seam with tile grout.

If there is no such equipment at hand (which is not surprising), but at the same time you need to cut different types of tiles, cutting out holes of various shapes and sizes, you can use a universal power tool, one of the models of which is sure to be in the arsenal of any home master.

Angle grinders (angle grinders) or grinders are universal power tools with a wide range of applications in everyday life and in small industries. They also use angle grinders for cutting tiles of various types, equipping them with special “tiled” discs or ordinary circles on concrete (there was no big difference between the result of these nozzles when cutting ceramic tiles).

You can also cut any tile with a grinder, but the cutting edge will not be perfect

If there is no tile cutter and other specialized tools, the tile can be cut with a grinder. Any tile is cut with a grinder - wall, floor, porcelain stoneware.

At the same time, the surface topography, strength and thickness of the tile do not play a role.

The cutting edge is not as smooth and problem-free as when using an electric tile cutter, but given the use of tile grout or plastic corners when laying tiles, small flaws are acceptable.

In order to qualitatively cut tiles without a tile cutter using a grinder, it is advisable to use small angle grinders designed for a disk diameter of up to 125 mm. They are more convenient to work with, especially when cutting and forming holes in tiles.

But keep in mind that angle grinders with a small disc diameter usually have high speeds (3600 rpm and above), at which the tile overheats at the cutting point, can crack and numerous chips, so it is advisable to use an angle grinder with an adjustable number of revolutions to work with tiles .

It is convenient to cut tiles with a grinder, but several disadvantages of this process are found:

• a lot of dust is formed - it is impossible to work in a closed small room;
• when cutting, many small pieces of ceramics fly off, so the process requires compliance with safety regulations and the use of personal protective equipment (glasses are a must, a respirator is desirable);
• there is a possibility of electric shock, and in general, the grinder is a dangerous tool.

In order to cut a fragment of a tile in a straight line using an angle grinder, the necessary measurements are made and the desired area is marked with an indicative line, after which the tile is laid on a flat surface, but not very hard (a piece of board, plywood, OSB boards).

It is necessary to cut through the tile to the full thickness only in cases of cutting narrow strips, in other situations only the decorative layer is cut, after which the tile is broken, as described above.

Cutting holes with a grinder (circular or rectangular) is done from the back side - this way less chips and other damage to the front side of the tile are formed.

The described tools for cutting tiles are rarely used in isolation - it is much more expedient to combine the use of various methods.

For example, when laying wall tiles for cutting straight fragments, it is good to use an inexpensive manual tile cutter or even a glass cutter (quickly, you don’t have to leave the room), but for curly patterns and cutting thin strips, you can sometimes choose a grinder, working in open space.

How to cut porcelain stoneware - an overview of the necessary tools

The answer to the question of how to cut porcelain stoneware has to be sought by anyone who is going to use this facing material.

Even if the dimensions of the room are a multiple of the size of the tile, it will still have to be adjusted at the exit points of utilities.

Material Features

Porcelain stoneware is made by pressing a mixture of clay, quartz sand, feldspar and other minerals, followed by high-temperature firing.

The result is a dense material with a meager amount of pores and the highest hardness - 7 - 8 units on the Mohs scale.

For comparison: corundum has the same hardness (sapphire and ruby ​​belong to this variety of minerals), only diamond and some other materials have a higher indicator.

This feature makes porcelain stoneware wear-resistant even under the most intense loads, but at the same time very difficult to process.

The problem is exacerbated by the fragility of the material: with careless actions, chips appear on the front side. Therefore, the question of choosing a tool for cutting porcelain tiles is very important.

How to cut porcelain stoneware

The processing methods of this material are primarily divided into two types. Each of them has its own indications for use.

Manually

Cutting with a hand tool is justified with small amounts of work. It is usually resorted to by owners of apartments and houses who decide to carry out repairs on their own.

Advantages of the method:

• an available tool is used;
• no dust.

Manual cutting tool

Flaws:

• poor performance;
• often poor cut quality.

power tools

A professional has to cut porcelain tiles in large volumes, so he cannot do without a power tool.

Advantages of the method:

• high speed of work;
• quality cut.

Power tool use

Flaws:

• a large amount of dust;

How to cut porcelain stoneware so that there are no chips

In order to avoid the appearance of chips on the front surface of porcelain stoneware tiles, when trimming it, two rules must be observed:

Start cutting from the front side, since chips are most likely when the tool exits the material.

When using a power tool with a cutting disc, the rotation speed of the latter at the beginning and at the end of the operation is slowed down.

Can glass cutter be used?

Porcelain tiles will be too tough for a manual glass cutter, with the exception of its thinnest varieties. When cutting thick modules, this tool is used only as an auxiliary tool.

Is it possible to cut porcelain stoneware with a manual tile cutter?

This tool for cutting porcelain stoneware is quite suitable. It should be noted that it requires some skill, so it is advisable to practice beforehand.

Manual tile cutter

What tools are used for cutting

A complete list of tools used for cutting and drilling porcelain stoneware includes manual or electrical devices.

Manual tile cutter

The cutting element in a manual tile cutter, as in a glass cutter, is a roller, but not carbide, but diamond. When rolling it with clamping force on porcelain stoneware, microcracks form in the surface layer. Next, the tile is broken into two parts.

A manual tile cutter is used like this:

Check the condition of the tool: you need to make sure that the roller is sharply sharpened and firmly fixed, and the carriage has no play. A dull edge and loose supports will affect the quality of the cut. In this case, the roller is changed. If it dangles from side to side, it is necessary to tighten the fixing screws. When the carriage is jammed, bearings are changed in the guides during movement or the guides are cleaned, lubricated with machine oil. The same is done in the presence of backlash. It is useful to drop oil on the roller as well, so that it turns more easily and wears out less.

According to the results of measurements, a cut line is applied to the tile.

Lay the module on the base of the tool so that the roller runs exactly along the line. At the same time, the carriage is installed on the tile with support legs so that the cutting element does not touch it.

With force pressing the tile with one hand to the base, with the other they take the handle of the tool and set the carriage to the working position: the supports are removed and the roller is placed on the tile.

Bring the roller to the beginning of the cut line and, pressing the handle, roll it modulo from one edge to the other. A good cut requires constant force and speed.

The second hand continues to hold the tile, preventing it from shifting.

Then, the carriage is reinstalled with support legs on the tile and, continuing to hold the module with your hand, by pressing the handle, break it. With a low cut quality, the edge is ground with a grinder armed with a cutting disc for stone.

The incision must be made in one pass. When rolling the roller again, the cut will be uneven.

Electric tile cutter

The electric tile cutter cuts with a diamond-coated blade rotated by an electric motor. In addition, the engine moves a table with a tile fixed on it or a head with a disk along the cut line (depending on the model).

Discs called wet cutters are used. They provide a high quality cut but require liquid cooling. In different models, two methods of cooling are used:

a container with water is installed under the base of the tile cutter, so that the lower part of the disc is immersed in it;

flowing water is supplied to the disk.

Tile cutter manual electric Greapo PTC1200

When working, the following rules are observed:

• The speed of rotation of the disk at the beginning and end of cutting is slowed down.
• The tile is held by hand with sufficient force to avoid vibration. The module is pressed by hand on both sides of the incision.
• When using a tool with non-flowing cooling, the water in the tank is changed more often, otherwise the disc will capture the debris accumulating in it, which will negatively affect the quality of the cut and the resource of the cutting element.

A disc clogged with crumbs is cleaned by cutting a brick of pressed sand with it or by setting it with the reverse side (in the absence of an indicator of the required direction of rotation).

Bulgarian

To cut porcelain stoneware, a diamond-coated cutting disc is also installed on the grinder, but designed for dry cutting (dry cutter).

It consists of segments, which improves heat dissipation, but the quality of the cut deteriorates.

Rules for choosing a disc for cutting porcelain stoneware:

• thickness - not less than 2 mm;
• the width of the cutting edge is greater than the thickness of the tile (otherwise the cut quality suffers).

It matters which way the disk is spinning. When installed with the wrong side, the cut is of poor quality and the injury risk of the tool increases.

When cutting porcelain stoneware with a grinder, the following rules are followed:

The disc is periodically inspected and, if chips and other damage are found, they are changed.

The tiles are fixed with clamps. It is useful to attach a steel strip along the cut line with them - then it will be easier to cut the tile evenly.

The operation is performed in one pass. Cutting with a disc is accompanied by the formation of chips and the more passes, the higher the percentage of such defects.

The tile is not cut to size, but with a margin of 2 - 5 mm. It will allow you to grind the edge, removing chips and cracks. Grinding is performed around the stone.

If the edge is supposed to be hidden with a plinth or corner, and therefore there are no high requirements for its quality, grinding can be omitted. Also in this case, it is not necessary to cut the tile completely: it is cut and then broken.

The eyes are protected with goggles, the respiratory tract with a respirator, since a lot of dust is generated. It is possible to reduce its amount in the surrounding space during work with the help of a construction vacuum cleaner. This will require an assistant.

In order to minimize damage to the front surface, it is recommended to first cut a shallow groove in it, and then remove the remaining material from the back.

A circular saw

You can turn a circular saw into an electric tile cutter by replacing the circular saw with a diamond-coated cutting disc. The tile will have to be fed onto the disc manually, so you need to be very careful.

Electric jigsaw

This tool can be used to cut thin porcelain tiles. To do this, he is armed with a diamond-coated thread.

Electric jigsaw

wire cutters

With wire cutters, you can break off the edge of a small width - within 1-1.5 cm. To make the cut more even, you can first walk on the tile with a glass cutter.

ballerina

This tool is used to make large diameter holes in porcelain stoneware tiles.

It resembles a compass: it has a center drill and one or two cutters on legs set aside.

The distance between the center drill and the cutters, and accordingly the diameter of the hole being made, are adjustable.

That is, the ballerina, unlike the crown, is a universal tool.

The ballerina is used as follows:

In the middle of the planned opening, a hole is made with a diamond drill for the ballerina's centering drill. The impact mechanism on the drill is not activated at the same time - it will cause damage to the tile.

A ballerina is installed in the drill, its centering drill is inserted into the prepared hole and a circular groove is cut out with a cutter half the thickness of the tile. The impact mechanism is also not used.

Turn the tile over and select the remaining material on the other side.

During operation, the drill is cooled with water.

The sliding of the drill on porcelain stoneware at the beginning of drilling is avoided in various ways:

• scratch a hole with a sharp angle of the file;
• stick paper tape;
• put a mark with a clerical proofreader;
• use a jig - a bar with a guide hole for the drill, pressed against the tile with force.

Waterjet cutting

An expensive installation is used, which supplies a thin jet of water (with a diameter of tenths of a millimeter) under considerable pressure with the addition of crumbs from a solid material. The cut is carried out quickly and efficiently, but such equipment is available only to large workshops.

Tool selection

For one-time work, it is not advisable to purchase a specialized tool. It is more rational to use a grinder, which is a universal tool and is available in every household.

For cutting along a curve, a manual tile cutter is not suitable. Only a waterjet, a grinder, an electric jigsaw and, if you have the appropriate skill, an electric tile cutter will cope with this task.

A non-specialized tool does not allow high-quality trimming.

Therefore, it is advisable for the home master to apply a combined approach: cut most of the modules, the edges of which will be hidden by a plinth or corner, on their own with a grinder or a manual tile cutter, and take those that will be in sight to the workshop for cutting with an electric tile cutter or waterjet installation.

Sometimes it is necessary to cut already laid tiles. This can be done only with the help of a grinder.

Due to the absence of pores, porcelain stoneware is an extremely hard material, therefore, to cut it, you need to choose the right tool and equipment. It is faster and more convenient to use a power tool, manual tile cutters are suitable only for small amounts of work.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter and grinder: detailed instructions

Ceramic tile is a building finishing material used for both wall and floor cladding.

The technology of its production makes it possible to produce images with different strength indicators, not to mention a wide variety of external design. The most popular method of manufacturing ceramic tiles is pressing. The clay is then fired at a high temperature. If the tile is covered with enamel on top, then we are talking about tiles.

A separate subspecies of especially durable tiles is porcelain stoneware. Quartz, feldspar and coloring pigments are added to the clay mixture. To give aesthetic properties, it can also be covered with glaze.

Despite the differences in composition and production technology, both types of tiles are divided into:

• Wall. Lighter and thinner tiles. Moreover, porcelain stoneware is often used for facing the facades of buildings. But, mainly, wall tiles are used in the decoration of bathrooms and kitchens.
• Floor tiles, which have a large weight, thickness and, as a result, increased wear resistance and strength.

When laying different types of tiles, there are some nuances. It is especially important to know the correct technology for how to cut tiles. After all, the need for this arises quite often.

When the tile does not fit entirely or it is necessary to bypass some protruding object, such as a pipe.

In this regard, the question arises, what is the best way to cut tiles? What is the best tool to use? And can you do this process yourself?

How to cut ceramic tiles

Helpful advice to get you started. Before cutting ceramic tiles, soak them in water for at least half an hour, preferably an hour. Then draw a line of the proposed cut on its surface with a marker. If the tile is tiled, then it is better to do it on the front side covered with enamel.

Among the most budgetary tools among those with which you can cut ceramic tiles with your own hands is a regular roller glass cutter. Draw them along the intended line, trying to apply forces as evenly as possible.

But the force must be sufficient to leave a groove on the enamel surface. Then, under the tile, to lift it, you need to put a match or a toothpick. And then gently press on the tile in both directions.

If the edge of the fault turned out to be not very smooth, then you can walk along it with a sanding block with coarse sandpaper.

In addition to this method, all the tools described below are also successfully used for ceramic tiles.

How to cut porcelain tiles

Unlike ordinary tiles, porcelain stoneware has greater strength, even with the same thickness of the tile. Therefore, it requires the use of other technologies for cutting.

So how to cut porcelain tiles? There are three answers to this:

• manual tile cutter;
• Bulgarian;
• electric tile cutter;

We'll take a closer look at how to use these tools in a bit. And what instructions should be followed when working with them.

How to cut floor tiles

The average thickness of a floor tile is about 8 mm, which can be twice as much as a regular tile or porcelain tile. In addition, it has increased hardness and resistance to mechanical damage. Therefore, a manual tile cutter has not proven itself very well for cutting floor tiles.

If you are looking for a budget solution, then the best option is a grinder. The main disadvantage of this method is that too much dust is generated during the cutting process, which not only instantly fills the entire room, but can also enter the upper respiratory tract and eyes.

The electric tile cutter, thanks to the water supply, is devoid of these drawbacks. But if the scope of work is relatively small, then its purchase can be quite expensive. Other than that, it's a great tool for cutting floor tiles in every way.

A good alternative would be the following method, which you can easily do yourself. We designate the line of the future fault both from the front and from the wrong side of the tile.

For the glazed exterior, the same tool is used as for ceramic tiles - a glass cutter.

We roll it once along the markup, numerous repetitions will lead to a poor-quality cut.

And on the reverse side of the tile, the grinder makes a cut with a depth of about a couple of millimeters. Thus, we weaken the strength of the tile at the site of the proposed fracture. Then we place it on the edge of the table or any other surface, so that one rug is in the air. Then we break the tile by pressing on the free edge.

How to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter

The technology of working with it is extremely simple. We draw a cut line on the surface of the tile with a pencil or marker. We place the tile on the base of the tile cutter, align it so that the markings coincide with the center of the base. Then, in addition, we look for the diamond roller to pass exactly along the line both at the beginning and at the end of the markup.

After that, we draw the roller blade along the tile, the guides on which it is fixed help us with this. The handle should be raised so that the paws do not touch the surface of the tile. Then we lower the handle, thereby breaking the tile.

Its advantages include:

• noiselessness;
• convenience of work;
• affordable price.

Flaws:

• unevenness of the cut edge;
• the tile must be held by hand;
• strip width not less than 5 mm.

How to cut tiles with a grinder

A grinder with a diamond cutting wheel installed is a universal tool for working with any kind of tile. In addition, the grinder is multifunctional, and its affordable cost quickly pays for itself.

The technology of how to properly cut a tile with a grinder with your own hands is as follows:

• mark the tiles;
• we fix it on two planks, so that the place of the cut was between them;
• we cut, the direction of movement of the grinder should coincide with the direction of rotation of the diamond disk.

In extreme cases, you can use a cutting wheel for concrete, it does not work so effectively with porcelain stoneware, but its strength is quite enough for cutting ceramic tiles. If you buy a grinder, then choose from a model with adjustable blade speed.

The nuances include that the cut will turn out with chips, especially noticeable from the side of the tile enamel. This moment must be taken into account when laying, it will be better if the cut is hidden with a corner or plinth.

But this fact is offset by the fact that the grinder can be cut not only in a straight line. Which makes it indispensable when you need to make a curved cut.

If necessary, all cut irregularities can be ground by replacing the diamond disc with a grinding wheel.

How to cut tiles with an electric tile cutter

By all means the best way to cut any kind of tile. An electric tile cutter is able to quickly cope with a significant amount of work, leaving an even, high-quality cut. Cutting tiles at 45 degrees is quite a trivial task for this for him.

There are two main types of construction. In one of them, the cutting wheel is fixed, and the platform is able to move towards the circular disk.

Or vice versa, the base platform is stationary, and the blade moves along the guides that are located above the platform. The diamond-coated cutting wheel is partially immersed in a bath of water or the liquid can be supplied directly to the cutting site.

Thanks to this, the cutting surface is cooled, and the cut remains smooth and even.

Brief instructions on how to properly cut tiles with a tile cutter:

• mark the cut line;
• place the tile on the platform;
• make sure that the beginning of the markup coincides with the cutting edge of the disc;
• start the tile cutter;
• holding the tile with both hands so that it does not deviate from its original position, cut the tile.

Also among its advantages can be considered the fact that it allows you to cut thin strips with a width of less than 5 mm. And he has only one drawback - a rather high cost.

Video: cutting tiles with a manual tile cutter yourself

Video: how to cut tiles with a grinder at home

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter

The easiest way to cut tiles into pieces is to use a manual tile cutter. Its cost varies from 200 rubles or more, but with the help of this tool you can save a lot of time and effort. Moreover, it can simply be rented at a building materials store. In this article, we will show you how to cut tiles with a tile cutter.

Tile cutter device

Manual tile cutter

On the fixed tile, a cut line is outlined, along which a tile cutter wheel is drawn. Then the lever is lowered, and the material is broken along the marked line. This work takes no more than 1 minute.

Rules for using a manual tile cutter:

• Before using the tile cutter, it is worth dropping oil on the guide frame and wheel to put a risk. Make sure the wheel is secure. It should not move to the sides, otherwise you will get a crooked notch line. When the cutting wheel wears out, it should be replaced by buying a similar one in a hardware store.

Processing the edges of tiles with wire cutters

• Before proceeding with the process, it is worth first trying to make several experimental cuts of the desired bend. If it was not possible to make the necessary cut with a manual tile cutter, you should use an automatic one, or make several notches and break off the tile in small pieces using wire cutters.

Cutting tiles with a glass cutter.

• How to cut tiles with a glass cutter and a nail In extreme cases, a nail and a glass cutter are used for these purposes. A notch is made with a glass cutter on the front side of the material, the tile is laid on the nail with the reverse side so that the line made by the nail coincides, and then press both halves of the slab with your fingers.
• You can also use a jigsaw by putting a carbide blade on it. However, it will take much more time to complete the work in this way. But none of the above tools will do the job better than the tile cutter itself.

Video

Video showing different ways to cut tiles:

Technology for cutting ceramic tiles with a tile cutter

Drawing risks

To make a straight cut with a tile cutter, you need to draw a line with a felt-tip pen on the material.

When making many identical cuts, it is advisable to fix the frame with a screw in a predetermined position. Hold the stove with one hand and the lever with the wheel with the other.

The lever must be raised until the wheel touches the surface of the tile, and then move the handle towards you. Applying a small amount of force, make one pass of the wheel, inflicting a risk.

Pre-treat the wings of the tool with masking tape so that they do not damage the material.

Hold the tile in the desired position by lightly pressing the lever with the thumb of one hand, hit the lever with the palm of the other hand.

After the work is completed, the cut edge may stand out. This is corrected by working it with sandpaper or a grinding stone. Stock up on the necessary type of stone, suitable for the structure of your slab. There is no need to finish the edges when they are covered by adjacent tiles.

Video

This video shows the principle of operation of a manual tile cutter:

How and how to cut porcelain stoneware at home (tile cutter, grinder, etc.)

Porcelain tile is a versatile facing material. With its help, you can finish both walls and floors, and it is used both indoors and outdoors.

Naturally, as when working with any facing material, when laying porcelain stoneware, you cannot do without trimming it.

And if an ordinary glass cutter is suitable for tile or ceramic tiles, then with porcelain stoneware the situation is somewhat more complicated.

Since porcelain stoneware tiles are much harder and stronger, special tools will be required to cut them, and certain rules must be observed when working with them. So what and how is it better to cut porcelain tiles?

Overview of porcelain stoneware cutting tools

How to cut porcelain stoneware tiles? Experts advise choosing a tool based on what goals you are pursuing. Let's consider each in more detail.

glass cutter

The glass cutter is not designed to cut porcelain stoneware, but if there are no other options, you can use it

This tool is not intended for cutting porcelain stoneware, however, in the absence of an alternative, you can use it, however, only in cases where we are talking about small amounts of work.

A simple and reliable tool for cutting porcelain stoneware

A simple and easy-to-use tool that allows you to cut even strips from porcelain stoneware. The tile is fixed with special clamps, after which an incision is made with a lever with a cutting element. As a result, the tile breaks easily at the place of the incision.

Electric tile cutter

Cutting porcelain stoneware like a pro

A professional tool that allows you to make almost perfect cuts with straight or slightly rounded edges. The electric tile cutter is designed specifically for this purpose, so it has clear advantages not only over manual appliances, but also over electric ones.

Bulgarian

Porcelain stoneware can be cut with an ordinary grinder

This is a versatile tool that can also be used to cut porcelain stoneware tiles. True, in this case, the angle grinder must be equipped with a special "diamond" disc. Bulgarian is a good option for both professionals and amateurs.

wire cutters

Nippers - the easiest tool for curly cutouts

Nippers are the simplest tool for curly cutting tiles in general and porcelain stoneware in particular. To be precise, the wire cutters do not cut, but break off small pieces of tiles, resulting in a groove or bend of the desired shape.

"Ballerina"

With the help of a ballerina, you can make holes of any diameter

This is the name of a special tool with which you can make holes of different diameters in porcelain stoneware.

hole saw

Hole saw or diamond hole saw makes perfectly even holes in porcelain stoneware

The best tool for both curly cutouts and for making holes in tiles. Allows you to cut porcelain stoneware of any thickness and hardness.

Comparison table of porcelain stoneware cutting tools

Porcelain stoneware cutting technologies

Consider the technology of cutting porcelain stoneware with the most popular tools.

Manual tile cutter

For all its simplicity, a manual tile cutter provides a fairly high quality of work. The tool consists of a support platform, two guides, thanks to which the cut is perfectly even, a lever with a cutting roller and clamps for breaking tiles.

The manual tile cutter is suitable for tiles with a thickness of 8 mm, 1 cm, etc. (up to 12 millimeters). Please note that the thicker the tile, the larger the cutting wheel should be. Ideally, these two values ​​should match.

Preparing the tile cutter for work

Before starting work, you need to make sure that the cutting roller is not dull and its size corresponds to the thickness of the selected tile. If necessary, the roller is replaced.

The ease of movement of the tile cutter along the guide rods is determined. If the cutting element is tight or, conversely, loose, it is worth checking the bearings and cleaning the guides.

Cutting porcelain stoneware

Cutting technology on a manual tile cutter is quite simple

• After taking measurements on the tile, make appropriate marks with a pencil or marker;
• the tile is laid on the platform of the tile cutter, the cut line is combined with the cutting roller;
• so that the tile does not move during cutting, it must be fixed by hand;
• the roller is installed on the edge of the tile and, gently pressing the lever, it is carried out along the entire line of the cut;

The smoother you move the roller, the better the finished cut will be.

• after the incision on the tile is made, it is fixed on the platform with fixing tabs so that the cut line is between them;
• on the part of the tile protruding beyond the platform, they begin to press with a hand until the tile breaks.

When cutting with a manual tile cutter, the edges of the tiles are quite even, however, the appearance of small chips and irregularities is not excluded. In this case, the deformed edge must be sanded.

Video: how to cut porcelain stoneware with a manual tile cutter

We offer you a master class on cutting porcelain stoneware with a manual tile cutter.

Bulgarian

A grinder can cut a wide variety of materials, porcelain stoneware is no exception.

Preparation for work

To cut porcelain stoneware, a special “diamond disc” must be installed on the grinder. When installing a drive, make sure it is securely fastened, and be sure to wear safety goggles and gloves.

Working with a grinder

The technology of cutting porcelain stoneware differs little from cutting other materials.

• Marking is applied to the tile with a pencil, along which the cut will be made;

With the help of a grinder, you can make curly cuts and even holes

• the tile is cut along the intended line with a grinder. To reduce the number of chips, try to cut the tiles "in one go";
• since when cutting porcelain stoneware with a grinder, small chips and cracks may remain on the edges and front side of the tile, the end of the tile after cutting is cleaned with sandpaper or a grinding disc.

Electric tile cutter

If the two previous methods are considered within the framework of "dry" cutting, then the following technology refers to "wet". In other words, during the process, water is supplied to the tile cutter, which protects the cutting element from overheating. This ensures an almost perfectly even and smooth cut.

There are two types of electric tile cutters: with a movable and fixed disc. In the first case, the cutting module moves along the tile along special guides, in the second case, the tile is fed onto the disk using a platform or simply by hand.

In addition to the platform and the cutting module, most electric tile cutters are equipped with a container of water in which part of the cutting disc is immersed. This allows you to protect the disk from overheating, and also significantly reduces the amount of dust during operation.

Preparation for work

Before starting work, you should check the reliability of the fastening of the disk and the presence of water in a special container.

If the tile cutter has already been used, then the cutting disc must be cleaned and the water changed, since the porcelain stoneware that has got into it interferes with the cooling process.

Tile cutting

Professional tool allows you to cut porcelain stoneware almost perfectly

The cutting technology itself on an electric tile cutter is very simple: a pre-planned cut line is combined with a cutting disc and a special lever moves it along the tile or feeds it onto the disc.

Since the cut edges on an electric tile cutter are almost perfectly even, they do not require additional processing.

How to make holes in porcelain stoneware

Sometimes there are situations in which porcelain stoneware should not be cut off, but a hole should be made in it. In principle, this problem can be solved with the help of a small grinder, but in this case the hole will not turn out to be very even. Consider the two most successful ways.

"Ballerina"

A special tool that allows you to cut tiles and thin porcelain tiles. By its design, the "ballerina" resembles an ordinary compass. The cutter moves along a special bar from the central support, thus making it possible to make a hole of any diameter.

To facilitate the work, the 'ballerina' can be inserted into an electric drill

The technology of work is very simple: the center of the "ballerina" is fixed on the tile, and a circle is drawn with a cutter previously fixed at the desired distance.

After that, the central part of the hole is knocked out with a light blow. If you are working with porcelain stoneware, then it is better, without taking the tool off the tile, to make several turns of the cutter.

Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to get into an already drawn line.

Diamond crowns

A diamond crown makes it possible to make a perfectly even hole in porcelain stoneware, and without much effort. Its only drawback can be considered that the size of the holes is clearly limited by the diameter of the crowns themselves.

The diamond crown allows you to drill perfectly even holes in porcelain stoneware.

The crown is inserted into a conventional drill, after which a hole is made in the selected location.

To avoid chipping, porcelain stoneware should only be drilled from the front side.

Video: how to make holes in porcelain stoneware

You can learn more about the technologies for drilling holes in porcelain stoneware by watching the following video:

Cutting porcelain stoneware tiles is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. It is enough to “arm yourself” with the necessary tools and after a little practice you will definitely achieve an excellent result. Good luck with your repair!

No matter how hard we try to lay the whole tiles, it still won't work. The reasons are different - the non-standard dimensions of the room, the way of laying, in which you cannot do without pieces, etc. Therefore, you need to get used to the idea that you will have to cut in any case.

If you have already decided on the question, then you probably know how many and what trimmings will be in the process of work. Today we will tell you how to properly cut tiles at home.
R
You probably know that baked clay is used for the production of tiles, which is glazed for strength and beauty. It is practically impossible to break it manually, but it is worth putting it on the slightest unevenness and it bursts even with minor loads. The process will become much easier and the line will be exactly where you need it if the glaze is loosened, in other words, cut and then broken.

The glaze layer can be loosened in three ways, namely:

• special tool - manual or electric tile cutter,
• tongs; grinder;
• various improvised sharp objects. Today we will introduce you to each method of cutting tiles.

Working with a manual tile cutter

The option is very popular with both professional tilers and amateurs. Buying this tool is not difficult, the cost starts from 300 rubles. The price depends on the size, reliability and special devices. If the tile cutter has a swivel base and a built-in ruler to cut down at 45 degrees, then the price will be decent.

Try not to even look at the cheap model, you will waste your money, because they have a bad clamp and a weak base, so the tile breaks incorrectly in most cases.

We insert the tile into the tile cutter, combine the markings on the tile and the special mark on the tool. We lower the handle and move away from us with a smooth movement. The speed should be the same, the pressure should be uniform, then the glaze will be cut with the same depth. One cut with a roller is enough. If the movements are repeated several times, then we can get a low-quality fracture.

The tool is equipped with special paws, which, when lowered, break the tile into pieces of the desired size. The main thing is to sharply press the lever. All, without exception, tile cutters have a platform with a metal tubercle and soft linings.

When pressing the paws on the edge of the tile, the incision is under maximum pressure. With the correct combination of the cut line and the lining, the tile will split very evenly.

From the words, this process may not be entirely clear, especially to beginners. It is better to look visually and understand how to cut tiles with a tile cutter correctly.

Cutting tiles with the letter G

The tile cutter is designed only for straight cuts, so if you need to make an L-shaped cut, you will have to work a little. The easiest way would be to cut the tile into two parts, and then one of them again and, when laying, fold them with the letter G.

And as a result, we get an additional unnecessary seam, which is sharply conspicuous.

You can go the other way - the short side is cut with a grinder, the long side with a tile cutter.

This method is also suitable for cutting off external corners, the main thing is to correctly mark and subtract about 5 mm + grout + a slight indent from the wall.

There is another way: a cut on the surface of the glaze is performed using any improvised cutting and stabbing object, and then the excess is broken off with the help of pliers. To process irregularities, we use sandpaper.
In this way, you can make rounded incisions that are placed at the risers.

We cut porcelain stoneware

Everyone knows that porcelain stoneware belongs to the group of the hardest materials used for the production of floor tiles. The cutting method for it is the same as for a standard tile.

Often, floor tiles can be cut much worse than porcelain stoneware itself. This is especially true for hardened tiles, on which it is almost impossible to see the cut on the surface of the glaze. Often, even with the help of a diamond blade, it is impossible to make an even cut. In this situation, we take a grinder, cut out a groove from 2 to 3 mm on the reverse side, which will be the place of the break.

Cutting tiles with a tile cutter

The cost of tile cutters is from 200 to 400 rubles, and they can only perform small amounts of work. It is suitable for home cutting of thin ceramic tiles.

Instructions for using tile cutter-tongs:

Marking is applied, in which gaps and seams are already taken into account, i.e. - 5 mm.
The metal ruler should lie along the marking line. We take the cutter and lead it along the ruler, pressing so as to leave a visible strip. The movement of the torch should be towards you.

The legs of the forceps should be located along the break line at the edge. We set the sponges on top of the glaze, the straight part on the bottom.

The edges of the upper sponge should be located on both sides of the fault line at the same distance from it.

Pressing the handles must be done smoothly, then the tile will break off evenly. It is not advisable to lift it high, you can accidentally break it.

We work with an electric tile cutter

For a large amount of work, it is more advisable to use an electric tile cutter, then you are guaranteed speed and quality.
It works with a diamond wheel, automatically supplies water to the cut to cool it and remove dust. The most inexpensive type of "amateur" class is sold at a price of 3 to 4 thousand rubles.

Cutting tiles with a grinder

In the process of laying tiles, you may need not only whole elements, but also very narrow strips, the width of which is from 0.5 to 2 cm. It will not work to make such a cut using a conventional tile cutter, it has very wide paws.

In this case, the Bulgarian will help out. A notch line is drawn on the tile with any pencil, the main thing is that it be clearly visible. Sawing with a grinder with a diamond disc. It is better not to try to cut off the strip at a time, it will break off piece by piece. Try not to press the grinder, smoothly walk a couple of times along the cut line until you get a groove up to 2 mm deep. The disc must pass exactly next to the cut line, only in this case we will get a strip of the desired size.

In case of irregularities, we grind them with a grinder.

What to be guided by when choosing a disk for a tile

Any cutting is carried out with the help of metal discs, with diamond coating applied along the edge. But they differ in that each is designed to work with a specific material. Some cut concrete, others brick, others stone.

Discs for tiles are produced even, without holes, with a uniform and smooth soldering. The discs for concrete have slots on the soldering, so chips are obtained during vibration. If you cut ceramic tiles with such a disc, you can be injured by a broken piece.

Shot at a 45 degree angle

Very often, when laying tiles, it becomes necessary to join the outer corners. You can get a beautiful edge with a ceramic angle, but many tilers prefer to cut at a 45-degree angle.

With the help of a professional electric tile cutter with an inclined surface, a 45-degree angle is very simple. But, unfortunately, not everyone can boast of having such a tool. Let's try to perform such a cut on our own, with our usual grinder. It is necessary to draw a cut line and draw a disk along it, tilting it slightly inward.

Cutting tiles without a tile cutter

Sometimes it happens that cut tiles need only a few pieces. It is not rational to purchase a tile cutter for this. This task can be done with the help of tools that are always at hand, namely:

• glass cutter;
• drills, ideally it should have a winning tip so that the tile is easier to scratch;
• nail;
• construction knife.

A metal ruler is applied at the cut site. Using a glass cutter or a drill, we scratch a line along the ruler on the enamel of the tile. We carry out only once, if with a knife, then several.

We put the tile on the corner, combine the cut with its edge and sharply press on the edge of the tile. The line will not come out smooth enough, as with a tile cutter, but money will be saved on its purchase.

Craftsmen know that cutting ceramic tiles will be easier if you pre-soak them for an hour in water.

Summing up

Cutting ceramic tiles is actually not a complicated process. This will become clear later, when the first successful experience comes. In the meantime, try to take into account the percentage of losses when buying and buy material with a small margin of 10-15%.
Sometimes sellers offer their services for sawing, but this offer can only be used if you know exactly the dimensions and shape.