Any process of laying ceramic tiles is not complete without trimming it. There will be a lot of it especially if you use some kind of non-standard layout, for example, diagonally. In the last article we talked about how to get uniform and beautiful trims everywhere. Now we will talk about how to properly cut tiles at home.

As you know, tiles are made of baked clay, which is covered with glaze on top. It’s difficult to break it just by hand, but if it lies on some uneven surface, it easily cracks from a small load. To simplify this process and make the required break line, you need to loosen upper layer glaze - that is, cut it, and therefore make an effort to break it.

There are 3 main ways to do this:

1. Special tool - manual, electric tile cutter or special tongs.
2. Bulgarian.
3. Other sharp tools at hand.

Let's talk in more detail about each method of cutting tiles.

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Cutting tiles with a manual tile cutter

This is the most popular option, used by both professional tilers and amateurs. You can find it in the store at a price of 300 rubles and above, depending on the size, quality and additional bells and whistles, such as a swivel base and a built-in ruler for easy cutting of tiles at an angle of 45 degrees. At the same time, it is better not to buy the cheapest models; they will often break the tiles incorrectly, due to poor pressure on the flimsy base.

How does a manual tile cutter work?

How to use a tile cutter:

• The tile is inserted into the tile cutter, and the markings on it are aligned with a special mark.
• The handle is lowered and drawn away from you. It must be carried out at the same speed and with uniform pressure so that the roller cuts the glaze to the same depth. It will be enough to run the roller once. If you drive several times, the break may turn out to be of poor quality.
• Next to the roller there are special paws that lower and break the tile into 2 parts after sharply pressing the lever. Moreover, all tile cutters have a metal tubercle on their platform, and soft linings along the edges. When you press down on the edges of the tile with your paws, maximum tension will be created at the cut point if you line it up correctly with the backing and it will chip straight away.

It’s difficult to explain this in words, so it’s easier to watch a video that shows how to cut tiles with a tile cutter correctly:

High-quality tile cutters allow you to cut even tiles 10 mm thick without any problems. And it doesn’t matter at what angle you cut it: at least 45 degrees, at least 30.

How to cut tiles with the letter "L"

Since a tile cutter can only cut tiles straight, many people have difficulty with L-shaped cuts. The simplest option is to divide this tile into 2 rectangular elements, but then you will end up with an extra ugly seam that will catch your eye.

But this can be avoided if you cut the short side with a grinder, and then the long side with a tile cutter.

Step by step instructions on how to make L-shaped cuts on tiles

You can cut the outer corners in the same way. When marking them, you need to subtract approximately 4–5 mm, 1.5–2 mm for the grout joint and a small distance from the wall.

The second method: using any method available to you, a cut is made on the glaze, and the excess is gradually broken off with pliers. Irregularities are processed with sandpaper. This option will even allow you to get a rounded cut for connecting to the risers.

How to cut porcelain tiles

It is believed that porcelain stoneware is the most hard material, from which floor tiles are made. You can trim it in the same way as regular tile.

Sometimes simple floor tiles are more difficult to cut than porcelain tiles. There are hardened tiles, on which, after cutting with a tile cutter, the cut in the glaze is almost invisible. And even a diamond disc on an angle grinder doesn’t take it - the cut turns out torn, like after a tractor. In such cases, you need to use a grinder and file a 2-3 mm groove with reverse side to mark the location of the break.

Tile cutter-tongs

Tile cutter-tongs are the cheapest (200–400 rubles), and they are suitable only for small volumes of work with thin ceramic tiles at home.

After making the cut, press the tile down with the breaking pliers.

How to use a tile cutter:

• Make markings taking into account all gaps and seams (–5 mm).
• Attach a metal ruler to the marking line and run the cutter along it once. The pressure should be moderate to form a visible strip. Lead him from the far edge towards you.
• Place the tongs with the claws along the break line near the edge. The lips should be on top of the icing and the straight part at the bottom. The break line should be right down the middle between the edges of the top jaw.
• Gently press the handles to break off the tiles. However, do not lift it high, otherwise it will break after falling.

Electric tile cutter

If you have a large volume of work, then the fastest and highest-quality cut is obtained from an electric tile cutter. They use a diamond wheel and apply water to the cutting area to cool and remove dust. The cheapest types of amateur class can be found on sale for 3–4 thousand rubles.

Cutting tiles with a grinder

Sometimes there are cases when you need to cut a narrow strip of tiles 0.5–2 cm, and a regular tile cutter will not take it because its legs are too wide.

In such cases, you need to draw a cut line with a pencil and make a cut with a grinder and a diamond blade. But if you try to cut it off at one time, the narrow strip will break off in parts. Therefore, you need to smoothly and without pressure go over the markings with a grinder to make a cut about 2 mm deep. You need to walk the disk along the line, and not directly along it, then the width of the already narrow strip will not decrease.

Using the same method, passing along the same seam several times, you will cut a narrow strip. The second and subsequent times you can drive the grinder faster, but try to press it to the opposite side, then there will be no chips.

It is better to do this work in weight, so the vibration will go into your hands. When you see that the strip will soon fall, it is advisable to place something soft so that it does not break.

Cutting tiles with a grinder using a special diamond-coated tile disc

If any irregularities remain, they can be sanded with the same grinder.

Be sure to wear glasses when working with an angle grinder.

How to choose the right disc for tiles

For cutting, metal discs with diamond coating on its edges are used. But they are different: for concrete, brick, stone. Tile disks do not have any holes, the soldering on them is uniform and smooth. Concrete discs have slots on the solder and will create chips when vibrating. If you cut ceramic tiles them, then these chips can fly into their faces.

We make a cut at 45 degrees

Ceramic pencil plinth is best suited for protecting sharp edges. external corners tiles

To beautifully join external corners, many craftsmen file the edges at 45 degrees so as not to use ceramic corners. But in dangerous places where it is possible to slip, it is still better to use so-called pencil curbs, although some consider them a “collective farm”.

If you use a professional electric tile cutter, then the inclined platform there makes it easy to make a 45-degree angle on the tile bevel, but not everyone has such a tool. You can easily make such an angle yourself using the same grinder “by eye”. The disc is drawn along the cut line, and it should be slightly inclined inward.

Sawing the tiles at 45 degrees

How to cut tiles without a tile cutter

If you only need to cut a few tiles, you don't necessarily need to invest in a tile cutter. You can use the tools at hand:

• Glass cutter
• Drill. It should preferably have a pobedite tip, as it will scratch the tile better.
• Nail.
• Construction knife.

Attach a metal ruler to the cut site and draw 1 time with a glass cutter or drill. Must stay deep scratch on enamel. If you use a knife, you will need to do this several times.

Place the tile at the corner with the cut and press firmly on its edges. The cut will not be perfectly straight, unlike a tile cutter, but you won’t have to spend extra money.

To make cutting ceramic tiles easier, many craftsmen soak them in water for about 1 hour.

Conclusion

Cutting ceramic tiles is not particularly difficult, and you will understand this after a few successful times. It’s just that if you don’t have experience, you should always buy material with a margin of 10–15%. In some construction stores They provide services for cutting tiles to the desired shapes and sizes, but here you need to be 100% sure of the sizes.

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Preparing for work

Ceramic, tiled, porcelain and gypsum tiles – quite comfortable material for finishing walls in residential premises. But before you start laying it, you need to learn how to properly cut tiles at home. After all, the smoother the tile is cut, the better the final result will be. It’s rare that you can choose the dimensions of a tile so well that you don’t have to cut it. When tiling, for example, an apron in a kitchen, it is unlikely that it will be possible to lay only solid plates of tiles, especially at corners, protrusions, places where pipes exit and outlets are located.

Before you start cutting tiles, you need to remove them from the packaging, carefully inspect and sort them, since any batch of even the highest quality goods has small errors and defects, such as:

• mismatch of shades
• unevenness of the front glazed coating
• mismatch in length, width or corners of tiles
• chips and cracks received during transportation

Of course, with the above in mind, the material must be purchased with a reserve; usually an extra 10% is enough. By the way, you can practice on the rejected material and “get better” if cutting tiles is not yet a well-practiced skill for you.

After sorting, the tiles must be soaked in water for a period of one to three hours (more than modern instrument for cutting, the less soaking time is required).

During this time you should prepare:

• table, stool or cutting board
• pencil, marker or felt-tip pen (for marking)
• long ruler or measuring tape
• square, ideally metal
• respirator
• earplugs/headphones (for working with a machine or grinder)

What to cut with?

First, let's list the most common and accessible tools for cutting tiles:

• roller glass cutter
• wire cutters
• hacksaw
• electric jigsaw
• manual tile cutter
• mechanical tile cutter
• electric tile cutter
• a circular saw
• Bulgarian

If you need to cut only a few tiles for personal use, then the most simple tools that are available in almost every home. But if you want to make money by laying tiles and, accordingly, cutting them, you will need to purchase the appropriate professional power tools.

Roller glass cutter represents wooden handle with a small diamond rotating wheel at the end. Cutting tiles with a glass cutter is the most famous, although not very simple, method. It is used for small volumes of work and on tiles that are not too thick and durable. To cut tiles using a glass cutter, you need to use a ruler and press the roller from edge to edge along a pre-marked line. In this case, you cannot tear the tool from the surface of the tile, nor It is not recommended to repeatedly use a glass cutter along a line that has already been cut once.

The glass cutter will not cut the tile completely, but will only scratch a strip. Next, you need to carefully, slowly, break the tile, placing it with the resulting cutting line on the edge of the table or board, lightly tap it with the handle of a glass cutter and press on the hanging edge. As a result, the material should crack exactly along the intended line. After separating the parts, the roughness can be smoothed with sandpaper or a file.

Nippers are typically used to break off pieces of tile. They are used if it is necessary to cut tiles to fit holes in various places: under pipes, platbands, window sills, sockets, etc. Nippers do not cut in the literal sense of the word, but break off small pieces from the tile along the cut line. The nippers themselves have two carbide-coated clamps in their design - the upper one cuts through the shiny glazed layer on the tile, and the lower one serves as a support. They work with nippers like this: apply a cutout outline to the tile, clamp the tile with the nippers, clamp both halves of the tool and break off the tile along the markings. If necessary, the resulting cut is cleaned with a file.

You can also cut tiles with a hacksaw. It is better to purchase a special hacksaw for ceramics; in appearance, it is almost no different from other types of hacksaws, for example, for metal or wood, with the only exception that its blade is coated with a special coating of tungsten carbide. The main advantage of using a hacksaw is that the cut edges come out smooth, without chips, nicks or roughness, and therefore require almost no additional grinding.

Jigsaw– quite a universal and functional tool. You just need to purchase a special abrasive file (the so-called “rope”) for working with tiles. With its help, the tiles are cut evenly and accurately, and it also allows you to make holes and shaped cutouts in the product. To cut a tile, you must first secure it, then turn on the jigsaw at medium speed and make a through cut along the pre-planned contour.

Manual tile cutter reminds in its own way appearance pliers, with the only difference that one tip has a protrusion, and the other has a characteristic cutout. In addition, a roller diamond cutter is placed on the edge of the tool. Using this tile cutter is quite simple. First you need to cut through the glazed side of the tile with a roller. Then, holding the tile with pliers, break the segment exactly along the line. It is important to ensure that the protrusion is on the front glazed side, and the cutout is on the back matte side.

Mechanical tile cutter According to the principle of its operation, it is similar to a large glass cutter with additionally attached guides and a lever. When using a mechanical tile cutter, the tiles are placed on a stand under the guides, and the lever is pulled to the nearest position. After this, the tile should be aligned along the line, and the cutter roller should be placed on the edge of the marked line. Then you need to carefully move the cutter roller forward along the line using a lever, pressing lightly on it in the process. At the end of the operation, the tile independently splits exactly along the cut line. However, the disadvantage of such a tile cutter is that they will not be able to cut a piece less than 5 mm.

Electric tile cutter It is used quite rarely at home; it is mainly in demand where tiles have to be cut on an industrial scale. The tiles are cut with this tool using a rotating diamond-coated disk, which is permanently moistened with water from a special container. The material should be fed to the disc carefully, otherwise the tile may crack.

The main advantages of such a tile cutter electric machine are the absence of dust during operation, as well as a perfectly smooth cut shape, without chips or cracks. The significant disadvantages are that this tool emits a rather loud roar during operation, rotates very quickly, and also throws sparks around itself. Therefore, special precautions must be taken when working with it.

A circular saw It is also rarely used at home, since working with it requires a separate workshop. Such a tool is a full-fledged machine equipped with a toothed disk. Cutting tiles requires a special dry cutting diamond blade. During the cutting process, the prepared tile is pressed against the table and carefully moved forward along the intended line.

But in almost any household there is an angle grinder. Using this tool you can also cut tiles, you just need to take care of purchasing a diamond cutting disc and install it in the direction of movement of the tool. To cut, you must first apply markings to the tile, and then carefully make a cut in it, smoothly moving the tool at medium speed “away from you.” The disadvantage of working with an angle grinder is a large amount of dust and sparks, so when working it is necessary to observe all possible safety measures. In addition, after cutting with a grinder, small chips may form along the edges of the tiles, which will need to be sanded.

Cutting methods at home

Professionals prefer waterjet and laser cutting which are performed on special machines. Their advantage is that there is practically no significant mechanical or thermal effect on the surface of the material being processed. Cutting with a water jet mixed with abrasive or laser beam, controlled by a modern computer, are used mainly in working with metal, but also when cutting particularly durable floor tiles they have no equal. These machines can produce perfect cuts in a wide variety of shapes.

At home, it is also quite possible to perform curvilinear and figure cutting(for example, with rounded corners, diagonally or at 45). In this case, it is best to use a power tool or jigsaw with a diamond thread. With their help you can perform quite delicate work even on such a particularly strong material as porcelain stoneware.

Regular thin glossy wall tiles can be worked with a glass cutter and a roller. But if there are a lot of such tiles, it is better to purchase a special tile cutter. Also, if you don’t have power tools, you can try processing the sections of ceramic tiles or mosaic tiles with nippers, and then sand them thoroughly. The main thing is not to “bite off” the notches in very large pieces.

Gypsum tiles“stone-like” is the easiest to cut, since the gypsum polymer material from which it is made is quite plastic. Gypsum tiles can be cut even with a regular wood saw, but a fine-toothed hacksaw is best for cutting such tiles.

How to cut a hole?

When cutting holes (for example, for pipes), an ordinary drill can come to the rescue. The highest quality and smoothest holes are obtained using attachments in the form of diamond crowns, but the high price of such products does not allow purchasing them for small-scale work.

When laying the tiles, it is necessary to trim them, adjusting the cladding to the geometry of the surface to be finished. There are several devices, varying in design complexity and ease of use, that are used to cut ceramic tiles.

Methods for cutting tiles yourself

Sometimes home craftsmen, pursuing various goals (saving money or testing own capabilities), they decide to tile this or that surface themselves. Having calculated the symmetry, having learned to guess the level and direction, the craftsman reaches a corner on the wall or the edge of the floor, and here the problem arises - how to cut ceramic tiles at home, when the tools at hand are what you have and nothing more. Buy special device, or make do with the existing arsenal? Let's look at what is used to cut tiles.

Cutting with a grinder

Probably every owner of a household or apartment has this power tool. This is an irreplaceable thing in many situations - by changing attachments (discs), you can sharpen, cut, or polish something. There will be no problems with cutting tiles. It doesn’t matter what power the tool is, what diameter of the working disk it is designed for. It’s easier and more convenient to use a small angle grinder, but a powerful grinder with a large circle is quite suitable for linear cutting. All that remains is to choose the right replacement nozzle.

Ceramic tiles, including porcelain stoneware, so popular for flooring, are cut with discs according to:

• concrete;
• brick;
• ceramic tiles.

But a neat cut with a small number of chips will be ensured only by a special tile wheel, which has a solid surface (without slots on the disk) with diamond coating on the working surface. It will cost a little more to purchase, but the small overpayment is worth it. The tile disk will provide low vibration when cutting ceramics, therefore, an even cutting edge with minimal damage to the decorative coating.

If the cutting edge of the tile is hidden, and the quality of the cutting edge does not play a big role, a concrete circle is quite suitable. Other attachments (for wood or metal) cannot be used. This is not only ineffective, but also fraught with serious injury. Also, you cannot remove the protective casing from the angle grinder, which protects the master from small ceramic fragments formed when cutting tiles. It's a good idea to protect your eyes special screen or glasses that come with most angle grinders sold.

How to cut tiles at home with an angle grinder? It's simple.

1. Mark the cutting line (for glazed tiles or polished porcelain tiles, use a permanent marker - a pencil does not work on a sliding surface).
2. We lay the tiles on a flat base, the hardness of which is inferior to ceramics (a board, a piece of drywall or OSB will do) “face up”.
3. We lightly fix the tile so that it does not move when cutting.
4. We cut through the front layer (done without putting pressure on the tool) on the side of the drawn line, offset to the side from the desired fragment.

There are two further paths. Use a grinder to cut through the tiles to the full thickness, or break off an unnecessary fragment by placing the cut tiles on the edge of a table, workbench or similar handy object. In the first case, the cutting edge will be smooth throughout the entire thickness of the tile body, but there will be a lot of dust when cutting. The second method is practically dust-free, but you will have to additionally trim the “teeth” formed when the tile breaks. This is done with the same grinder or file (if you want to bring the quality of the cutting edge as close as possible to the factory one).

Cutting with a manual tile cutter

A bed with a cutting roller driven manually by a lever is a manual tile cutter. In addition to the listed parts, the device has a metal protruding strip, two guides along which a lever with a “knife” slides, and a double-sided “foot” that breaks two parts of the cut tile. The device is simple, but effective - a manual tile cutter will separate tiles up to 10 mm thick without any problems. Chips are minimal, cutting accuracy depends on the quality of the tool.

If you buy a tile cutter for $10, you shouldn’t hope for the perfect cutting edge geometry. Over time, as the tool wears out, the tool deteriorates, making the cutting edge further from ideal. But such a device for cutting tiles is suitable for one-time work on a small amount of cladding with your own hands.

For long-term use, purchase a manual tile cutter, the price of which exceeds $50. There are high-quality guides, minimal play of the cutting roller and decent operational durability. When working with tiles, the tool is effective and can cope with floor tiles, but porcelain tiles are too tough for the tile cutter. The device will not work with decorative tiles or friezes that have a structured front surface. Now about how to cut ceramic tiles manual tile cutter.

1. We take the necessary measurements and draw a line on the front surface of the tile.
2. We lay the tiles on the tile cutter bed so that the line coincides with the metal protrusion (there are additional indicative marks on the tool).
3. Using the lever, with one movement of the cutting roller, we make a cut in the decorative layer of the tile.
4. We break the tiles using the pressure of a double-sided foot.

First time cutting tiles Not everyone can use a manual tile cutter. To adapt to the tool, it is better to “sacrifice” one facing element and practice on it, cutting it into several parts.

In the video, an experienced tiler demonstrates how to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter, the capabilities of a device for cutting ceramics, and how to care for the tool:

Tile cutter-tongs

This tool is suitable for straight cutting of ceramic tiles if the volume of tiles is small. With large-scale finishing works use more advanced devices. Tile nippers are an improved roller glass cutter, additionally equipped with a double-sided foot that breaks the cut tiles (as in a manual tile cutter). In another way, this device can be called a primitive manual tile cutter, where there is no frame. You need to trim off the excess with pliers in the following order:

• • draw an approximate line on the “face” of the tile;
  • we compare the construction ruler with the marked segment;
  • along the ruler with even pressure we apply the roller with which the tongs are equipped;
  • we place the tile with a cut glazed layer between the working arms of the tool so that the groove on the tile is between the legs of the tongs, forcefully but smoothly, we close the handles

Advice. To ensure that when breaking a tile with pliers, the edge comes out smooth, place the cutting groove strictly in the middle of the tool’s legs and perpendicular to them.

Diamond glass cutter

The most simple cutting Ceramic tiles are made at home using a glass cutter. If you don't have a tool with a diamond working part, a roller glass cutter will do. It will not be possible to cut tiles along a curved line with a diamond or a roller; it will be tiring to work with such a tool with large volumes of cladding. But for leisurely installation on small areas A glass cutter will do just fine. The advantage of this tool is its affordability (2-3 dollars), - purchasing a glass cutter will not shake even the modest family budget. If the question arises about how to cut ceramic tiles without extra costs, a glass-cutting diamond is exactly what you need.

Cutting tiles with a glass cutter is easy. The process is reminiscent of working with tile tongs, with the difference that breaking the tiles is done on the edge of the table (as described in the section on cutting tiles with a grinder).

With a steady hand diamond glass cutter can be replaced with a regular concrete drill for a drill or hammer drill with a Pobedit tip.

Hacksaw for metal

All you need from this tool for cutting tiles is a frame. The usual blade is detached, and instead a string coated with diamond or pobedite is attached, which is designed to cut off fragments of the tile. Cutting porcelain tiles, especially floor tiles, in this way is long and painful, but ordinary ceramics can be cut without much difficulty. The advantage of a diamond wire is the ability to make precise curved cuts of tiles, although special tile files for electric jigsaws are now being produced for these purposes.

To cut tiles along a guideline, place the tiles on the edge of the workbench and cut the ceramics with a hacksaw like any other material. The process of removing an excess fragment is lengthy when compared with a manual tile cutter or grinder, but the cut edge comes out much better, without chipping the glazed layer. A hacksaw for metal with a string coated with pobedite chips is often used by professionals when they need the most even cut possible, but there is no “wet” electric tile cutter at hand.

Electric tile cutter

Most professional tool for cutting ceramic tiles - an electric tile cutter. There are several types of such devices. The simplest mobile electric tile cutter is similar to a regular grinder with a modified shape, making the tool easy to hold with one hand (equipped with an ergonomic handle). Additional options This device includes a dust collector (or a sleeve for removing dust), a water supply to the surface being cut. Mobile electric tile cutters can separate tiles, tiles from natural stone, porcelain stoneware wall, floor and technical. But, nevertheless, the quality of the resulting straight cutting edge when using this tool is not comparable to the factory one.

Purchasing a stationary electric tile cutter will help you completely solve the question of how to cut tiles. The tool is equipped with a stand on which ceramic tiles that require cutting are placed. The cutting element is a diamond-coated steel abrasive wheel, similar to those used in grinders. The cut is made from above or below (similar to a woodworking “circular saw”). Mandatory functional feature such electric tile cutters – water supply to the cutting element. During top cutting, coolant is supplied to the cutting disc through supply pipes. Tile cutters, similar to circular saws, are simpler - a pan with water is located under the frame, and the cutting wheel, when rotated, scoops up water from the reservoir.

Constant cooling of the cutting element and wetting of the ceramic being cut with water allows you to achieve an ideal edge when working with such equipment. Machines with a top cut are even more advanced - thanks to the rotating cutting head, it is possible to make a cutting edge at an angle, or to add a bevel to the edge.

Tile coverings - indispensable element in the interior. Even if tiles are not dominant, they will still be present in wet areas: in the bathroom, on the kitchen splashback or in the toilet. One of the most critical stages of tile laying work is cutting. Let's consider possible ways cutting tiles.

Types of facing material and features of its various types

The cutting method depends on the type of facing material. The most important thing in this matter is not only the material, but also the role that is assigned to each tile in the composition. Tiles are usually produced in collections - these are sets that are thought out in terms of color and pattern. Most collections consist of several required elements.

• Floor tiles usually thicker than wall-mounted, so cutting it is more difficult. In addition, large-format tiles are more often used on the floor; unevenness when cutting is also noticeable.

Junction places
The complexity of the cut depends on the location of the tile relative to other elements. It is advisable that in these places there are no important and expensive tiles (borders, decor) - this point can be solved by preliminary layout of the elements. For example, curbs should not abut communications or sockets. In places where the tiles meet sockets, radiators or plumbing fixtures, complex cuts are made on the tiles (circular, semicircular cuts).

It is better to minimize the number of junctions in which tiles need to be cut at the planning stage.

Tile material

The thickness and strength of the material often depends on the material from which the tile is made. Some materials have a high density, so not every tool is capable of cutting them. Some materials require a delicate approach and can only be cut with specialized tools.

• Ceramic tile- the most common variety, it is covered with a decorative glazed coating on top. Ceramic tiles are divided into wall and floor tiles, the latter is usually thicker, which makes it more difficult to cut.

• Porcelain tiles It has a high density, which determines its low water absorption. Because of this, these tiles are often used for floors, wet areas and streets. It will be difficult to cut porcelain tiles using improvised means; cutting is best done with an electric or manual tile cutter.
• Clinker tiles- type of cladding high density, it is used for external work (cladding, paving areas, etc.). For thick clinker, you will need a grinder or a water saw (electric tile cutter).

Tile cutting methods

The cutting method depends on the material and complexity of the cut; let’s look at the most common methods.

Cutting ceramics with a grinder

An angle grinder (angle grinder) is capable of cutting any tile, the main problem is that the tool is quite difficult to use and is dangerous. During the work process, a large amount of dust is generated, and small pieces of tiles can break off and fly off. When cutting with a grinder, the cutting line has torn edge and a large number of chips appear on it, so this tool should not be used to cut cladding, which requires delicate processing. If you have a manual tile cutter, it is better to use it.

When cutting tiles with a grinder, be sure to use personal protection: gloves, respirator, goggles.

Cut with a jigsaw

A jigsaw is used for small amounts of work and when it is necessary to create curved cuts. To cut tiles you will need an abrasive file. Here are recommendations for cutting tiles with a jigsaw.

• The tool should be able to adjust the speed; you should not set the maximum parameter. An accurate result can be achieved by working at low or medium speeds.
• The sole may leave scratches on front side tiles, when cutting the tiles must be turned over with the back side up. It is also recommended to seal the sole of the tool with masking tape to reduce damage to the tiles.
• IN indoors It is advisable to use a tool with a pipe. The pipe allows you to connect construction vacuum cleaner, which eliminates large quantity dust.
• When sawing tiles, you should not put pressure on the tool or otherwise force the process. The jigsaw must be moved along the line smoothly and without force.

A jigsaw can handle medium-thick wall tiles. It is quite difficult to cut floor tiles or porcelain tiles with this device. If you need to cut thick tiles, then it is better to give preference to another tool.

Glass cutter for tiles

Any glass cutter is suitable for cutting ceramic tiles. The operating principle is no different from glass. Markings are applied to the tile, then in one motion you need to draw a straight line. The cut must be made with one click over the entire area and the first time, because then it will be very difficult to get into the first furrow.

When the line is drawn, the tile is broken against the edge of the table or against a cylindrical object (nail, screwdriver tip). For the first option of breaking the tile, hang it from the edge of the table and press on the hanging part. If you break it on the cylinder, then the object is placed under the cut line, then you need to press on the two edges of the tile.

If a small cut of 2 - 3 cm is made, then you can break off part of the tile with pliers.

This cutting method is only suitable for straight cutting, make with a glass cutter round hole almost impossible. Also, the tool is not suitable for textured surfaces, as it will get stuck all the time.

Before using a glass cutter, you need to take a damaged tile and practice drawing lines on it first.

Manual tile cutter (mechanical)

In most sources, this device for cutting tiles is called manual, although in fact it would be more correct to call this device mechanical. A manual tile cutter operates on the principle of a glass cutter, and its design is specially designed for convenient and error-free cutting of tiles. The cutting element is a diamond roller, which is mounted on a movable element, a carriage. The carriage moves along two guide rails. Compared to using a glass cutter, making a straight cut is much easier.

A manual tile cutter has a special stop for breaking off the cut part of the tile. The lever design eases pressure on the press. Depending on the model, tile cutters differ in the presence of various design features.

• Dry running, sliding on lubricant or roller on bearings.
• Availability of device for figured cutting.
• Resize according to different types tiles

When working with a manual tile cutter, it is important to follow a certain sequence of actions.

• At the first stage, you need to make a marking; you need to draw a cutting line on the front side.
• The tiles are laid on a tile cutter so that the line coincides with the protrusions on the bed.
• The cutting element is installed at the beginning of the marking line, then with a slight press on the lever we pull the carriage.
• After this, pressing in the middle of the cutting line, we break the tile.

Electric tile cutter

If there is the word “tile cutter” in the name, there is not much similarity with the previous tool. In fact, an electric tile cutter is called a water saw. The device is more similar to circular saw than with a manual tile cutter. The device is equipped with a diamond blade that is capable of cutting almost any tile: thick porcelain floor tiles, tiles with textured coating, facing materials for facades, etc.

The main advantage of this tool is that it can quickly cut any number of tiles with any complexity of cut. Also, when working with such a tool, the amount of dust does not appear as much as when working with others. electrical appliances.

One of the main problems when cutting stone and ceramic products consists in heating the cutting disc. For example, when working with an angle grinder, the disc may overheat and break into pieces, which can cause injury to the operator. The water cooling system of the disc on electric tile cutters reduces heat.

Electric tile cutters are divided into several types depending on the location of the motor.

• Devices with top position engine They are considered professional, they consist of the tile cutter itself and the countertop. The device has a tray from which the liquid is lifted by a pump, then it is returned to the container, thus ensuring the circulation of the coolant. There are two common types of these devices: with a movable table or with a movable saw. With a movable table, the tile is fixed on the tabletop and moves under the cutting element. If the tabletop is motionless, then the disk is lowered onto the tile.
• Devices with bottom engine They are a small tabletop with a guide along which the tiles are moved. The disk drive is located under the table, and the cutting element itself is located in a special slot. The coolant is located under the disk; when it rotates, it plunges into it, cooling.

In this design, the tabletop and the engine itself remain motionless. At the same time, the size of the entire device is small, which makes it possible to use it in small rooms.

Also among the devices for cutting tiles are specialized units.

• Stone cutter- special device for cutting thick paving stone. The device is equipped with a massive disk, its power is significantly higher than that of the two above-mentioned slab cutters. In most cases, stone cutters are connected to a 380 V network.
• Manual electric tile cutter does not have a table, consists of a disk and a motor. Its operating principle is similar to that of a hand-held circular saw.

Jigsaw

Some complex cuttings are best done hand tools. A regular jigsaw does this job well. Its operating principle is similar to that of an electric one, but it will work much longer, but you won’t have to worry about the quality of the result.

Files for wood or metal are not suitable; tiles should be cut with tungsten carbide strings or diamond saws. The work also requires accuracy and skill.

Electric drill

A drill is used to drill circles in tiles; such cutouts are necessary for sockets or pipes. To do this, you need to use diamond-coated attachments: a ballerina or a crown.

To prevent the drill from sliding on the surface, you need to stick it on the tile masking tape. To reduce friction and heat, the tiles should be periodically moistened with water. Moisture will also get rid of a lot of dust.

Figured carving

Figured cutting is performed if the tiles must bypass communications or plumbing equipment(sinks, toilets, sockets, etc.). Here are the tools that are suitable for curved cutting.

• Drill with ballerina attachmentor crown used for cutting circular holes.
• Manual or electric jigsaw can be used for shaped cutting of small thickness tiles.
• Electric tile cutter depending on the design.
• Wire cutters allow you to chip small pieces of ceramic from the edge of the tile.
• Tongs with cutter have a cutter and nippers, first make a cut, and then turn the tool over and clamp the tile along the cut line until it splits.

• Bulgarian You can make a curved cut, but this must be done with certain skills, and it is also important to follow safety precautions.

Cutting with improvised means

In the complete absence of tools, the tiles can be cut with minimal available means. A knife or a stone drill is suitable for this. The procedure is the same as when working with a glass cutter.

• We make markings and set the guide.
• We make an even straight cut along the guide.
• The tiles are broken on the edge of the table, using a vice, or on a cylindrical object (a nail will do).

Building yard

What and how to cut tiles

/articles/chem-i-kak-rezat-plitku/

As you may know, when laying, you often have to cut tiles and size them. But what should we do if we only need to cut one piece of tile? I think you won't waste money on a cutter for one piece of tile. Today I will tell you how to cut tiles without a tile cutter. The first thing to replace a tile cutter is a glass cutter, the second is a tungsten carbide drill bit that will scratch the tile, and the third is a stationary knife that everyone has at home.

Well, let's begin. The first and easiest way is to use a glass cutter. Draw a line, place the glass cutter under the tile and press down on both sides.

The second way is to use a drill. We need to make a small scratch with the cutting side.

The third way is to use a stationary knife. The only difference is that we have to scratch the tile several times to deepen the crack.

This is all. I think this will help you.

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Ways to cut tiles without a tile cutter

Despite their hardness, ceramic or tiles are fragile - when cutting, unevenness may appear along the edges, and the tiles often break. How to independently, quickly and efficiently cut the material so that the tile does not lose its attractiveness?

You can cut ceramic tiles without using a tile cutter different ways. It is recommended to start preparing for work by soaking the material in water for 40 minutes. The next important point that should not be neglected is marking. Before starting cutting, you need to apply a test cut to a fragment of tile. This will help control the pressure and not damage the material.

Grinder and jigsaw

Using corner grinding machine(angle grinder) - grinders can be used to cut straight onto ceramic tiles. When carrying out work, it is recommended to use protective equipment: glasses protect your eyes from dust, a respirator protects your respiratory system, headphones protect your hearing, and gloves protect your hands. It is also necessary to monitor the condition of the equipment - change the disks when they are worn down in order to prevent injury to the operator and damage to the tool.

Grinder with equipment

First, it is recommended to mark the material using a pointed tool (nail or drill), scratching the tile. The material is laid on the work surface - table or floor. To avoid damaging it, you need to place fragments of plywood, cardboard, thick fabric, fix the material with a clamp.

Segments whose length does not exceed 2 cm are considered small. In this case, the cut is performed across the entire thickness of the material at once. When making a straight cut, it is recommended that the recess along the outer edge of the tile does not exceed 3 mm in one go. This reduces the likelihood of material damage.

Straight cut

To perform curved cuts with large radii of curvature, use a jigsaw with a file for ceramics, natural or artificial stone. For ease of use with a jigsaw, you must use the “precise cut” mode.

Cutting tiles with a jigsaw

Focus on: glass cutter and other tools

To cut thin (3 mm thick) ceramic tiles without using a tile cutter, tools that have a pointed edge are also used. cutting edge– glass cutters, drills, knives and other devices.

To apply markings with these tools, use a ruler, and a scratch is applied to the top layer of the tile. It is recommended to perform the cut on yourself without interruption. It is necessary to control the force of pressing on the tool so as not to damage it and the material. After making the cut, break the tile on the edge of the table.

Glass cutter

Wire cutters

Nippers are used to perform shaped cuts on ceramic tiles. At the beginning of work, it is recommended to mark the outside material using a marker. Then you need to start biting off small fragments of material from the edge of the tile, squeezing the nippers. If necessary, use a file and sandpaper to make the edges of the tiles smoother.

Applying a figured cut with nippers

Tongs with cutter

First you need to mark the outside of the material using a marker and ruler. The side of the pliers on which the cutting part of the tool is located is passed along the front side of the material, and it is recommended to control the force of pressing on the material so as not to damage the tile. The cut begins from the far edge along the marking line, directing it towards you. If necessary, the operation is repeated. Then turn the tool over so that it grips the material along the cutting line. Final stage– squeeze the pliers; if necessary, the edges of the material can be aligned using a file and sandpaper.

Tongs with cutter

Ceramic tile splitting

The final stage of cutting ceramic tiles is splitting the material. There are several types of splitting tiles at the fracture site: on the edge of a table, on a solid rod, between a clamp.

Splitting tiles on the edge of a table

When splitting ceramic tiles using a hard rod, you can split the material into larger and smaller fragments. In this case, a rod is used, the diameter of which is 8–15 mm (drills, nails, pencils and other devices), the length is 2/3 of the length of the fracture. Ceramic tiles are laid on the rod and aligned to the fracture site. The final stage is pressing on the material.

Splitting along a solid rod

When using the method of splitting the material between the clamps, the ceramic tiles are fixed between two fragments of plywood, bars and other available materials. The tile is installed on the fault line and clamped. The final stage is pressing on the free edge.

Splitting with a clamp

Thus, you can cut tiles without using a tile cutter in various ways. For convenience, when preparing for work, it is recommended to soak the tiles in water for 40 minutes. When carrying out work, it is also recommended to mark the material and control the pressure so as not to damage it.

Tile splashback in the kitchen
Building yard Two common methods for cutting tiles

Using a grinder for tiles

A grinder is often used to cut brownstone tiles. This method is considered an alternative, but it has its advantages. First of all, it should be noted that the grinder allows cutting much faster, which affects labor productivity. The principle is similar to the operation of an electric tile cutter, but in this case cutting occurs with a dry disc. Negative point is that small chips form on the edges of the tiles after cutting. The number and size of chips largely depend on the accuracy and skill of the tiler. Therefore, before cutting tiles with a grinder, it is better to slightly improve your skills in using this tool on unnecessary scraps of material.

The tile must be fixed to flat surface. A straight line is drawn on its front side. The grinder should be taken in your hand so that the cutting occurs towards you. Be sure to wear safety glasses and a mask to protect your eyes and respiratory system from ceramic dust. This cutting method is quite dangerous and noisy. During operation, a lot of dust is generated. Without experience, there will be many inaccuracies and errors. This should be remembered, everyone important points discussed in the video for the lesson.

Using a glass cutter

If the tile is not too thick and not very durable, it can be successfully cut using a regular glass cutter. This process is well explained in the video below the article. It is only important to remember that in this way it will be possible to process mainly tiles with a smooth, glossy surface. In the case of a relief front surface, the use of this tool is unacceptable. In addition to the glass cutter itself, you will also need a straight ruler or bar.

Before cutting tiles with a glass cutter, you need to prepare a perfectly flat and clean surface. This could be a table, a flat board laid on the floor, etc. Using a ruler and marker, you need to measure and draw a straight cut line. It should be noted here that experienced tilers, using a glass cutter, successfully cut pieces of curved shapes from tiles, but this requires a lot of experience and skills.

Having placed the glass cutter roller at the beginning of the marked line, you need to press it a little and move it along the marked line in one movement. In this case, you cannot tear the tool off the surface, nor can you repeatedly run it across a surface that has already been cut once. After this, you need to lightly tap the tile below the cut line with the hard end of the tool to create a microcrack along the fault line. Then the tile is laid so that the cut line coincides with the edge of the table or board. Pressing it with your hand to the surface, sharply press on the cut off part. As a result, the material should crack exactly along the line. This whole process is discussed in the video below the text.

Let us immediately add that cutting tiles with a glass cutter is only suitable if you need to process a small amount of material that does not contain granite chips. That is, for floor tiles this method cutting is not recommended, since porcelain tiles are highly hard and durable.

Remember that when cutting, the glass cutter roller leaves a shallower mark on the surface of the tile, which significantly increases the likelihood of an incorrect break. That's why this tool Can only be used successfully with thin glossy ceramic wall tiles.

As you can see, there are a great many tools and methods for cutting tiles correctly. It is up to you to decide which option to choose in order to cut the tiles correctly without chipping. Practice on defective material, and having gained some experience and skills, you can move on to high-quality cutting of tiles with your own hands.

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