When tiling a room, sometimes you have to lay parts of them in addition to whole tiles. How to cut tiles so that their edges are smooth, without having to spoil extra pieces? This problem can be solved if you use a tile cutter - a special device for cutting tiles, a grinder or a glass cutter. Learn about the intricacies of performing work with various tools from this article and video.
When carrying out tile-laying work, professionals use special tool, called an electric tile cutter or water saw. With its help, high-quality cutting of tiles is carried out - either stone, with a soft or hard base. The tool consists of a platform, a diamond disk attached to it and a tray with water. During the cutting process, water from the tray is supplied to the knife, cooling it, preventing the appearance of dust and protecting the workpieces from cracking. You should maintain the required water level in the pan and change it periodically to avoid clogging the knife with crumbs.
To carry out cutting, you need to mark the tile, then lay its working platform and secure it with a clamping strip. Turn on the tile cutter motor and start the rotating disc. Hold the workpiece firmly with both hands and, with light pressure, push it under the diamond blade. Break the cut workpiece using tile cutters.
The benefits of using an electric tile cutter are undeniable. This tool provides:
- precise, clean and even cut, without chips;
- minimal waste;
- no dust;
- cutting at an angle;
- speed of cutting any, even the most durable or thick tiles;
- withstands a lot of cutting.
Attention! Tiles coated with carbide chips cannot be cut with an electric tile cutter, as it destroys the cutting element of the tool. When carrying out cutting work, it is recommended to wear a protective suit, goggles, gloves and a respirator that protects against dust and small particles getting into the lungs.
How to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter
Several types of manual tile cutters are used to cut tiles. Having chosen a tool in the form of tongs, you should carefully cut with a diamond cutter along the front side of the tile, then use a corner to break it into two fragments.
Using a desktop manual tile cutter, you can quickly cut tiles up to 15 mm thick. To do this you need:
- Use a felt-tip pen to mark the workpiece;
- lay the tiles on the base of the glass cutter, while its wheel should coincide with the markings;
- while operating the handle of the tool, pass the wheel once along the marking line;
- fix the tiles using wings on both sides;
- lightly hit the handle to get the desired segment. If after several blows it does not give in, it is better to repeat the cutting on another specimen.
Attention! It is easier to cut a narrow fragment from a ceramic workpiece if it has a dense structure.
If you need to make rounded holes on the tiles - up to 80 mm in diameter, this can be done with a tile cutter with a circular cutter. Wetting the workpiece with water will help improve cutting accuracy.
How to cut tiles with a glass cutter
With absence special devices, direct cutting of ceramic tiles can be done with a glass cutter. A high-quality cut can be made if the marking is located at a distance of at least 0.8 cm from the edge.
Correctly cutting tiles with a glass cutter is done as follows:
- place it in a container with water for an hour;
- then mark the line of the future cut with a felt-tip pen;
- Having laid the tile on a hard surface, and holding it with your hand, once, pressing evenly, draw along the marking line with a glass cutter. When carrying out this manipulation, the glass cutter should be held at a right angle and directed towards you. At the site of the intended line, under the action of the glass cutter, a shallow groove should form;
Using a glass cutter
- to break it, you need to lay the cut tile on a bead or pencil and hit it from above with your palm, evenly distributing the force of the blow along the cut line.
Advice! Typically, cutting tiles with a glass cutter is done if it is necessary to cut 2-3 pieces. To process large quantity tiles, it is recommended to use more advanced methods and tools.
Using a glass cutter to cut tiles is justified only when processing thin ceramic tiles.
How to cut tiles with a grinder
Using a grinder, you can independently perform straight and shaped cutting of tiles of any thickness. To do this, either a disk or a diamond wheel for dry cutting is installed on the tool, respectively. As with working with a tile cutter, when using an angle grinder you should wear goggles and a respirator to protect yourself from dust and small fragments, of which quite a lot are generated when working with this tool.
To properly cut tiles with a grinder, you should clean the surface of the workpiece and apply markings to it, then securely secure it with grips on the workbench. Cut the workpiece with a grinder, gently pressing the cutting disc against its surface along the marking line. During the cutting process, you should not try to capture the entire thickness of the tile, as it will break easily even from the cut.
Using a grinder
The main disadvantages of using a grinder when cutting tiles are:
- in the formation of a large amount of dust, therefore, when working with an angle grinder, you should definitely use goggles and a respirator or a construction vacuum cleaner;
- in lower quality of the resulting cut, which will need to be additionally polished.
Tile cutting is one of the preparatory stages carrying out facing works. This can be done using various tools. You can learn more about how to cut tiles correctly by watching the video.
How to cut tiles: video
It is not possible to select a tile size so that the final row is made up of entire segments. Before the appearance good tool Many methods were invented for how to evenly break tiles along a certain line - a glass cutter, a Pobedit drill, and two blocks compressed in a vice were used.
We cut the tiles with a grinder or hacksaw for metal ( in a unique way– along the surface). All the same, the percentage of marriages was simply huge.
Finally, a tool called a tile cutter has become available to all craftsmen, the instructions for which give a complete idea of how to handle it.
Description of the tool
The tool is a huge base (bed) on which the guides are fixed. A carriage with a cutting roller slides along them (like a glass cutter). Having made a groove on the tile, you press on it with some kind of stop, and the canvas begins to crack along your line.
It would seem that everything is very easy and understandable. However, even after studying correct instructions, many good craftsmen do not immediately understand how to work with this tool and perform quality repairs. Experience will come sooner or later, but its cost will be determined by the number of damaged tiles.
Basic rules on how to use a tile cutter
First, let's study the material part. There are many varieties of this instrument. They are created on different types and tile sizes, and most importantly, for different volumes of work.
Electric tabletop tile cutter.
Electric stationary tool.
In fact, it is a unit for cutting tiles.
- The functions are almost the same as those of the tabletop unit. Only the functions and quality of work are better. The cutting table is designed for tiles of any size, including floor porcelain tiles for large areas. A higher-quality motor has been installed that helps make cuts on tiles of any thickness.
- Besides the unaffordable price, this machine will take up a lot of space. Therefore, it is used only by construction organizations on large sites.
- Remember! With all its advantages, the electric disc tile cutter is designed only for linear cutting. Cutting a curved line or making a hole will not work.
Mechanical manual machine.
Cutting tiles with a manual machine.
Do not assume that you will be offered complete instructions like a funny treatise: “How to hammer a nail efficiently.” Having studied the technology of manual cutting of tiles, you can start working with the smallest percentage marriage.
Common problems and their solutions
To wet or not to wet? Good masters It is recommended to soak the tiles for an hour before cutting. If you don’t have a bathtub of the right size, just put the ceramics in a bucket of water. Large floor panels can be wrapped with a wet cloth.
Moisture-saturated ceramics will not crumble along the edges of the cut, and the fracture will be clean.
Cut towards yourself or away from yourself? The carriage with the roller moves quickly in the direction “away from you”. The tile is preliminarily resting on the support unit without any backlash or simple backing. You need to start from the very edge; part of the cut should not be shorter than the tile. You need to press hard to accurately cut out the layer of glaze. The movement must be fast and smooth. Before starting work, craftsmen advise practicing on destroyed workpieces. It’s better to ruin one piece of paper than to constantly break expensive material during work. How to break a furrow? At the end of the cut, we bring in working position the stop is in the shape of an inverted tick and sharply press it onto the tile. The workpiece will break exactly along the cut (provided that the groove is deep).
Cutting porcelain tiles with a tile cutter.
In fact, porcelain stoneware is no more difficult to process than ceramics. The difficulty lies in the thickness of the workpiece and its dimensions. The slab is most often 50x50 or 60x60 centimeters. To work, you will need a tile cutter with the required frame size and a strong cutting roller, preferably diamond-coated. Otherwise, the technology will not change.
It is extremely difficult to select the dimensions of the tiles so that the final row is laid from solid elements and not from parts. Before they went on sale convenient devices, the craftsmen managed to come up with a lot of ways that allow you to break the product smoothly along a pre-drawn line.
The following tools were used for this:
- wooden beams clamped in a vice;
- drills from Pobedit;
- glass cutter, etc.
The tiles were cut with hacksaws and grinders. However, there were many marriages. As a result, home craftsmen began to use tile cutters.
The tile cutter consists of a bed (solid base) and guides attached to it. A special carriage equipped with a cutting roller slides over these elements. Having made a groove on the surface of the tile, you press on it using a stop, after which the canvas begins to break off exactly along the line.
At first glance, there is nothing complicated here. But even after studying the instructions for use, some craftsmen do not always understand how to use the devices. Over time, experience comes, but its price depends on the volume of damaged tile products.
First you should know about the material part. There are many types of this tool. They are designed for tiles different sizes and varieties, as well as for different volumes of work.
Tabletop electric
This type of tile cutter is circular saw, which is fixed on the guides. At the bottom there is a processing table with clamps.
The tile is fixed at a certain angle, and the master must simply run a circular tool over its surface. In this case, special diamond-coated discs are used.
The saw rotates at high speed, which allows you to make an even and solid cut. Some models of tile cutters are equipped with a liquid cooling system.
With this tool can produce high-precision cutting. The craftsman has the ability to cut a strip several millimeters wide, which is impossible to do with a mechanical tile cutter. Another advantage is the ability to make a groove.
As for the disadvantages, there are only two of them: limitations in the size of the processed element and a rather high price. Can be used in household, although this device is often used by mobile construction teams.
Stationary device
In fact, this variety is a full-fledged machine designed for cutting tile products.
Has the same functions as desktop version. But the quality of processing and capabilities are much higher. The tile cutting table is suitable for all tile sizes. Also, the electric stationary model has a higher power motor.
Except high cost, this the unit also requires quite a lot of space. Therefore, such equipment is used only by developers of large projects characterized by large volumes of work.
Among other things, electric tile cutters will not be able to make a curved line.
Hand power tool
If you need to do apartment renovation on your own or you are building a house out of stone, then you will not be able to do without this tool. You can use the equipment rental service, but the cost of the mechanical device allows you to purchase it for permanent ownership.
This tool should be discussed in more detail. Use a tile cutter manual type not so easy, despite simple design. However, it is not easy to become a glazier - you need special knowledge and skills.
The main thing is not to be afraid of breaking the tile when cutting. Most damaged products are the result of a poorly drawn groove, so you need to figure out how to use a manual tile cutter.
By mastering this skill, you will minimize the number of defects. Before cutting tiles with a manual tile cutter, You should familiarize yourself with a number of rules:
Preparing the tool for work
Before you start processing the material and study the instructions, you need to clean the surfaces of crumbs, debris, dust and dirt. Then you need to check whether the rubber mats fit tightly. Next, using a square, you need to measure the angle of the surface being machined relative to the carriage. This indicator should be exactly 90 degrees.
After this, you should check the backlash of the cutting element and smooth operation. If necessary, lubricate the bushing and inspect the condition of the cutting element.
All connecting and fastening parts must be securely tightened. Faulty fastening can lead to damage to expensive products.
What can be replaced
Home craftsmen can also make a homemade manual tile cutter. In fact, the cost of creating it is comparable in price to a full-fledged “store” set of tools. So this game is not worth the candle.
If you need to cut tiles, but a suitable device is not available, then you can use a diamond glass cutter and a block of wood. You can break off a tile by placing a pencil or something similar under it and then pressing on its edges with your hands.
Of course, this method is not suitable for processing porcelain stoneware, and thick ceramic products cannot be processed using it.
So It's better to choose some inexpensive tool rather than spending money on purchasing new tiles, which will be damaged during operation.
When renovating an apartment with your own hands and working with tiles, you cannot do without cutting this material. Pruning tiles needed in different situations. It is quite simple to do it at home. The main thing is to have a special tool on hand called a tile cutter. The article will tell you about the varieties and give advice on choosing for your needs.
Types of tile cutters
Manual tile cutter
Manual. It belongs to semi-professional instruments. It is good because it is a stand-alone device for operation. A manual tile cutter looks like a cutting table, which is covered with a relief elastic material. Has sharp edges at the cut site.
The cutter with a convenient lever handle is located above the rib on two longitudinal guides. Good manual tile cutters cost over $100. If you only need to cut tiles once, it is better to borrow this tool. Make sure that the cutter is not on plastic couplings, but on bearings.
Electric professional tile cutter
Professional electric. You can’t do without it in situations where you need to cut porcelain tiles. This tile cutter is a more complex machine. It provides water cooling, the cuts will always be smooth and even. You can cut at different angles, some machines have a laser guidance system.
When purchasing a professional tile cutting machine, you need to pay attention to power. The cost will be several times higher than that of manual tile cutters.
Carving technique with a manual tile cutter
Correctly cutting tiles with a tile cutter is much easier if you follow the following rules:
Step #1. The tile must be secured and cut in a straight line along the future fault.
Step #2. Lower the lever and break the tile into two parts.
The process is very simple and will not take more than a minute to cut one tile. But, it is necessary to take into account some nuances in order to make high-quality cuts and use tiles in construction with a clear conscience:
- To ensure a straight cut, mark cutting lines on the tile using a felt-tip pen. These cutting lines then need to be aligned with the wheel to apply the cut.
- When cutting, you need to hold the tile in place with one hand, and the handle with the wheel with the other hand.
- The handle of the tile cutter must be raised so that the wheel touches the surface of the tile from its upper part. Then move the handle towards you.
- Light pressure is enough. Do not overdo it so as not to break the wheel. The wheel should only make one pass.
- The line is drawn. Now we need to split the tiles efficiently and evenly. To do this, the wings are installed at the base of the handle at the level of the lower third of the tile. It is recommended to cover the wings with adhesive tape so that finished tiles there were no traces.
To break the tiles efficiently, professionals hold it in the desired position and press lightly on the handle thumbs hands, and then hit the handle a little with the palm of the right hand.
If you can’t split the tile, you just need to take another one and start the cutting process again.
Sometimes the cut edge of a tile may be visible after it is in place. A grinding stone or sandpaper will help to trim the corner. It is better to have several types of stone on hand, at least for hard and soft tiles.
- To ensure that the work goes smoothly, it is recommended to drop a little oil on the wheel and guide frame before using the tile cutter.
- To ensure that the cut is not crooked, it is necessary to check that the wheel is securely secured. Sometimes it needs to be secured with a special bolt before starting work.
- To ensure a high-quality result, before starting work you should check that the wheels are not worn out.
- The denser the tile, the easier it will be to cut. It is possible to cut even strips of tiles of only 5-6 mm with the described tool.
Work with manual tile cutter Even for a beginner it is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to carefully study the device and understand how to use it correctly. Tips from the experts presented in this article will help you achieve perfect result and successfully complete the repair.