How to cut a tile with a manual tile cutter at an angle. How to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter? It is recommended to use the invaluable experience of specialists

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.
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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, it's a waste of money, because they have poor clamping 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.

It is not possible to select a tile size such that the final row is made up of whole segments. Before the advent of a good tool, many methods were invented for how to evenly break a tile along a certain line - a glass cutter, a victorious drill, and two blocks squeezed in a vice were used.

We cut the tile with a grinder or hacksaw for metal (in a unique way - along the surface). All the same, the percentage of marriage was simply huge.

Finally, a tool called a tile cutter became available to all craftsmen, the instruction to which gives a complete picture of how to handle it.

Tool description

The tool is a huge base (frame), on which the guides are fixed. A carriage with a cutting roller slides along them (as with a glass cutter). Having made a groove on the tile, you press it with a certain emphasis, and the canvas begins to crack along your line.

It would seem that everything is very easy and understandable. However, even after studying the correct instructions, many good craftsmen do not realize the first time how to work with this tool and carry out repairs with high quality. Experience will come sooner or later, but its value will be determined by the number of damaged tiles.

Basic rules for using a tile cutter

First, let's study the material part. There are many varieties of this tool.. They are created for different types and sizes of tiles, and most importantly, for different amounts of work.

Electric Table Cutter.

Electric stationary tool.

In fact, this is a unit for cutting tiles.

• Functions are almost the same as those of the desktop unit. Only functions and quality of work are better. The cutting table is designed for tiles of any size, including floor porcelain tiles for huge areas. A better engine has been installed to help make cuts on tiles of any thickness.
• In addition to the unaffordable price, this machine will take up a lot of space. Therefore, it is used only by construction organizations at large facilities.
• Remember! With all its advantages, the electric disc tile cutter is designed only for linear cutting. Cut a curved line, or make a hole - will not work.

Mechanical manual machine.

Cutting tiles with a manual machine.

You should not assume that you will be offered complete instructions like a funny treatise: "How to hammer a nail with high quality." By learning how to manually cut tiles, you will be able to start working with the lowest scrap rate.

Common Problems and Solutions

To wet or not to wet? Good craftsmen recommend soaking tiles before cutting for an hour. If there is no bath of the right size, just put the ceramics in a bucket of water. Large floor panels can be wrapped with a wet cloth.

Moisture-impregnated ceramics will not crumble along the edges of the cut, the fracture will be clean.

Cut towards you or away from you? The carriage with the roller moves with a quick movement away from you. Previously, the tile rests against a retaining knot without backlash and simple substrates. It is necessary 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. Movement must be fast and even.. Before starting work, the craftsmen are advised to practice on the destroyed blanks. It is better to ruin one sheet than to constantly break expensive material in the course of work. How to break a furrow? At the end of the cut, we bring the stop in the form of an inverted tick into working position and sharply press it on the tile. The workpiece will break exactly along the cut (provided that the furrow is deep).

Cutting porcelain tiles with a tile cutter.

In fact, porcelain stoneware is no more difficult to process than ceramics. Difficulty in the thickness of the workpiece and dimensions. The plate is most often 50x50 or 60x60 centimeters. To work, you will need a tile cutter with the right size of bed and a strong cutting roller, best of all with a diamond coating. The rest of the technique will not change.

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 exactly how to press on the tile.

Once again, it is important to make an incision in ONE movement; it is forbidden to run the disc 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 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 tile does not “fall over” and skew during work. 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

How to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter. Annotation on the use of a tile cutter

Clay tile is a popular and convenient finishing material for bathrooms, toilets and kitchens. If we talk about the industrial scale of construction, then in most cases the craftsmen use a mechanized (electronic) tile cutter, but for home criteria, the manual version is completely suitable.

What is a manual tile cutter?

tile cutter- this is the combined name of a group of tools designed to obtain straight or figured cutting on clay or tile. As far as construction is concerned, manual tile cutter consists of the following parts:

1. Base, which is the supporting part for all other parts;
2. Tubular guides designed for precise movement of the cutting element;
3. The cutting element, which is an iron roller with a pointed edge mounted on an axis;
4. A handle designed to move the roller carriage along the intended cut.

Long-term experience of construction work indicates that the implementation of manual table tile cutter at home is a balanced option both in terms of performance and accuracy, as well as simplicity. Advantages of using a manual tile cutter:

1. Ease of operation due to the simple design of the device;
2. The handle in the design plays the role of a lever, significantly reducing the effort with which you need to cut the tile;
3. Pretty clear (compared to a simpler method. glass cutter) cut.

But the introduction of such a variant of the tile cutter imposes certain restrictions on the processing of tiles. So, for example, you can not get a cut for at least 5 mm from the edge of the tile. If you try to do this, then the possibility of breaking the edge is high. Also additionally read the article on how to use a tile cutter.

Preliminary work

Manual tile cutter- a simple, but nevertheless a cutting tool that requires certain preparation and a sequence of actions to obtain a clear result. Let's talk about them more carefully.

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Long before that how to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter, it is necessary to carry out preparatory preparation:

1. Inspect the design of the tile cutter for visible damage and uneven guides.
2. Check the smoothness of movement of the carriage with the cutting roller along the tubular guides. It is important that they avoid pollution, which will be a hindrance. If you have just cleaned them, then there is an option to apply a small amount of machine oil to the surface for lubrication.
3. You need to check the condition of the cutting roller. It should spin freely without excessive sounds like creaking, in addition to jamming. If there is damage on the cutting roller (for example, burrs or potholes), then it should be replaced. Otherwise, bulges or cracks will appear on the cut.

How to cut tiles

How cut tiles Houses, cutting tiles, video.

How to cut tiles. cheapest tile cutter

We answer the main questions. how manual cutting tiles with a tile cutter? How true cut.

Before cutting tiles with a tile cutter, you should also take care of your safety. Use gloves to prevent scratches, cuts and other problems. During the cutting of the tile, it is not allowed that the fingers get under the cutting roller. Also, in the field of obtaining an incision, the tile must be broken along it, small particles are created here, which, of course, get into the eyes - wear safety glasses.

We cut tiles with a tile cutter: a general start

After preparing the tile cutter for operation, we proceed to cutting the tile. For this purpose, a clear marking of the surface is useful. So, for this purpose, an ordinary construction pencil is used differently, for example, a marker. Thanks to its use, we apply a marking line. Long before cutting floor tiles with a tile cutter or tiles for the walls, you need to fix it correctly relative to the cutting roller. For this purpose, in some designs of tile cutters, special clamps are used to ensure a one hundred percent immovable position of the tile. If there is no such grip, then the tile must be held with one hand, and the handle with the cutting roller carriage with the other.

Just before making an incision, you need to apply a drop of machine oil to the surface of the cutting roller, which will significantly reduce the friction of the surfaces of the roller and tile, which, consequently, will increase the quality of the resulting cut.

How to cut clay tiles with a tile cutter?

When the tile is precisely aligned with the marking strip, you need to raise the handle of the tile cutter so that the surface of the roller touches the front side of the tile. Now you can move the handle only towards yourself with a smooth movement. With all this, it is important to control the pressure force on the surface of the tile. With the missing pressure, the incision will turn out to be small for a successful break of the depth tile.

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If you press very hard on the handle, then there will be ugly cracks on the decorative layer of the tile. If you are cutting a tile for the first time, then it is advisable to take such a piece, where of course to experiment, because it is completely possible that an even cut may not work.

Fundamentally: the incision is expected to be obtained in one longitudinal movement of the carriage with the cutting roller, otherwise the repeated hazards will not coincide with the first, because the cut will turn out to be inaccurate or too rough.

How to cut tiles with a tile cutter?

Tile in composition, it actually does not differ from clay. Only the color of the base is different - it is lighter. But this does not actually affect the process of cutting tiles, because it is done in a similar way to clay tiles.

Whatever is needed, the incision is made. Now lay the tile on a flat horizontal surface and lift one of the edges, which is very distant from the notch strip. Now carefully, but despite this, we press quite sharply on the tile in the area of ​​​​the notch danger so that the tile breaks exactly along it.

If the cut is not clear enough, then its edges can be trimmed with a grinding stone or sandpaper. Careful longitudinal movements will achieve a smooth edge of the incision. It is needed if the tile will be joined end to end with another. If it is located in a corner, then it is not necessary to grind the edge.

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 components.

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 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 device:

• 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.

In this case, 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 grout for tiles.

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 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.

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 allows the production of 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 you press on 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, it can also be used, 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 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!