How to cut porcelain tiles?





Due to the high strength properties of artificial ceramic tiles, a number of questions often arise during laying: how to cut porcelain tiles, is it possible to cut them with your own hands and at home, how to avoid chips? Depending on the quality of the material and its parameters, recommendations for work may vary, however, several tools can be distinguished, as well as technologies for working with them to obtain the most optimal result when cutting porcelain tiles. They will be discussed in this article.

to contents ↑

Possible tools for cutting porcelain tiles

Among the tools that can cope with cutting porcelain tiles in their own hands, the following can be especially distinguished:

• Grinder (grinder).
• Manual tile cutter.
• Electric tile cutter (wet cutter).

Important! The selection of the tool depends on the thickness of the stone or tile, its quality, the amount of work ahead, the type of cut (curved or straight), as well as the financial capabilities of the builder.

Each of these tools has both a number of advantages and a certain number of disadvantages, knowing which you can decide on the need for their use.

to contents ↑

Bulgarian

One of the most common tools with which you can cut porcelain tiles for the floor is a grinder. With the right application of cutting technology, as well as the presence of a high-quality diamond blade, you can achieve a very good result.

Important! Before starting work, you must carefully study the instructions on how to cut porcelain tiles at home using a grinder.

Requirements and selection of a disk for the grinder

One of the main components of the success of cutting porcelain tiles with a grinder without chips is the quality of the disc. Since this type of tile is a very durable material, which in terms of hardness exceeds even natural granite, diamond disks must be used to cut it.

Of the tips for selecting a diamond disk, the following can be noted:

• Choose dist exactly for the type of material that you plan to cut (on the disc it can be written: hard ceramics, hard granite, porcelain stoneware).
• The blade must have a solid cutting edge.
• The thinner the disk, the less likely it will be that when cutting chips will appear.
• The higher the height of the diamond segment, the longer the disk will last you.
• Before buying a disk, it is necessary to clarify the parameters of the grinder, namely, what kind of disk size is suitable for the device (outer diameter), the diameter of the mounting hole - ignoring these parameters is unacceptable.
• You should pay attention to the recommended speed in the process, compare this information with the capabilities of the grinder.

Important! In connection with the emergence of new varieties of porcelain stoneware on the building materials market, it becomes more difficult for manufacturers to develop a disk that will equally suit all types. That is why it often happens that in order to achieve the most optimal result, the master has to try several different options.

Recommendations for working with a grinder

In the process of cutting porcelain tiles using a grinder, safety precautions should be followed, therefore, it is necessary to purchase protective equipment, namely:

• Respirator - during work, a lot of dust is formed, which when inhaled can enter the lungs.
• Protective glasses.
• Headgear, overalls.
• Earplugs, headphones.

Important! Many are interested in: is it possible to cut porcelain tiles with a grinder without chips? Unfortunately, chips will be almost always, however, their number and size can be minimized by following simple recommendations.

Instructions for cutting a ceramic stone with a grinder

Rules and technology for cutting granite stone:

• Put the tile on some flat surface, laying under it to prevent damage to the surface, foam, polystyrene or some other similar material.
• Draw a line along which you will cut.

Important! To reduce the likelihood of chipping, it is advisable to stick masking tape to the place of cut, and draw a line along it. To reduce the amount of dust in the workplace, use a vacuum cleaner that will immediately draw it in.

• Cut the porcelain stoneware from the front side, since the disk will produce the greatest number of chips at the exit.
• For greater accuracy in cutting porcelain stoneware, use a metal corner, which should be fixed along the cutting line with clamps, and cut with a grinder along it.
• Make a cut not clearly along the previously drawn line, but a little to the right, so that the line remains visible. Grind possible irregularities to a marked line, thereby obtaining the required tile size.
• Move the grinder in the direction “away from you”.
• If there is no need for a perfectly even cut, or if it is a thin type of tile, do not cut it to the end, but cut it and then break it along the cut line.
• To reduce the number of chips, try to cut in one pass.
• After cutting, sand the ends of the material with chips.

Possible problems and solutions:

• In the process of cutting porcelain tiles at home with the help of a grinder, small chips can form on the cut. With the help of a grinding machine, you can achieve the effect of almost a factory cut. Flexible grinding wheels, also called “turtles”, are ideally suited for this task - they differ in particle size of the deposited diamond powder.
• As a rule, for polishing it is enough to use a disk with grit No. 80-100, however, since the quality of porcelain tiles can be different, you can try turtles with different grit.
• To use the turtle, you need a grinder, which has an adjustment of revolutions.

Important! The average recommended number of revolutions is up to 3000 rpm; at a higher speed, the disk can rip off the tool.

• Also, for grinding small chips, you can try to use sandpaper, and for the final polishing - a special sponge with diamond coating. For finishing washing down tiles at an angle of 45 degrees, it is also worth using a turtle.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a grinder

Among the advantages of using a grinder for cutting porcelain tiles for the floor, the following can be noted:

• Accessibility - today in almost every house there is such a tool as a grinder, and if laying and cutting porcelain stoneware is not a professional activity, then there is absolutely no need to buy any additional tool.
• The ability to perform both straight and curved lines, as well as slices at an angle of 45 degrees.
• Ability to work with porcelain stoneware, which is already glued.

Disadvantages:

• More dust.
• Noise - may cause the impossibility of use in apartment buildings.
• High risk of injury.

to contents ↑

Manual tile cutter

Among the popular tools for efficient and quick cutting of porcelain tiles can be distinguished manual tile cutter. The quality of both the tool and the tile varies, however, following the advice and recommendations, you can most successfully select the tool that will most effectively cope with the work.

How to choose a manual tile cutter?

The principle of operation of all mechanical type tile cutters is no different, but still it is worth paying attention to some elements that affect quality:

• The thickness of the cutting element - the thicker the material for cutting, the thicker and more powerful the diameter of the cutting roller should be.
• Bed - its metal thickness should be such that the base is rigid and does not bend during operation, and vibration does not occur when the tile splits.
• Handle - the stronger it is, the more powerful the lever.
• The carriage must not play. If there is play on the carriage, the cut may turn out to be uneven - an arc will appear.
• The smooth running of the carriage is guaranteed by special bearings, which are not in every model, but their presence is extremely desirable for cutting a hard type of stone.

Important! The length of a manual tile cutter does not affect the quality of work - each master considers this parameter, starting from personal needs. Do not buy too short tile cutter, as this limits some options. It is better to have a universal tool that allows you to cut material of different sizes, also not forgetting the frequent need for diagonal cutting. In addition, it should be borne in mind that on longer tile cutters, the probability of an arc is much greater.

Many models of manual tile cutters have additional features that do not affect the quality of the cut, but are very functional in work:

• Approach for lefties.
• A lateral limiter, which makes it possible to make a series of lines in a straight and diagonal line without marking on each tile, which greatly simplifies and speeds up the process.

Important! The quality of all parts and the operation of the tool itself must be checked before purchase. Looking at the tool in the store, try cutting the tiles. Even the tools of the same model may vary in build quality - which is why if you have a choice, check them all.

Instructions for cutting ceramic stone with a compact tile cutter

The technology for cutting porcelain tiles for a floor with a manual tile cutter is as follows:

1. Place the tool on a flat surface.
2. Mark up the tiles.
3. Lay the tile on the bed so that the blade of the roller coincides with the intended line.
4. Make an incision by simply moving the carriage away from you with a slight pressure.
5. Release the handle and break the tile along the resulting slice.
6. If the result is a cut with small chips, sand it with sandpaper or a diamond-coated sponge.

Important! There is absolutely nothing complicated in the technology of cutting with manual tile cutter, however, if the experience with this tool is small, then before finishing work it is worth conducting a training.

Advantages and disadvantages of mechanical tile cutting when working with porcelain stoneware

Among the advantages of this tool are the following:

• Safety and ease of handling.
• High speed of work.
• No electricity needed.
• The ability to replace the cutter (roller).
• A good tile cutter gives a good cut.

Disadvantages:

• If the surface of the material is ribbed or a slice falls on the edge for glue, then a break can form a chip.
• There is no way to cut a strip less than 0.6 cm from the edge.
• Cutting granite stone with a mechanical tile cutter is usually possible only in a straight line - additional tools will have to be used for curved lines or chamfering.
• Cost - a quality manual tile cutter, which is suitable for cutting stone, will cost quite expensive.

to contents ↑

Electric tile cutter

In addition to the grinder and manual tile cutter, you can cut porcelain tiles for the floor using an electric tile cutter. As in the case with a grinder, the cutting element here is a diamond disk, the quality of which will determine the evenness and smoothness of the cut.

Important! They work with a grinder on a dry basis, and water is used for the electric tile cutter, which is supplied to the disk during operation, thereby cooling it there.

Advantages and disadvantages of the electric tile cutter

Of the main advantages of an electric tile cutter, the following can be distinguished:

• Virtually no dust and noise.
• There is also no such human factor as “trembling hands”.
• It is possible to implement curly lines.
• There is the ability to cut less than 0.6 cm from the edge of the material.

But there were no shortcomings:

• A quality power tool is several times more expensive than even the most expensive mechanical model.
• If the work takes place outdoors in cold weather, then from getting water on your hands they freeze too much.
• There is a constant need to replace the water in the tank.
• Some models have too much water sprayed during operation.

For a material such as porcelain stoneware, it is better to use wet cutters with a top feed. But among electric tile cutters there are also more low-cost options with lower feed, which many use at home for cutting porcelain tiles with their own hands. In this case, lay the tile face down on the countertop.

Important! To cut a stone with a small electric cutter, it will take a little longer compared to using a mechanical tool. But despite this, experienced craftsmen prefer wet cutters, since a cut with it is more difficult, but better.

to contents ↑

Professional waterjet cutting

Sometimes it happens that from porcelain stoneware it is necessary to cut out details of such a form that all the above tools cannot handle. In this case, in your city you can search for waterjet cutting services - this is stone cutting using water with abrasive impurities under strong pressure.

Using this technology, granite stone can be cut not only in a straight line, but also to make any artistic elements for decoration.

Important! This technology provides a high quality edge of the cut, which, as a rule, does not require further processing.

to contents ↑

Stock footage

The quality of porcelain stoneware can be different, and without seeing the material, even the most professional specialist can hardly say how to cut porcelain stoneware tiles for the floorso that chips and cracks do not form. If there is a need to cut artificial granite, and at home there is no way to do this, then you should contact the organization that provides waterjet cutting services.