When it comes to cutting tile -- whether stone, glass or ceramic tile -- for a kitchen backsplash or a bathroom remodel, with the right tools it's a lot easier than you might expect. As with many DIY projects, having the right tools and precision are two of the most important factors, and when it comes to cutting tiles, you can great results without having to splash out on expensive equipment. Here's a quick rundown on what you need to know.
Tools
Invest in some tile nippers, a mitre cutting tool, a scoring tool and a straight edge. For glass tiles, you may need a handheld glass cutting tool.
1. Measuring For Cuts
Before making any cuts in a tile, it's important to measure and mark the cuts. This process is known as a dry layout. Always work from the centre of a space and move outward in equal measures. The cut tiles should be buried in the edges of the room, in door mouldings, corners or under cabinets. If you work the wrong way -- from the edges of the floor or wall inward, you'll be left with the eyesore of cut tiles in the centre of the room, where they're the most obvious. When finished measuring for each row of tile, use a straight edge and pencil to mark exactly where on the tiles the cuts should be made.
2. Using a Score and Snap
For small tile jobs using ceramic tiles, you can use a technique known as "score and snap". Use a scoring tool to dig into the clay body of the tile, weakening it at the point of the cut. You can then snap the tile in half with your hands. Use this technique for tiles less than 6" in width and of less than 3/8" in thickness. Snap tiles in quick motions to avoid chipping or cracking of the glazed surface of the tile.
3. Using a Mitre Cutting Tool
When it comes to stair cases, bath edges, window sills, door frames, ledges or any external corner you have to make a decision. The most professional finish that ages well is what is known as a mitred edge. This is where you join the two tiles at a perfect 90 degree angle. To achieve this you need a tool that can cut the tiles at a 45 degree angle. In the past this would require a wet saw but thankfully a new tile tool has made the job a lot easier. The tool you need is called a Mitre Wiz. it's a cheap tool that you can buy from Bunnings or most hardware stores and it attaches to any angle grinder. It's basically a guide that you run along the edge of the tile and it produces a perfect 45 degree cut. I love the Mitre Wiz because it works on any type of tile and is very simple to use. It's so much easier than setting up a wet saw and is perfect for big or little jobs.
4. Using a Wet Saw
If you're doing a large job which involves a lot of tile cutting than it may be worth hiring a wet saw. You will need to practice a little and you must be extremely careful when operating a wet saw, and use the proper safety equipment.
-- To cut ceramic, porcelain or stone tiles with a wet saw, simply mark the tiles with a straight edge and line this mark up with the blade. Push the tile slowly and steadily toward the blade by applying light pressure to the tile from either side. Keep hands and clothing free from the blade as it is moving, and give the tile one final push through the blade, letting go and stopping the blade before retrieving the pieces of tile. Use the Mitre Wiz if you are trying to cut any 45 degree angles. It has less impact on the tile because it uses a grinding motion so the chances of chipping the glaze are greatly reduced when you use the Mitre Wiz.
-- To cut glass tiles on a wet saw, a diamond-tipped saw blade is required. Turn the tiles upside down and pass them extremely slowly through the blade. A dull blade or too fast a cut will result in a chipped finish on the back of the tile. As many glass tiles have colour applied to the back of the tile, these chips will be extremely obvious upon installation.
If minor chipping of less than 1/16" in diameter does occur even with the correct blade and technique, paint these chips with an acrylic paint which matches the colour of the tile.
5. Using Tile Nippers
Tile nippers work a lot like scissors, but for much tougher, thicker materials. Use tile nippers for mosaic tiles, in which a tile saw would be too inaccurate, or too difficult to remove a small portion of the tile. You can use tile nippers with ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tiles; do not use tile nippers with glass tiles.
6. Using a Handheld Glass Cutting Wheel
A handheld tool for cutting glass tiles is known as a glass wheel. Like tile nippers, the wheel functions a lot like scissors, and is squeezed down onto the material being cut. Unlike nippers, however, the glass wheel will not crush the glass as it cuts. Use this method for glass mosaics, or small tiling jobs.
Tip: Always work slowly when cutting tile and double check measurements at each step. Once a tile has been cut, there is no piecing it back together, so be sure it's cut properly the first time. Use the right tools for the right sized job, and follow the cardinal rule of DIYing: measure twice, cut once.
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