How to cut a tile without tile cutter

All about the ways to cut tiles at home

Of course, the title refers to cutting tiles, and the fact that it is impossible to properly glue ceramic tiles without cutting them where necessary. In this regard, there are questions about how to cut at home and what tools can be used in this case, what are the peculiarities when performing this type of work.

Tiles and ceramic tile are almost identical, so the process of cutting this material is the same

Thus, the purpose of our article will be tips on how to cut tiles. In the trimming of tiles arises the need for laying near various communications: plumbing, sewage, heating system and other, as well as in certain laying schemes, such as diagonal, where you have to cut ceramics especially much.

This process has its own specifics, but even at home, if you have certain skills, you can cope with it. Taking into consideration the mechanical and physical properties of ceramic tiles, cutting them without the use of any tools or devices is not possible.

Types of tile cutting tools

The tools available for this action can be divided into two types:

Basic types of tools for cutting tiles

And even with the help of a trivial nail of large size and fairly sharp end, you can cut tiles at home. The process of cutting is actually the same as when using a glass cutter. Let’s consider the selection of tools for tile cutting in more detail.

Tip: To make it easier to cut ceramic tiles, you should soak them in water for a couple of hours.

First of all, the choice of tools will depend on the amount of planned work. If it is a small trim, without complex cuts, then you can do with a diamond glass cutter, in the case of a large number of undercuts (diagonal laying scheme), it is better to use a tile cutter.

How to cut tiles without a tile cutter

In the production of various construction works independently, there is often a need to cut ceramic tiles at home. For this it is not necessary to have a professional tool. a tile cutter. Immediately we should mention: It is not about constant work and large volumes, but about small batches or even piecemeal products. In such cases, buying an expensive tool makes no sense, it is quite possible to do with improvised means.

• To cut in a straight line. At the same time it is necessary to distinguish where the cut is made. If there is less than 2 cm from the cutting line to the edge, such a cut can be considered a shaped cut;
• Round holes in tiles of different diameters;
• Shaped cutouts;
• Mosaic elements. If there are requirements for precise geometric shapes, this type also refers to shaped cuts. Otherwise, it is actually breaking the tile into pieces. Items are placed in a bag and crushed to the right proportions with a heavy tool (hammer, sledgehammer). An exception may be made for non-ceramic tiles.

Tile cutting methods

The above methods are mainly suitable for cutting tile at home. But also applicable or limited to other types of tile. You can cut tiles without a tile cutter in the following ways:

Angle grinder (angle grinder)

Generally speaking, it is a universal tool. Just as in the past craftsmen could cut down a house with one axe, so now with one angle grinder they can cut out anything. The author has witnessed how to cut an even round hole with a diameter of 5 cm.

Please note! The method is suitable for straight, shaped types and, with minimal tooling skills, for curved lines of any configuration.

• angle grinder. Any power and any kind;
• Cutting wheel (stone or diamond);
• Helmet or goggles (mandatory);
• Protective fully covered suit and gloves (recommended);
• Respirator (recommended);
• Clamp. Optional in some cases (clamp or vise).

Pre-mark the tiles, preferably with a scratch line with any sharp tool. In extreme cases, lines can be drawn with a construction marker. A lot of dust is generated during work, and marked lines can be erased when it is removed.

Small straight cuts along the edges of the tile can be made by laying the tile on a flat surface on the table or the floor. First cut a few millimeters into the surface. With this operation, the own gravity of the tile and the friction force are enough to hold the product in place. For deeper cuts, you can additionally step on the edge or hold an assistant. For shaped cuts, it is better to clamp the product to the table top or clamp it in a vice, placing pieces of cardboard or thick cloth under the jaws beforehand.

Tip! Place a piece of plywood under the product to avoid damaging the surface of the table or the floor.

• On the outer edge, the marks are repeated several times along the entire length. Deepening up to 3 mm in one pass. Repeat the operation until the result is achieved;
• For smaller cuts, up to 2 cm in length, the entire thickness is marked at once;
• A line is marked on both sides. A superficial cut (up to 3 mm) is made along the front side. Then cut backwards (up to 3 mm per pass) until the target is reached. This method avoids accidental damage to the face with the cutting tool.

Recommended for difficult cuts: on edges or curved cuts. The fact is that with this method there is a lot of dust, consumption of the cutting blade, time and labor costs. An ordinary straight trimmer line can be cut with much simpler methods.

Jigsaw

If you don’t have a tile cutter or angle grinder, an electric jigsaw may be available. An underestimated tool by many!

Note! A hand-held jigsaw with a rock saw can be used in the same way. But the cutting speed will be an order of magnitude slower.

• Electric jigsaw. Any power;
• Sawing on stone;
• Protective goggles (recommended).

Sawing in the usual way. Sawing too rounded kerfs is difficult, the saw gets stuck. Not thick (wall) tile is good for sawing. It is very difficult to cut porcelain floortiles in this way. To make it a little easier, it is suggested that the material be pre-soaked.

It is recommended if it is necessary to cut curved sections with large curvature radii.

A glass cutter or any pointed instrument

You can only cut tiles with this method. And only in a straight line. Another restriction is that the pieces must not be less than 2 cm wide.

• Glass cutter. Instead of the glass cutter, any tool with a pointed cutting edge can be used. The cutting tool should preferably be made of hard materials: diamond, bobedite, etc.д. As examples of cutting tools: drills, lance drills, utility knife, etc;
• Metal ruler or any straight metal rail. At the very least, of any material. But then you will need to be very careful to scratch the line for the trimmer cut, because you can cut through the ruler and the scratch will go sideways on the tile.

In order to get a sharp cut without any chips and deviations to the side, it is necessary to apply the scratch carefully. it is enough to scratch the upper, glossy layer.

Tip! Pay attention to the beginning and the end of the scratch when applying the scratch. Often at the beginning and at the very end, the scratch is not deep enough. It has to do with insufficient pressure and psychology. At the beginning we only try it on and the pressure is very weak. At the very end, there is acceleration and the risk is “smeared. This can cause the fracture in these places to go sideways.

to get a deep scratch, one makes several passes with a knife.

The scratching depends on the hardness and sharpness of the tool used. If the tool is hard and sharp enough (glass cutter with a sharp roller, lance-like sharpened pobedite drill bit etc.).д.), one pass with a good force is enough. If the tool is blunt or made of soft material (utility knife), it will require several passes. Eventually the groove should deepen below the glossy layer.

• A sharp, even corner. Grab the tile with both hands from different sides of the risk. Strike the tile sharply from a distance of 5 cm.10 cm against the corner on the back side of the product. Before that, it is necessary to aim well, so that the blow would hit as precisely as possible to the place of the break. The angle can be anything, as long as it is sharp and hard (metal corner, wooden bar). It is desirable for convenience, that the corner to rise above the surface of about 10 centimeters. Otherwise, it is possible that when you hit the surface with your hand, the impact will go to the side and the tile will not break along the ridge;
• On the hard bar. The tile is laid on a long hard bar with its back side aligned on the place of the risk. Then sharply pressed on both sides with both hands. The rod can be anything. flat, about 8 to 15 mm in diameter (a drill, a round pencil, etc.).д.). It is desirable that the length is not less than 2/3 of the breaking length. You can break out parts rather than through the entire length of the tile;
• Between the clamps. The method is suitable both for breaking off through the entire tile and for breaking out large pieces. The approaches are different, but the essence is the same. It is required to fix the product between the two clamps at the breaking point. It can be two bars or thick plywood. You can make a small machine: two sheets of plywood fastened at one end with self-tapping screws, the tile is placed inside, with an effort to push them apart. The main thing is to ensure that there are even sharp edges and the accuracy of installation of the material on the line for the risk trimmer. After installation we additionally clamp the construction with our own weight and sharply press on the protruding edge.

How and what to cut a large tile?

The day comes when the tile to be laid does not fit in your tile cutter.

And there is an endless series of questions:

• Which tile cutter to buy, mechanical or electric??
• What length?. What if tomorrow the tiles are 5 cm larger than the current?
• How often will need a new tool?
• Expensive or cheap. How much does common sense tell you to spend?
• Where is the guarantee that the new tool will cut without problems??

How the decision was made, what were the arguments in favor of this or that option, you can track almost in real time.

Tubadzin PIETRASANTA POL tiles are going to be laid

It’s like in the tale of the stone at the fork of three roads. Where you go depends on what you find and how much you lose.

Two main directions can be seen:

• To cut tiles with a roller and then break them.
• Cutting with a cutting wheel mounted on various tools and appliances.

The difficulty of a choice consists that both directions have also many variants of execution.

The first thing that comes to mind. you need a mechanical tile cutter with a cutting length of 120 cm. Cheap options fall away immediately. Of the available tile cutters firm Battipav.

The first option is to cut large format tiles.

Stopped from buying the idea that perhaps this tool will be used only once:

It makes more sense to take the second option. The guide consists of several parts, which allows you to make it the necessary length. The maximum possible length is 340 cm. This is a guarantee that such a system is suitable for any possible tile format and will always be in demand:

Other brand tool manufacturers have similar systems. For example, SIGMA.

The price of the tool stops. on a small amount of work, the tool will not pay off. In addition, for cutting corners and holes, you still need a turbine (angle grinder). How to combine two cuts?

And the main question: How will the tiles break?? The preliminary test of cutting with a tile cutter on the small side was not successful. Out of 4 attempts. two unsuccessful:

An unsuccessful attempt to cut porcelain tiles on the short side

To the doubts were added facts and reports of unsuccessful cases of using this way of cutting, even with the Montolite system.

Therefore, began the study of the second case, which had many variants of execution:

Each option has its advantages. The machine (a good one) allows you to cut almost without chipping the tiles. Quickly and comfortably (without dust) get the cut at 45 degrees. But there remain some inconveniences in the work and the main problem is the length of the cut tiles, which is impossible to keep up with:

And the main thing that prevents us from stopping at this variant. practicality of such a machine at small volumes:

Electric tile cutter in an apartment with trim.

The second option lacks some of the disadvantages of the machine, but does not have any particular advantages. The cost of the question remains for both cases. The most interesting option is the Festool Diamant DSC-AG 125 Plus-FS for 500

While searching, I unexpectedly came across a very down-to-earth way to solve the problem of cutting large format tiles:

What’s the payoff?? Simple and cheap design. Always have an aluminum wedge at hand. Clamps are no problem. The cutting tool can be purchased at a reasonable price:

Makita electric tile cutters.

In terms of price, both options are the same. But the battery-powered version has these features:

That is, the speed is insignificant and the disk from the angle grinder is not suitable.

But you can go for a super economical option. just buy the attachment for angle grinder Mechanic 125 Slider (19568442010). For those who like “expensive toys”, this option will not suit. Too simple and cheap.

Angle grinder attachment,

• Make the table from a pallet (throw it on the floor and cover it with a piece of drywall).
• The guide bar is an aluminum wedge with holes at the ends.
• The clamps are two wood screws screwed into the holes on the wedge.

The most expensive investment was the DISTAR 1A1R MULTIGRES 125×1,4x10x22,23 porcelain tile blade. Hardness 7D. The other two Distar tile cutting discs are not suitable in this case.

Significant disadvantage. dust. If you want, you can find a similar nozzle with a vacuum cleaner nozzle. But you have to get used to the hose that diverts the dust. Cutting simply, with the nozzle is a new skill, it takes some getting used to, and then there’s the hose.

Features of cutting large format tiles with an angle grinder.

You start cutting tiles by cutting two ends. Then 3-4 passes over the entire cut, gradually deepening or going all the way through.

If you don’t make the cuts, the tile breaks unpredictably at the end. tested:

Notching tiles on both sides.

This rule holds true for wet cutting on the machine as well:

Tile manufacturers (or those who try to speak for them) attribute this to the fact that large-format tiles have a lot of internal stress. When they are cut in the conventional way, they can splinter.

Similarly, when cutting holes in such tiles, it is advised to first drill round holes in the corners of the future window, and only then, cut:

Using a glass cutter

It is clear that this tool has minimal efficiency when working with tile. In addition to the high labor costs, when conducting masonry work in several rooms, it is necessary to purchase 2-3 glass cutters.

The technology of creating an incision involves the following steps:

• A trimmer line is applied to the face of the tile with a marker;
• The coating is placed on the table;
• on the finishing material with the glass cutter makes a sharp cut;
• The tile with the line of the notch is applied to the edge of the table;
• one hand holds the material and presses it down with the other;
• the coating breaks along the line.

To cut a tile should be a movement of the glass cutter on itself. Along the entire cut line, the tool is pressed against the pavement with equal force (to a shallow depth). And there’s only one movement of the glass cutter. If you run the tool a few times, the break trimmer line (and then the tile itself) will be spoiled.

The process of breaking the facing material along the line is carried out without unnecessary efforts. The glass cutter is recommended when cutting wall tiles. The material for the floor is thicker and stronger.

Is it possible to cut tiles without a tile cutter?

Of course, because it was somehow cut before this tool was invented. Let’s remember the technology of the forgotten years, but also use modern tools.

Important! The general principle of cutting tiles is to create a scratch along the cut line. Micro cracks will help form a perfect break when you apply force.

The tile cutter

Every home has such a tool. Even if you don’t have one, don’t despair. During the next cleaning in the pantry or on the balcony, you will definitely find it. And it will have the “Made in the USSR” inscription on it.

The process of cutting a tile is no different than cutting glass. You mark the line for the trimmer, and you run the roller of the glass cutter over it.

If you don’t have tremors in your hands, you can do without a guide. By practicing on a few ruined pieces, you get the skill you need.

If your hand can shake. use any flat object. It can be another tile or a steel ruler.

The main rule is to cut in the direction “toward yourself”, from the rim to the end of the tile. The force must be strong and even throughout the cut.

If you’re doing it right. you’ll hear a characteristic crunching sound. Interruptions in the crunch mean that the trimmer line is not solid. At the end the glass cutter should come off the tile with a force.

Important! The cut is made in one pass. If you draw a second groove, the tile will break unevenly.

After applying the scratch, the tile must be broken gently. No clamping with a clamp between the two bars! There are only two ways: on the table or on a nail.

• Put the tile on the edge of a table or other surface with an even angle. One hand hold the tile on the table, the other vigorously press the free edge. Make sure that the broken off part does not fall out of your hands
• Put the scratched tile on a flat surface so that there is some object under the cut. For example. a nail

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Press down on the edges with both hands, the tile will crack evenly with the marking. By the way, this method is very popular for large amounts of work. less time is spent on moving the tile from place to place.

The width of the broken off part of the tile matters. A piece smaller than 5 cm is difficult to break off properly, and 2-3 cm is impossible. There are special tongs for this. a tile cutter.

They can be used to cut and break tiles. True, it goes beyond the concept of “how to cut tiles without a tile cutter” (you will have to buy pliers).

An alternative is still to use a bar and a clamp. The narrow part clamped on the edge of the table and the wide half break away sharply downwards (the traditional way).

The alternative to the glass cutter

What to do if you really don’t have a cutter in the house? To draw a groove, you need a sharp object, harder than the tile. The cutter from the lathe will do (if you have one at home)?).

You can sharpen the edge of the file with an emery, getting a sharp angle. Alloy steel will cut a deep groove. Pobedite drill bit will work the same way.

The important thing is to hold it in your hands while making a “groove”.

And finally, the easiest option. a construction knife. Unlike the glass cutter, the knife should scratch the line for the trimmer several times.

Circular hand saw

This is not the best tool for cutting ceramics. There are special disc tile cutters (including handheld) with a rotation of 14000. 18000. A regular circular saw doesn’t develop even half of this speed. And yet, if you have such a tool, you can use it for emergency work.

Select diamond-coated discs for stone or ceramic first. It is not necessary to look for the most expensive (it is just designed for a longer service life), for small volumes the economy class is enough.

Before touching the tiles. run the shaft to the maximum number of revolutions. Do not apply too much pressure, or the rpm will drop, and the tile will burn and crack.

You can make a longitudinal cut (moving from the edge) or a plunge cut (lowering the saw from above the plane).

Be sure to wet the place of the cut! If possible arrange a constant supply of water with a thin tube.

angle grinder

Originally, this tool was only used for cutting marble and cutting porcelain stoneware.

However, the owners of compact angle grinder quickly unraveled the possibilities of the power tool. Unlike a manual circular saw. the angle grinder has a fairly high RPM, therefore, the cut will turn out cleaner.

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Holding such a tool in your hands is much more comfortable. You can cut small coated ceramic tiles.

And yet there are a few secrets, how to properly cut tiles with an angle grinder some of these tips see in this video.

• Fit a thinner disc if possible. Let it grind faster. but it will not drop the rotation speed. You can get a perfect cut
• Hold tool correctly. the angle grinder must be held “upside down” when cutting tiles. That is, the disk should rotate “from itself”. If the handle of your angle grinder does not move to the other side. it will be uncomfortable to work

Attention! Always use a blade guard, it is absolutely forbidden to work without one! Even a strong steel blade can crack, and the consequences are most unfortunate.

Figured carving

To bypass pipes, sinks, toilets and door trims, you must cut semicircular cutouts. At home, you can do it this way:

• With ballerina and drill stand. Diameter is limited by the bar and must be set manually. The resource of one device is enough for 20-30 holes in the tiles.
• For bends of small diameters, you can use wire cutters. This method allows you to make not only semicircular cutouts. The cut should start from the very edge with a minimum step. Both of these methods require a certain skill with the tool, but even then it is not possible to achieve straight edges, additional processing is required.

The use of any method of working with tiles is due to the need to purchase expensive tools. In the case of work that is small in size and does not require cutting out particularly complex patterns, you can use the available tools.

Cutting with an angle grinder

Angle grinder so versatile power tool that it is difficult to imagine the repair of the room without it. Using an angle grinder you can also cut tiles. For this you will need to have a diamond disc in your arsenal. You can also use a stone wheel.

You need to mark the cut on the tile with a nail or awl. It is better to do it from two sides: on the front side of the tile, along the glaze, and on the inside of the surface. The cutting itself is better to be performed in several stages. First, with an indentation of 2. 3 mm, go through on one side, and then also on the other side. And continue to do so until the tile is split in two. With this approach, the risk of splitting the tile is minimized.

Experienced craftsmen can use the angle grinder to make a curved tile cut, and even rounded holes.

Cutting tiles with a glass cutter

You can split a tile with a glass cutter. over, it is possible to cut tiles with this tool. To cut it, you only need to make a couple of millimeters deep notch on the outer part, which is covered with glaze. The glass cutter is carried along the surface with the help of a metal ruler.

The cutting process itself is carried out by a sharp light tap on a wooden corner from a distance of about 20 cm. The tile is taken in two hands along the line of the marking and sharply hit on the protruding corner.

Instead of a glass cutter, you can use a hammer drill.

By this method you can only get an even cut, and attempts to make a shaped separation or a hole in the tile, most likely, will turn out to split the building material.

Pliers

The folk method of working with ceramics. pliers. The pliers can be used to make a curved cut, remove a small piece of ceramic and correct an existing cut. The advantage of this option is that the quality and accuracy of the work depends on you. You need to work slowly by hand.

Use a marker to mark the contours of the cut. Grasp small fragments of ceramic with pliers and bite them off. Moving towards the planned contours. No need to try to bite off too much, so you can only spoil the tile.

Features of waterjet cutting

If you do not have a tile cutter or if you simply do not want to cut tiles yourself, then it is worth turning to professionals. The best option. it is a service of waterjet cutting. This method of cutting tiles allows you to create beautiful shaped elements. The technique is quite simple. the front side of the tile is subjected to a large pressure of water mixed with sandy abrasive particles. Templates of varying complexity are applied to the tile. Of course, such a service will cost quite a bit, but you can always save money by using one of the above methods of cutting tiles without a tile cutter.

This is a cheap but practical tool. The best option is a glass cutter with a roller made of an alloy of two metals: tungsten and cobalt. Same principle of operation as the tile cutter, but all operations must be performed manually.

• Make the markings. Draw the entire line to trim the cut, not just make marks on the edges of the tile.
• Apply a ruler, angle, or just another tile and run the wheel of the glass cutter along the line. The ruler will hold the wheel in place so it doesn’t move to the side.
• You should hear a crunching sound as you work: this is how the top layer of ceramic is cut through. You should not put too much pressure on the glass cutter, because cracks may appear along the glaze.

Cut through the entire trimmer line at a time. If you draw the line many times, the cut will be uneven and sloppy.

• With the wooden handle of the glass cutter, tap the trimmer fishing line of the future notch.
• Lay the tile so that it is on the edge of the base, and one of the parts was on the weight.
• Carefully break down the tiles. If you cut through the top layer of tile, the tile should break along the cut line. Another popular option is to put a drill bit or nail under the tile and push it in.

Thin strips would be a problem to work with. A tile cutter will handle strips of 2 cm or more, but in the case of a handheld glass cutter and hand breaking, cut a strip of 4 cm or thicker.

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To cut the material when carrying out tiling work in the home you need to have the following tools:

• a flat surface;
• guide ruler with a right angle on one end, the so-called “angle”;
• A drill bit with a pobedite tip;
• glass cutter, office knife;
• “tile-cutting pliers”. tiny pliers with a tile-cutting wheel on one side and a transverse convex plate on the other;
• A drill with nozzles in the form of “crowns”;
• Jigsaw with a diamond wire;
• “angle grinder”.

It is important to remember that tile material should be prepared before cutting. If you soak the ceramic tile for thirty minutes before working with it, you can solve the problems of dust, brittleness, and increase its malleability.

To qualitatively cut off a piece of tile, you need to make a clear groove on the glossy surface and then break it with a quick confident movement. You can do it without difficulty using different tools: glass cutter, drill with a pobedite tip, a cardboard knife and a guide ruler. The procedure in all cases will be the same:

The glass cutter is the most accessible tool for cutting tiles

• We put the tile on a flat surface with the inside side down;
• make the necessary markings and draw a clear line for the trimmer with a pencil using an “angle”;
• draw a groove along the ruler, pressing with medium force on the glass cutter or drill bit;
• Put a drill bit under the notch trimmer fishing line, push the tile on both sides, and break it. In another version, you can break a tile by placing it on the edge of the table along the cut line and pressing sharply on it.

It’s much easier to break tiles with the “wheeled pliers” because they are designed specifically for this purpose. It is enough to drive the cross plate from above so that the cut groove goes exactly through the center of the clamping plate, and then squeeze the pliers. In this case you get a good quality break.

Clamp the tile with the pliers in the center on the marked line and push down on the handles

You can make enough suitable tile cutting tools at home if you can’t use a special tool. For example, a drill bit with a 6 or 8 millimeter diameter pobedite tip can be ground like a pencil on a diamond wheel. The important thing is not to chip off the pobedite layer and make the edge without edges. The rounded shape of the tip allows you to make deep cuts, when you put it to the side of the “angle”.

All of the above methods are suitable for cutting wall tiles, but in cases of work with thicker floor tiles that have a dense structure, it is necessary to resort to other tools.

For example, it is advisable, along with improvised tools to use “angle grinder”. In this case, to complete it, the most suitable are discs for cutting granite with a smooth crown and diamond discs, which allow you to quickly cut tile material.

The process of cutting with an angle grinder is quite simple and accessible even to non-professionals

The sequence of work may be as follows:

• First, it is necessary to draw with a glass cutter or a special drill a sufficiently deep line for the trimmer. To do this, you can run a few times on the outer surface.
• Then with the help of an “angle grinder” you need to start carefully cutting along the outer edge of the notch. In doing so, it is desirable to deepen no more than 3 millimeters. Carrying out such a procedure 2-3 times, you can get a quality cut.

Cutting floor tiles can be carried out in a different way:

• On the glossy surface also draw a groove with the same improvised tools.
• Turn the tile over and make the cut on the inner side exactly along the outer marks with an “angle grinder”.
• After breaking it is recommended to grind the edges with sandpaper.

Straight and curved tile cuts can be made with an “angle grinder” with a diamond disc. The productivity of such work is comparable to an electric tile cutter. Although the quality of cut with the “angle grinder” is inferior, but if you want to carry out mobile work of great volume, this tool is indispensable. After the cut, additional sanding measures will be required.

Particular attention should be paid to safety when working with the “angle grinder

If required at home to make holes and semicircular lines of the cut, use a drill with special attachments, wire cutters with carbide clips.

To make holes in the tiles use a special attachment to the drill

The peculiarity of work with pliers consists in “biting off” fragments of ceramics along a pre-drawn contour. Remember that only small pieces should be separated. In any case, it is important to grind after such procedures.