How To Cut Ceramic Tiles Angle Grinder

How to cut ceramic angle grinder
Cutting tiles correctly with an angle grinder at home will not chip. Find out how you can cut an angle grinder neatly and which disc is right for this. Finisher’s advice.

Angle Grinder Cutting Large Holes

With an alcohol marker on the ceramics, mark the center of the circle and drill a through hole with a diameter of 3-4 mm with a carbide drill exactly along the mark. Then, on both sides of the tile, a contour of a circle of a given diameter is applied. An angle grinder with a disc make cuts 1-2 mm deep along the contour of the future hole on both sides of the tile, and then make through cuts inside the contour and remove small fragments of ceramics from it with nippers. The inner surface of the cut along the perimeter of the hole can be processed with coarse sandpaper or a file until there are no chips.

Tile cutting with an angle grinder is performed using a diamond grinding wheel

Stone discs

Stone discs are several times cheaper than dry cutters, but they wear out during operation and must be replaced with new ones. In addition, they are thicker than dry cutters, so the thickness of the mowing line for cutting with a stone nozzle is wider and, accordingly, more dust is generated during operation.

In the process of cutting with a stone nozzle, it is necessary to control the state of its cutting edge – if a chip or burr forms on the edge, the disc must be replaced immediately, since such damage is fraught with destruction of the nozzle and causing injury.

Safety instructions for working angle grinder

To avoid injury while operating the angle grinder, the following rules must be observed:

• When working, use personal protective equipment – gloves, overalls, safety shoes, goggles, respirator;
• You can work as a grinder only with a steel protective cover installed on the tool;
• The length of the grinder’s electric cable must be at least 2 m, which reduces the risk of damage to it by a rotating disc during operation;
• Cut in the direction "away from you", holding the tool with both hands;
• The direction of rotation of the disc must coincide with the direction of translation of the angle grinder;
• Cut the material by immersing the grinder disc into the cutting line no more than one third of the radius;
• Each material must be processed with the appropriate disc, that is, a ceramic tile cannot be cut with a metal cutting attachment, and a stone cutting disc is not intended for grinding ceramics (grinding with a steel "dry cutter" is possible);
• During operation of the angle grinder, both extremely low and maximum high speed values ​​should be avoided;
• It is forbidden to cut the material immersed in water with a grinder in order to reduce the amount of dust generated due to the danger of electric shock;

Working with a manual tile cutter

The manual tile cutter consists of a base, guide tubes and cutting element. With this tool, you can make straight cuts straight or diagonally. The manual tile cutter is fairly easy to use. However, it should be noted that this tool cannot cut a strip of less than 5 mm, in addition, the cut edge may not turn out to be even (grinding is required).

To cut a tile, insert it into the tile cutter and slide the cutter wheel away from you. When you finish it, press the handle to break off the cut piece.

Tools for cutting ceramic tiles

The tiles can be cut with various tools such as:

The choice of tool depends on the scope of work and on the functional features, which we will consider below.

How to cut ceramic tiles

In the process of laying ceramic tiles, it is always necessary to cut the tiles. There are different methods and tools for cutting ceramic tiles. In this article, we will look at how to properly cut tiles and which tools are best to use.

We cut the tiles correctly

When using tiles for wall decoration, a situation will surely arise when you need to cut off part of the slab so that it fits into the remaining space. over, a similar procedure will be required regardless of which type of tile you choose. Cutting is required most often when unique patterns are created on the walls or various decorative objects are formed using tiles.

If you have already prepared all the attributes you need for work, you can consider how the tile should be cut correctly. An angle grinder is an excellent assistant in this matter, since with its help you can create not only straight cuts, but also curly cuts. Next, we will look at how to cut tiles in various ways.

A straight cut is as simple as possible:

• First, you need to fix the tile on the plane so that it does not slide or ride on it.
• The part of the tile that needs to be cut must remain in weight. The surface line will be the guideline for the notch mowing line;
• Take an angle grinder so that you can see the cut line. If you hide it from yourself, you will not be able to make an even cut.
• You need to direct and move the blade towards you, not away from yourself. This is the mistake many newbies make. Hold the tool firmly and level so that it does not walk in different directions, otherwise the cut will be ugly. Holding the angle grinder crooked can damage the disc, as it can fly off.

A round hole is made as follows:

• Initially, you must use a marker to draw the required hole. Draw on the glossy side of the tile.
• Then you need to determine the center of the circle. This can be done using straight lines drawn crosswise.
• Gently file the tile with an angle grinder from the inside in a circle until we go deeper.
• The angle grinder must be turned so that the blade gradually fits into the outlined circle.
• When the cut is deep enough, you need to cut the drawn cross along the drawn lines, after which you carefully take out the resulting 4 sectors of the circle.

You need to cut the tiles only on the front side, since this is the only way to get a cut without various defects. Consequently, all possible damage will be concentrated on the back of the tile, which will be hidden with tile adhesive.

It is best to measure and mark the tiles to be cut from the start.

To cut at a 45 degree angle, follow the instructions below:

• It is important to note that cutting the tiles obliquely is more difficult than making a straight cut. However, this is much easier than creating curly elements. You need to start by doing.
• The angle grinder must be turned so that the disc is at the angle you need, while you must carefully drive the blade, removing excess, so that at the end an even angular cut is obtained.
• Perfectness can be achieved by using ordinary sandpaper, which is best fixed on a block.

How to cut tiles with an angle grinder?

When doing renovations, many homeowners find it necessary to cut ceramic tiles that can be done using an angle grinder. This tool allows you to do this work at a high level, with minimal risk of chips or cracks. In this article, we will show you how to cut ceramic tiles using an angle grinder.

Required tools and materials

Cutting ceramic tiles is a laborious process that requires maximum concentration. The difficulty is largely due to the fact that the tiles are made of durable material. Dust-free tiles can be cut and sawed down with a tile cutter, but such a tool is not cheap. This is almost impossible with conventional cutters and saws, and the cut will most likely be uneven and unattractive. A regular angle grinder is best suited, with a cutting wheel that allows you to neatly cut tiles even at home.

Despite the fact that this process is relatively difficult, if you get the hang of it, it does not take much time and does not require much effort. This task can be handled by an ordinary homeowner who has not dealt with such work and can even cut off a "hog" without the help of a tile cutter.

You can cut tiles using the following tools:

• Special tile cutter;
• Diamond tools;
• Angle Grinder.

For cutting ceramic tiles, those that are diamond-coated are suitable. Their use minimizes the formation of cracks and chips. It is forbidden to use discs used for metal work, as they will only damage the tile. Even if you manage to cut with such a circle, it will be uneven and of poor quality. This is due to the sliding of the disc on the tile, due to which the presence of small cracks is inevitable. At the same time, when it comes to home surface finishing, you can ignore these damages, since they will surely disappear during subsequent processing.

Be sure to carry the following attributes with you:

• Glasses;
• Mask;
• Thick gloves.

Please note that the selected angle grinder or grinder must have a speed regulator, since many modern inexpensive tools do not have this function. Such models operate at the highest speed, which is why it is impossible to cut tiles with their help.

Tile cutting safety diamond angle grinder

Before you cut a tile with a diamond wheel (turtle), you should familiarize yourself with how an angle grinder works. The tool is not only convenient, but also complicated, and even dangerous if safety precautions are not followed. That is why strict adherence to the instructions from the manufacturer for operation is required in order to exclude the occurrence of unpleasant moments and emergencies. To prevent fragments and sparks from falling on the master during work, a special casing must be present on the instrument.

Pruning is carried out only in a vertical way, since otherwise the angle grinder may break out of the hands and this will cause injury to the master. When carrying out work, you need to prepare such protective equipment as a respirator, goggles, gloves and preferably a hat. Shoes and clothing should ideally be present.

Hold the tool away from you while cutting by rotating the circle. Do not put pressure on the cutting disc. For each type of material, you need to use special discs, since abrasive cloths are used for metal, and diamond dry cutters for tiles.

It is strictly forbidden to cut material that is immersed in water. Tiles and other materials are sawn only in well-ventilated rooms, since a large accumulation of dust can be explosive.

Basics of Tile Cutting Angle Grinder

It is not difficult to cut off a tile from porcelain stoneware or tile by observing the above requirements, but you need to adhere to a number of additional rules.

Namely:

1. The tile cut with an angle grinder occurs with strong vibration, and therefore, in order for the work to be carried out as correctly and without defects, it is necessary to first fix the blade. For this, a table specially adapted for this business is suitable, since it has a special clamping mechanism and persistent clamps.
2. Alternatively, you can step on the edge of the tile at home, but the shoes must be rubberized so they can reliably protect your feet.
3. It is possible to cut through the tile web either in full thickness or simply by making grooves. They are needed for subsequent breaking when struck with a sharp object. It is important to remember that the thicker the tile, the deeper the cut will be in order to make a competent break.
4. You need to choose a special cutting disc for ceramics or porcelain stoneware. It is permissible to use a stone cut-off wheel for tiles. However, for glass ceramics, porcelain stoneware and similar canvases, it is necessary to use special circles on which diamond spraying, through which a more accurate cut is carried out.
5. In order for a minimum dust cloud to appear during cutting, it is advisable to moisten the seam, and periodically. This will not only make the material softer, but also make the work easier.

Important! The direction of movement of the cutting wheel should only be in the opposite direction from the master, in order to exclude the occurrence of extremely dangerous situations when the product breaks. All work with an angle grinder should only be carried out in an open space or in a room with excellent ventilation. This is required to exclude smoke from dust and so that it does not accumulate, since it can be fire hazardous.

Tile cutting disc: sanding and cutting

On sale you can find a variety of discs, grinding, cutting and others. As a rule, each type of canvas is designed for a specific type of material.

Angle grinder cutting ceramic tiles with a disc:

• On a stone;
• Steel;
• Diamond-coated on the working edge.

Dry cutter disk is divided into certain subspecies. A stone circle is considered a cheaper disc, unlike a metal one, however, after almost one cut, it becomes unsuitable for further work. In addition, they cannot make a narrow cut in the tile. When working with such a blade, you need to be very careful and monitor the integrity of the disc edge so that the tile is cut and not crumbled. Otherwise, the canvas will simply be split and damaged.

The metal dry cutter allows you to work without additional water cooling, but for periods of only 2 minutes. Thus, the canvas will cool on its own. If sparks occur during cutting, then it is necessary to adjust the protective cover to the angle grinder, since it can be skewed and rubbed over the edge of the disc. If the problem recurs, the angle grinder should be cleaned from concrete and plaster, otherwise the dry cutter becomes unusable.

Dry cutters are divided into two additional types:

• Solid;
• Segmented.

Solid discs can be used to cut tiles without splinters. If there is no detonation at the circle, then you can freely strip the tile at an angle of 45 °. Segmented discs became so called because of the presence of slots in them, which are located from the central edge to the cutting edge, evenly distributed over the entire surface of the circle, which divides it into equal parts. This nozzle is perfect for cutting porcelain stoneware or natural stone tiles, including ceramics.