How to Cut Ceramic Tiles at Home

Hello dear friends.

As promised in a previous article on laying tiles on the floor , I want to devote this article to how to cut tiles. If produced laying tiles on the wall or on the floor, this is an operation without which it is impossible to do.

Getting glazed ceramic tiles

Glazed ceramic tiles are known to be made of fired clay, coated with glaze on top. Clay is molded into a specific form, dried to fix the volume. A layer of glaze is applied and fired in an oven. As a result of firing, the tile acquires great strength, becomes durable and has a beautiful aesthetic appearance. In its finished form, it is not subject to deformation and bending, although it is very fragile and easily pricked.

Based on all these properties, various methods of cutting it are used. We will consider each of the methods briefly separately, and dwell on how to cut tiles with our own hands at home with small amounts of work.

How to cut tiles with your own hands at home

Cutting tiles with a portable electric tile cutter

how to cut ceramic tiles at home

This is the highest quality and most productive cutting method. If we cut with this tool using a diamond cutting wheel and supplying water to the cut, we get a very clean and high-quality cut. Another advantage of this method is the fact that no dust is formed and there is absolutely no need to apply physical effort.

It is advisable to use this cutting mechanism with a very large front. Along with a huge number of pluses, there is one minus. this is the price of the electric tile cutter itself. Professional pricing starts at 700.

We cut tile with a manual stationary tile cutter

This is the next tool than cutting ceramic tiles. the most common, both among professionals and among people making repairs with their own hands.

The cutting technology is very simple: we mark the tiles, we cut in the direction from ourselves. Using light pressure, we divide the tile into two parts.

It is advisable to use this tool with medium volumes of work and when cutting thick and durable ceramics (for example, sex). Due to the large diameter of the cutting wheel, the groove in the glaze is larger and the tile breaks easier.

Currently, prices for this type of instrument vary greatly depending on the quality. Good quality manual tile cutters, with a rigid frame and support part, cost from 40 to 300.

Using a roller glass cutter

This is the most primitive and not very convenient way. It can only be used when cutting not very hard and not very thick ceramics. It’s very problematic for them to cut floor tiles. But nevertheless, this method has a place to be and when laying wall tiles it may well be used.

We cut the tile with a tile cutter. tongs: instructions

Video: How to Cut Ceramic Tiles at Home


I want to dwell on this cutting method in more detail. I used this tool because my volume was very small and the budget price of the instrument at 8-15 was quite fine with me.

  • mark the place of the cut;

When marking, it is necessary to take into account the size of the gap between the wall and the tile being cut and the size of the joints between the rows. Reduce the length by the sum of these sizes. For example: if you have a distance between the laid tile and the wall is 150 mm., The gap in the seams is 2 mm. and 3 mm. the gap between the cut tiles and the wall, then 150-2-3 = 145 mm. We make a marking 145 mm wide.

  • make a cutter;

At marked places, we do a single cut with a cutter with medium pressure in the direction from the far edge towards ourselves. As a result of the cut, a visible strip should form, cutting through the outer glazed layer as in the photo below.

  • we separate the cut off part;

We place the tongs along the cut line with the capture of the tile, as shown in the photo above. We put a sponge with a support on top on a glazed layer, a straight sponge we start on the bottom. the fault line should be clearly centered on the upper support jaw.

Gently squeeze the tongs until they are completely broken, while the cut-off section should not be very high from the surface so that it does not break after separation and falling.

When cutting very strong or thick (for example, sex) ceramics, I use the following technique.

After cutting the front of the glazed layer with a cutter, I mark the fault point on the back side, as in the photo below.

On a marked line from the back, I cut an angle grinder a groove 2-3 mm deep.

The fault location is very relaxed and the fault direction is obtained.

And then I separate the cut-off part. This technique makes it possible to cut even narrow strips 1-2 cm wide.

There is a need to trim the tile not in a straight line, but, for example, along the radius in the case of adjoining to the riser or select a specific segment. In this case, I do the preliminary marking and slowly select the tiles to the desired size with pliers or wire cutters.

Then the place can be sanded with emery stone or large sanding paper and a neat smooth surface can be made.

Keep in mind that all recommendations are for glazed ceramic tiles only and will not work for stone, porcelain or unglazed ceramic.

Tip: if you are trying to cut tiles for the first time. buy 4-5 more. After acquiring certain skills, making beautiful even cuts is not difficult.

For many, the question of how to cut tiles may seem complicated and is the lot of very, very cool specialists. In fact, knowing how to cut ceramic tiles and how to cut it, all the difficulties disappear, and the whole process can be completed independently, without involving third-party specialists. After a little practice, you will find that it is easier than you think.