How to cut floor tiles at home

Do you know how to cut floor tiles at home using the tools at hand??

With the advancement of technology, the popularity of ceramic flooring in buildings has increased. It is difficult to imagine kitchens, bathrooms and corridors without tiles, but ceramic coverings with heating are increasingly used for living rooms. Floor tiles are easy to clean, reliable, durable and visually attractive. Also, such coatings do not burn, are not afraid of water and do not cause allergies among residents.

Laying tiles on the floor is not particularly difficult. Attention deserves how to properly cut or saw such material not “for wood”, but for the floor. Of course, such precise work can only be done by qualified specialists who use special equipment to cut tiles. a mechanical or electric tile cutter equipped with a diamond wheel and water supply directly to the cut line. With this device you can easily and quickly cut tiles.

How to Cut Tile for Beginners

Tile cutters are available mechanical and electrical

At home, it is not always possible to use a professional tile cutting tool. Firstly, it is not always advisable, since laying floor and wall tiles takes up a small part of the total repair volume. Secondly, the tile cutter has a fairly high cost, but allows you to work only with certain tile sizes.

He may not cope with non-standard options. Ceramic floor tiles differ from wall tiles in their thickness, relief, strength and structure. It takes more effort to cut it. Craftsmen have learned to solve such problems at home with the help of improvised tools and means. It is recommended to take advantage of their rich experience.

Floor tiles can be cut with:

• threaded lathe tool with a ruler;
• glass cutter;
• drills with a victorious tip;
• hacksaws for metal with an abrasive bar;
• “Angle grinder”;
• drills;
• jigsaw;
• an ordinary clerical knife;
• tile cutter-tongs.

Technology for cutting tiles for the floor in the apartment

In order to make it easier to cut the tiles, you need to properly prepare the material. Softening ceramic tiles at home is achieved by soaking in water for half an hour. This simple procedure removes dust, reduces brittleness and increases material flexibility. After that, it is not difficult to cut it even with an ordinary clerical knife and glass cutter.

Glass cutter and stationery knife

The main thing when cutting with these tools is accuracy and clarity of movements. You need to act calmly and consistently:

This option is more suitable for cutting thick tiles.

• use a flat surface of the floor, table or stool;
• put a tile on it with the front side up, make the necessary marks and draw a line with a ruler and pencil;
• apply a ruler to the mowing line until it is completely aligned;
• make a clear cut along the ruler, pressing firmly on the glass cutter;
• tap along the notch;
• under the line of the notch, you can put a drill and, gently pressing on the edges, break the tile. If you place the tiles along the cut groove on the edge of the countertop and gently press down, you will also get a good result;
• with a good cut of the tile, it will break exactly along the mowing line.

You need to cut with a clerical knife using a similar technology. The only difference is that the cuts must be made several times on the same mowing line to deepen the furrow.

It should be noted that these methods are not suitable for cutting thick tiles. In such cases, it is necessary to duplicate the facial incision using a groove on the inside.

Drill

• You can solve this problem at home with a drill using special attachments. The attachments can be as follows:
• “Ballerina”, working like a compass;
• tubular drill;
• “crown”;
• conventional drill.

Tiles are easy to cut with wet cutting attachments

It is better to drill the floor tiles with a universal drill with a victorious finish. In this case, before drilling, it is necessary to prepare the point of application of force, destroying the enamel. The drill must be periodically moistened with water.

Jigsaw

The best way to cut floor tiles is to use the electric version of the diamond wire jigsaw. To do this, after laying, fix the tile on a flat surface of a chair or table. In this case, the area with the drawn line on the front side should be suspended. By running the tool along the mowing line, you can get an even cut line without chips.

Tile cutter tongs

This is a small budget option for cutting tiles. There is a cutting wheel on one side and a transverse plate on the other. With its help, it is quite easy to cut ceramics. To do this, you need a straight edge ruler on one side.

Tile cutter is used for light cutting

• The desired distance is marked on one side of the tile on the front side.
• Along the mowing line marking from the far edge of the tile towards you, an incision is made once with medium pressure. The result is a visible streak.
• The transverse plate of the forceps must be placed on top of the front side so that the line of the fracture runs strictly in the center of the plate.
• At the last stage, with a smooth compression of the tongs, the tile breaks along an even mowing line.
• In the case of cutting thick tiles, it is recommended to also make a small groove on the inside with a depth of 2-3 mm.

In the process of laying tiles, they are faced with the need to cut through the tiles, make curly cutouts in order to bypass the bulges and pipes. Curly cutting is also possible with a glass cutter, however, in this case, you will additionally need special nippers and sandpaper.

angle grinder

Large quantities of ceramic tiles can be cut with an “angle grinder” using a diamond disc. When carrying out these works at home, special attention should be paid to safety issues. The person working with this tool must have the necessary skills and follow clear rules. For example, tiles are cut strictly towards you. In this case, the tile must be rigidly fixed. The airway must be protected from dust with a mask.

Before learning how to properly cut with an angle grinder, you must properly prepare the tool.

In general, the use of an “angle grinder” at home has a number of disadvantages. First of all, there is an abundance of dust and noise. In addition, working with this tool is potentially hazardous and requires sufficient skill.

Depending on the availability of certain tools, you can choose the best repair option at home and after training on illiquid material, get to work.

Why cut tiles

When finishing with ceramic tiles, there is often a need to obtain pieces of irregular shape or smaller (in comparison with the whole). There is also a need to make curly cuts. For example, a short list of situations:

• the question of how to cut the tiles in a straight line arises when laying floors and walls, if necessary, clearly approach the coating to the wall in the visible area;
• you may need to cut off small-sized tiles to decorate small areas of the surface to be trimmed;
• the need for curly cuts or clear provision of inclination angles. arises if some surface is laid in a semicircle or in complex geometry;
• the question of how to cut the ceramics arises either with the requirements of a very clear edge configuration, or rather careless, provided that the location of the laying element is masked or invisible.

During the repair, a lot of situations arise. Since the characteristics of floor tiles differ from each other depending on the thickness, type of coating, size of the element. then you will have to work with a different tool in each case.

Tile cutting tools

We list the tools that can be used to cut floor tiles at home, including, if necessary, guarantee excellent processing speed and accuracy.

• Manual tile cutter. Designed to create straight cuts.
• Electric tile cutter. Provides high speed and precision on an industrial scale finishing, can create holes with an edge from straight lines.
• angle grinder. A common and fairly convenient tool, requires skill and special safety measures, it is used for straight cuts and creating rectangular holes.
• Jigsaw. It is used in a wide range of jobs, including cutting floor tiles along complex paths. It assumes the presence of skill and the use of special saws.
• Drill. When using various attachments and drills, such a tool can do a huge range of works.
• Manual glass cutter. Limited use tool for home use. Only a certain number of thicknesses and strengths can be cut into floor tiles.

In the course of creating various cuts, hand tools are also used. These include wire cutters, pliers, wood and rubber mallets, attachments, or hand-held sanding tools.

It doesn’t matter what you cut your floor tiles with. The characteristics of the material and its behavior during destruction imply the application of certain protective measures. In particular:

• it is recommended to use lightweight cotton gloves. When processing floor tiles, small sharp fragments are inevitably formed, both of the gloss of the surface and of the inner material;
• respiratory protection is mandatory, especially if it is decided to cut floor tiles with a power tool: an angle grinder or electric tile cutter;
• Safety glasses are a critical safety measure. Even when using a manual tile cutter or glass cutter. the rebound of pieces of glassy mass of gloss is very dangerous.

5 Ways To Cut Tile. Everything You Need To Know For Your First Tile Project

The use of overalls is highly recommended. Such equipment will be optimal, however, in real work conditions, most performers ignore the protective uniform.

How to work with an electric cutter

The electric tile cutter is equipped with a diamond saw blade. Working with it looks like this:

• the tile is placed with the help of corner accessories on the feed table;
• the ceramic moves in a straight line towards the saw blade;
• the diamond cutting tool cuts full depth with the blade outward.

The electric cutter allows you to immediately get two undamaged tiles with clean cut edges. Processing takes place with the addition of water, since at high speeds the cutting disc heats up, many small fragments fly from it at high speed.

Making rectangular cuts with an electric tile cutter will take some skill. To do this, the tile is first lowered onto the disc at the beginning of the straight line until it lies on the serving table. After that, the ceramic is moved to the desired distance. For each side or face of the cut. the operation is repeated.

How and what to cut floor tiles

When laying tiles on the floor, the question often arises of how to cut the floor tiles efficiently, with minimal effort, high speed and guarantees of a good result. This can be done with a variety of tools and devices. About this in our article.

How to work with an angle grinder

To cut floor tiles with an angle grinder, you need to take maximum precautions. This includes not only eye and respiratory protection, but also the mandatory use of a frame box to protect against emissions and disc crashes.

Cutting ceramics with a diamond steel disc, using various fiberglass on stone is not recommended. The technology of work is simple. Mark the cutting line and go through it with an angle grinder.

You can do a partial working out, as in the case of a tile cutter, remove only the gloss of the coating and slightly cut through the base material. After that, the tile is broken into two parts.

How the manual tile cutter and glass cutter work

The technique on how to cut ceramics with a manual tile cutter looks like this:

• the element is inserted into the clamping area;
• the tile is positioned in accordance with the desired cutting path;
• the tool jaws are compressed and fixed with a special handle;
• the working body with the cutting unit is pressed and pulled with effort along the mowing line of the cut.

As a result of this simple technique, a depression is formed on the ceramic tile. Tile cutters allow you to adjust the degree of immersion. In practice, it is chosen so as not to require excessive effort from the performer and not to cut very deeply, as chips and even cracks may appear.

When working with a manual tile cutter, the rational cutting depth is determined as follows: it is necessary to go through a layer of gloss and about a quarter, and for weakly annealed tiles. a third of the base ceramics. For matte tiles, it is recommended to pass at least a third of the minimum thickness (in the area of ​​the recesses on the back).

After creating the indentation, the tiles are removed from the tile cutter and split along the mowing line with a blow or bend. In the first case, it is better to do this with a rubber mallet. Some models of tile cutters are equipped with an auxiliary device for breaking the ceramic along the mowing line of the cut. If part of the tile goes to waste, you can simply beat it off against the edge of the desktop, but you need to act carefully.

A similar technology of work. when using a manual glass cutter. A cut is marked on the tile, a support is laid (for example, a wooden plank), the tool is pressed tightly and is carried along the mowing line along the guide, with effort.

With a certain skill, you can cut floor tiles with a glass cutter and along a curved path. However, it is worth noting that good results are achieved on glossy tiles, which are quite thin. Therefore, the use of a glass cutter is somewhat limited.

How to cut rubber tiles

Rubber floor tiles are conquering the market and finding a positive response from many users. It is quite durable, does not slip, dampens sudden mechanical influences (falling objects, for example). Feelings from walking on such a surface are the most positive.

You can literally cut it with anything. But the main condition is that the tool must ensure full passage of the material thickness. Therefore, tile cutters of various kinds are inconvenient, an angle grinder is ineffective. a lot of torn pieces fly, overheating occurs. The hand tool shows excellent results. The list of rational remedies looks like this:

• jigsaw at low speeds;
• knives of various kinds, including those for fine work;
• scissor cutters;
• dozed with special attachments.

You can create complex cuts on rubber tiles with an electric or manual jigsaw, as well as a razor tool.

Curved knives allow not only creating extremely accurate cutting paths, but also bringing the mowing line formed by another tool to the requirements of the accuracy of the connection. You can make interesting design compositions, for example, by inserting a curly element of one color into the rubber tile of another, making a cutout corresponding to the shape there.

Tile cutter

The easiest way is to saw the tiles using this special tool. There are two options: manual and electric. Despite the same name, they differ.

Any kind of tile cutter is like a large glass cutter with a work surface and a lever. The tile is installed at the bottom on the stand, and the handle is retracted to a position closer to you. The roller blade is then positioned at the start of the intended mowing line. With a confident movement, the pressed handle is pulled forward and pressed. Thus, the cutting roller will make a depression in the tile, and then it is split under pressure into even parts exactly along the mowing line.

An electric tool is constructed according to a different principle. It resembles a mini version of a circular saw. The work is done using a diamond blade and water. The material is fixed to the base and then brought to the rotating element. A few seconds. and the tile is cut into the necessary fragments at the right angle. A huge plus. no dust.

What tools are used

Before you buy a tile for the floor at home, pay attention to its properties in order to choose the best option both in terms of external characteristics and technical indicators.

• Strength. According to this parameter, as well as resistance to mechanical stress, floor tiles are selected of a higher class than wall tiles, therefore it will be more difficult to cut.
• Thickness. The floor tiles have more, since a considerable load is expected.
• Structure. It is important that the flooring must not slip. When cutting material, this will play into your hands.
• Relief. It is much more difficult to accurately process a product with volumetric details or a complex convex pattern than a simple one with a smooth surface.

Now let’s consider how and how to cut tiles directly at home. For this purpose, tools that are completely different in type, design and intended purpose are used.

• tile cutter;
• angle grinder;
• glass cutter;
• drill;
• jigsaw.

The principle of their use is different, so we will consider each method in more detail.

If you have a large amount of work, it is better to use the services of specialized firms that have professional equipment available.

angle grinder

It is an alternative for durable floor tiles. The tool allows you to quickly process a large amount of material. Like an electric tile cutter, a diamond blade is used, however, it requires a dry cutting attachment.

Secure the tile to the work surface. Draw a line and use the machine to cut the tiles towards you. Use a face shield to prevent dust from entering the respiratory system and eyes. Due to the increased risk of injury, do not use the tool if you do not have sufficient skills, in addition, there is a risk of spoiling the tiles.

Drill with attachment

Facing a bathroom or toilet, you will be faced with the need to make a curly cut in order to lay tiles near plumbing and communications. Therefore, we will consider how to do this at home. Here they use a specific method. a drill with a nozzle. With its help, a rounding or even hole is made.

One of these tools is used as a drill:

• Ballerina. Center-lock attachment with swivel base with cutting element.
• Crown. Round tools of various diameters with a straight or serrated edge and diamond dusting.
• Tubular drill. Smooth, pointed tool of comparatively small diameter made of carbide or diamond-coated.
• Conventional drill. Must be strong and sharp enough.

To trim the cut, use nippers. Work carefully and with concentration to get a normal rounding.

Glass cutter

This hand tool is suitable for fragile tiles. The work will require a flat surface and a ruler. First, place the tile on a table or directly on the floor, measure the desired distance and attach a ruler. In order not to get lost in the process, it is recommended to pre-outline the area to be treated.

Next, install the glass cutter on the front of the tile and, pressing on it, draw a clear line in one motion. The cutter must go deeper into the structure of the material in order to form a basting to break. Then tap the tiles along this mowing line. Press down with your hand or grab part of the tile with a special holder. The rift must follow the cut line of the mowing line.

This option is suitable when a small amount of tiles of a standard strength class are processed. With porcelain stoneware and materials similar in properties, a manual glass cutter cannot cope.

The main difference from a mechanical tile cutter is that its wheel leaves a smaller indentation, and therefore the risk of performing a poor-quality break is much greater, especially when working with floor tiles.

The tool is suitable for tiles of standard strength class

Cutting floor tiles at home

When doing cladding work on your own in the bathroom, kitchen or hallway, sooner or later, the question arises. how to cut the floor tiles at home. There are a huge number of acceptable options from a specialized tool to improvised tools.

Due to the higher strength of the tiles on the floor, it is better to use special devices.

Jigsaw

This is the most convenient tool for making both straight and curly cuts, however, not every version of it cope with floor tiles. A jigsaw with durable diamond wire is used with such a tile.

To make a neat cut, the material is laid on a flat surface so that the intended fishing line turns out to be a canopy. The contours are drawn in advance with a marker on the front side of the tile. Then guide the tool so that you can see the direction of the line. The cutting element neatly removes some of the material without chipping. If it is not strong enough or is blunt, there is a risk of wire breakage and the work will be correspondingly low-quality.

To find the best option, evaluate the characteristics of the material used for the flooring. Also see what tool you have in stock. Test it in action on unnecessary tile elements and only then start finishing work.