Jigsaw
The best way to cut floor tiles is using 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 weighed. By running the tool along the mowing line, you can get an even cut line without chips.
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..
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 cut, 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..
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.
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..
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..
- Technology for cutting tiles for the floor in the apartment
- Glass cutter and stationery knife
- Tile cutter tongs
- Drill
- Jigsaw
- Angle Grinder
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.
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.
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 an angle grinder, you need to 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.
How the manual tile cutter and glass cutter work
The technique for cutting 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 down and is 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 one 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.
Tile glass cutter
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..
Using an electric cutter
This is an expensive professional tool that will cut any tile equally quickly, smoothly and accurately. With its help, trimming is available in a straight line and at an angle of 45 degrees, drilling holes and recesses, as well as curly cutting. Cut strips are less than 5 millimeters wide. The cut edges are smooth, slightly rounded.
Some models work with tiles with one side dipped in water, others only require regular wetting along the cut. This method prevents the formation of dust..
The tool consists of a base, a knife and an electric motor, and the cutting process is as follows:
- Water is drawn into the pan at the level of the cutting disc so that it is lowered into it by 2-3 centimeters (for submersible models).
- The tile is clamped and slowly moves under the cutter along the markings. The force must be uniform to avoid chipping and seizure of the motor.
- To cut a corner, repeat the procedure twice along the segments with the desired angle..
Like any similar tool, the electric tile cutter requires safety and security requirements..
For quality work, you need to change worn discs and water on time.
Tile cutting methods
There are special tools for cutting tiles. However, at home you can cut tiles without a tile cutter. You can use devices for a one-time job, others will cope with cladding on an industrial scale. And also I distinguish devices depending on the types of tiles..
How to Cut Tile for Beginners
Jigsaw
Some complex cuts are best done with hand tools. An ordinary jigsaw copes well with this task. Its principle of operation is similar to that of an electric one, but it will work much longer, but you will not need to worry about the quality of the result.
Saw blades for wood or metal will not work; the tiles should be cut with tungsten carbide strings or diamond saws. Work also requires accuracy and skill..
To soften the material, it is recommended to moisten the ceramic with water..
Tile cutting methods
These methods are mainly suitable for cutting tiles at home. But also applicable or limitedly applicable to other types of tiles. You can cut tiles without a tile cutter in the following ways:
Ceramic cutting angle grinder
angle grinder (angle grinder) is able to cut any tile, the main problem is that the tool is quite difficult to handle and traumatic. In the process of work, a large amount of dust is formed, and small pieces of tiles can break off and fly off. When cutting with an angle grinder, the cutting line has a ragged edge and a large number of chips appear on it, so this tool should not cut the veneer, which requires delicate processing. If you have a manual tile cutter, it is best to use it..
When cutting tiles with an angle grinder, be sure to use personal protective equipment: gloves, respirator, goggles.
Junction points
The complexity of the cut depends on the location of the tile relative to other elements. It is desirable that in these places there are no important and expensive tiles (borders, decor) – this point is decided by the preliminary layout of the elements. For example, curbs should not rest on communications or sockets. In places where the tile meets sockets, with batteries or with plumbing equipment, complex cuts are made on the tiles (circular, semicircular cut).
The number of junctions in which tiles need to be cut are best kept to a minimum at the planning stage..
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.
Basic ways
Most often, when facing the floor, porcelain stoneware or tile is adjusted in size using tools such as:
Of course, the best answer to the question of how to cut tiles is to use a tile cutter. In the production of finishing ceramics, professional mechanized versions of this equipment are used. At home, it is worth using, of course, a simple household tile cutter. Such models do not differ in special performance, but at the same time they are inexpensive. Almost any home craftsman can afford such simple equipment..
How to cut floor tiles with an angle grinder: preparation
This tool for cutting tiles or porcelain stoneware should only be used as a last resort. That is, when there is no tile cutter in the house. The fact is that working with such a material is an angle grinder rather dangerous. In order not to be injured when cutting using this tool, a number of conditions must be met:
prepare a stable table;
check the disc angle grinder (you should use one designed for work on artificial stone);
check how freely the disc rotates;
Easy Tile Cutting Trick – No Measuring!
adjust the angle grinder to medium speed.
As with the tile cutter, wear glasses and gloves.
How to cut floor tiles at home: methods, tools, tips
Types of flooring such as tile, porcelain stoneware or artificial stone have many advantages. All these types of coatings not only look beautiful, but are also not afraid of moisture, are easy to clean and serve for a long time. It is also not too difficult to mount such materials. However, working with tiles has one peculiarity – during installation it almost always has to be cut. This procedure must be performed, for example, when fitting to size or, if necessary, pairing with various communications or surfaces.
There are several ways to cut tiles. All of them are relatively simple and do not require any special skills. Further in the article in all details and consider how to cut floor tiles at home.
How to cut floor tiles at home correctly
After the tool has been inspected, you can proceed to the actual cutting itself. In order not to be mistaken with the dimensions, the tiles must first be marked. You can use for this either an ordinary simple pencil, or a thin marker. In order to draw a straight line, you should use a wooden plank or a regular school ruler..
Of course, the material should not move during cutting in any case. Some tile cutters have special clamps. If they are not there, the tile or porcelain stoneware will have to be held as tightly as possible with your hand. The material to be cut must be positioned exactly along the mowing line of the marking.
During operation, the handle of the tool should be moved as smoothly as possible. Cutting in this case is carried out by the method “on oneself”, carefully controlling the force of pressure. If the incision is not deep enough, it will not work exactly in the future to break the tile. You should also not press too hard on the tool handle. Otherwise, ugly cracks may appear on the tiles..
After the risk has been made, the material must be placed on a firm, level surface. Next, you should carefully lift the edge of the tile farthest from the notch and do not press too hard on it. As a result, the material should break at exactly the risk.
What is the tool
First, let’s figure out how to cut floor tiles at home using this particular equipment. The tile cutter is actually very easy to use. There are many models of such tools. But in most cases, a tile cutter consists of:
a metal base on which all other elements are attached;
tubular guides designed to move the actual cutting roller;
a handle with which you can move the carriage;
the cutting element itself.
Using wire cutters
It is very difficult to work with this tool on tiles. Therefore, nippers are usually used only when you need to make a curly cut. Application of this simple tool. a good answer to the question of how to cut floor tiles in a semicircle. In this case, the markup is performed using patterns, compasses, protractor, square, etc..
Cutting with pliers is performed by gently breaking off the tiles, gradually approaching the figure drawn with a pencil or marker. And they do it immediately along the entire length of the mowing line. If you start to move the pliers directly to the markings on one side, the tiles can crack very easily..
Working with tile clippers is thus very difficult. In addition, the cutting line itself on the tile is not very neat. Its edges come out “bitten”. Therefore, when using such a tool at the final stage, the ends of the cut figure must be aligned with a file.
How to cut an angle grinder
When using this tool, the work is done on the “from oneself” method. Tiles, porcelain stoneware or artificial stone are preliminarily placed on the table so that the line of risks extends beyond its surface. You should work as smoothly as possible. You do not need to press on the tiles around. Switch off the angle grinder as soon as the piece to be cut falls to the floor..