How To Properly Cut Porcelain Stoneware Angle Grinder Without Chips

How to cut porcelain stoneware with a tile cutter

The principle of the tool is somewhat similar to the glass cutter. There, too, there is a cutting roller, which moves along the guides. In addition to it, there is a bed on which the part is laid, a lever and guides. It is very important that the diameter of the cutting element matches the height of the tile.

In addition, when choosing a device, pay attention to:

• The base of the device. The metal from which it is made must be thick enough so that the base does NOT vibrate or sag during the cutting process.
• Strength of guides and supports.
• Smooth movement of the carriage. It is desirable that this is provided by special bearings.
• No backlash when moving the carriage. If it is available, it is impossible to make a straight cut.

Tile cutters vary in length and it is best to choose a long model. This will make it possible to cut porcelain stoneware of different sizes, not only along the side, but also diagonally.

To cut off a piece of porcelain tiles with your own hands along a straight mowing line, you need to follow these steps:

• Place the tile cutter on a solid, level surface.
• On the product we outline the cut line.
• We lay the part on the bed so that the trajectory of the roller goes exactly according to the outline.
• We perform the cut by pressing on the carriage and move it away from you.
• I release the handle and break the part with strong pressure.
• Grind the cut to remove Possible chips.

Working with a mechanical tile cutter is very simple, even a novice master can handle it. There are, however, some disadvantages that you need to know:

• A fragment already 6 mm wide cannot be cut in this way.
• It is also impossible to chamfer or make curved cuts with a mechanical tile cutter.
• If the cut falls on the edge under the glue or the surface of the material is ribbed, there is a very high probability of chipping.

How to cut a porcelain stoneware angle grinder without chips

Almost every home craftsman has an angle grinder, or an angle grinder. Therefore, it is she who is most often cut porcelain stoneware. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to make such a cut without chips, but it is quite possible to minimize their number. For this, it is very important to choose the right disc. He must have:

• High quality diamond dusting;
• Marking confirming that the device is intended for cutting porcelain stoneware;
• The smallest possible thickness;
• Continuous cutting edge.

Angle Grinder. Potentially dangerous tool, so do not neglect the safety rules. You should take care of the means of protection. The kit includes:

• Respirator, as a lot of dust is generated when cutting.
• Safety goggles to prevent possible eye contact with disc fragments.
• Special clothing.
• Earplugs or ear muffs to protect your hearing from loud noise.

It is not recommended to neglect protective equipment, even if you plan to cut several plates.

Cutting porcelain stoneware tiles correctly with an angle grinder is quite simple if you follow the instructions:

• A ready place to work. On the leveled surface We lay a substrate that protects the base. You can choose Penoplex, Styrofoam, etc.
• We put the part face up on the base, mark the section of the cut on it. So that there are fewer chips, we glue a strip of masking tape on it, draw a cutting line along it.
• We apply a metal corner over the tile along the cut path, fix it with clamps. This will allow you to make an accurate cut. This must be done when cutting products with a large thickness.
• We start the angle grinder. We cut the part at a time, direct it “away from ourselves.” To get an even edge, Cut off the fragment so that the line of the marking is preserved on the product. It will be removed during the sanding process, and the tile will retain the specified size.
• We remove the masking tape, if necessary, grind the end of the part.

If the plate is thin or you do not need a perfectly straight cut, you can simplify your work. The angle grinder does NOT cut, only cut. After which the fragment is broken off with a sharp strong movement.

It is very convenient to use a grinder to cut porcelain stoneware tiles. First of all, because it is the most accessible of all devices that can be applied. They can make cuts of various shapes, including any curved. However, the angle grinder is traumatic, you need to work very carefully. It is very dusty and noisy.

How to cut a glass cutter porcelain stoneware

This is the easiest tool to use. It also gives a minimal effect. With the help of a glass cutter, you can cut off porcelain stoneware, but provided that its thickness is small. This is how wall cladding is most often cut. Glass cutter will NOT cope with floor tiles.

There are two types of tools: with a hard metal roller and with a diamond cutter. The latter option cuts better, but fails faster. Its cost is higher than that of a roller analogue.

With a glass cutter, you can make a straight or figured cut. In the latter case, you will also need special nippers. To cut the tiles along a straight mowing line, proceed as follows:

• We lay the cladding on a flat base. Determine where the cut line will be.
• We take a ruler, lay it along the future cutting line of the cut and press it with our fingers.
• Gently, but with strong pressure, draw the line along the ruler with the tool. Try to scratch a deep enough groove at a time. Otherwise, chips cannot be avoided.
• We put the part on the edge of the table or workbench and press firmly on its edge. So that the cladding splits at the intended mowing line.
• The edge is sanded if necessary.

If you want to make a curvilinear cut, the glass cutter is held by the line. Then you need to take pliers and use them to remove sections of the tile. The closer the cut is to the mowing line, the smaller the pieces should be cut off. The edge with such processing will turn out to be sharp and not quite even, so it must be sanded.

How to cut porcelain stoneware with an electric tile cutter

In the recommendations on how to cut porcelain stoneware tiles at home, you can read that it is convenient to do it with a wet cutter. This is the name of an electric type tile cutter, for which a diamond cutting disc is used. To cool it, water is supplied to the part during the cutting process (hence the name of the device).

There are two types of equipment: with upper and lower supply of tiles. The first ones make the cut as accurately as possible and are more expensive. For household chores, budget devices are more often purchased that feed parts from below.

Devices of any type make it possible to make cuts not only straight, but also curved. To cut a piece of porcelain stoneware tiles, do the following:

• We outline the cutting line.
• Fixing the part to the bed using special clamps. If you have to make a curved incision, you will have to hold it with your hands.
• We start the device. First, we select the minimum disk speed, so the part does not deform.
• By gradually increasing the cutting speed. Make sure that the element does NOT move from vibration.

The cuts made with such equipment are more accurate and better than with a mechanical device. It is especially appreciated by beginners as it is capable of completely leveling the so-called shaky hand factor. In addition, the device allows you to cut fragments less than 6 mm wide, does not generate dust or noise. The main disadvantage of the device. High price of quality models.

Tools for cutting porcelain stoneware

Before determining how and what to cut porcelain stoneware at home, it is worth understanding its features. It is a composite material that successfully combines the properties of natural stone and ceramics. It is made by pressing a mixture pre-fired at high temperatures. The result is a very strong and durable material. During the production process, it can be given a wide variety of colors and textures.

The surface of ceramics is matte, glossy, structured, etc. Consider this when choosing a cutting method.

You can cut a tile fragment using various tools:

• Glass cutter;
• Electric tile cutter (aka wet cutter)
• Mechanical tile cutter;
• Angle Grinder;
• Waterjet cutting attachments.

The latter method is not used in the home workshop, since it is assumed that special expensive equipment is available.

Cut off the plate without chips

Porcelain stoneware belongs to the materials of increased strength. It has virtually no pores, does not absorb water and does NOT crumble. It is very difficult to even scratch it. Therefore, in home craftsmen the question arises of how to cut off porcelain stoneware without chips and is it possible at all. It must be admitted that theoretically this is possible, but in practice it turns out very rarely. often small chips remain on the cut, which account for thin sections.

To keep them as small as possible, experienced craftsmen advise following these recommendations:

• Cut the part from the top side. Most material chips appear where the cutter exits the plate.
• The smaller the thickness of the selected cutting disc of the grinder, the lower the probability of chipping.
• Reduce torch speed at the start and end of the cut line.
• When working with a mechanical tile cutter, the pressure on the lever is stronger than when cutting ordinary tiles.
• Make a cut slightly to the right of the intended mowing line so that it remains on the cut piece. Then it will be possible to remove unwanted chips with a sander.

It is very important that the tool is of high quality and suitable for working with the selected material. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to get a beautiful cut without chips. If, however, they do appear, which happens most often, the defects should be sanded down. You can use sandpaper or a diamond sponge.

The best option. Grinder with special attachment. This is the so-called turtle or flexible diamond circle. They are distinguished by the diameter of the particles deposited on the surface of the diamond coating. The turtle can only work with a grinder, the model of which provides for the ability to adjust the number of revolutions. If it is above three thousand per minute, the nozzle can fly off the wasp.

Manual tile cutter

The cutting element in a manual tile cutter, as in a glass cutter, is a roller, only not a carbide, but a diamond one. When rolling with a pressing force on porcelain stoneware, microcracks form in the surface layer. Then the tile is broken into two parts.

A manual tile cutter is used as follows:

• They check the condition of the tool: it is necessary to make sure that the roller is sharply sharpened and firmly fixed, and the carriage has no backlash. A dull edge and loose feet will affect cut quality. In this case, the is changed. If it dangles from side to side, tighten the mounting screws. When the carriage is jammed, the bearings are changed in the guides during movement or the guides are cleaned, lubricated with machine oil. The same is done in the presence of backlash. It is useful to drop oil on the roller, so that it turns easier and less wear out.
• According to the results of measurements, the cut line is applied to the tile.
• Place the module on the base of the tool so that the roller runs exactly along the mowing line. At the same time, the carriage is installed on the tile with the support legs so that the cutting element does NOT touch it.
• With an effort, he pressed the tile with one hand to the base, with the other they grab the handle of the tool and set the carriage to the working position: the supports are removed and the roller is placed on the tile.
• The roller is brought to the beginning of the cut mowing line and, pressing the handle, roll it modulo from one edge to the other. Constant force and speed are required for a quality cut.
• With the other hand, continue to hold the tile, preventing it from moving.
• Then, the carriage is again installed with the support paws on the tile and, while continuing to hold the module by hand, pressing the handle break it. With a low cut quality, the edge is ground with an angle grinder armed with a stone cutting disc.

Angle Grinder

To cut porcelain stoneware, a diamond-coated cutting disc is also installed on an angle grinder, but designed for dry cutting (dry cutters).

It consists of segments, which improves heat dissipation, but the cut quality deteriorates.

Rules for choosing a disc for cutting porcelain stoneware:

• Thickness. Not less than 2 mm;
• Width of the cutting edge. Thicker tiles (otherwise cut quality suffers).

It matters in which direction the disc rotates. If installed with the wrong side, the cut is of poor quality and the injury risk of the tool increases.

When cutting porcelain stoneware, the angle grinder adhere to the following rules:

• The disc is periodically inspected if chips or other damage is found. Change.
• The tile is fixed with clamps. It is useful to attach a steel strip along the mowing line of the cut with them. Then it will be easier to cut the tiles exactly.
• The operation is performed in one pass. Cutting with a disc is accompanied by the formation of chips and the more passes there are, the higher the percentage of such defects.

The tiles are not cut to size, but with a margin of 2.5 mm. It will allow you to sand the edge, remove chips and cracks. Grinding is performed in a circle over the stone.

If the edge is supposed to be hidden with a plinth or corner and after high demands on its quality are NOT imposed, sanding can be skipped. Also, in this case, it is not necessary to cut the tile completely: it is cut and then broken.

The eyes are protected by glasses, the respiratory tract. Respirator, as a lot of dust is generated. To reduce its amount in the surrounding space during operation, you can use a construction vacuum cleaner. You will need an assistant for this.

Jigsaw

This tool is suitable for cutting thin porcelain tiles. To do this, you need to take a diamond-coated thread.

Waterjet cutting

An expensive installation is used that supplies a thin stream of water (a tenth of a millimeter in diameter) under significant pressure with the addition of crumb from a solid material. The cut is performed quickly and efficiently, but such equipment is available only to large workshops.

Cutting with a manual tile cutter

The tile cutter for porcelain stoneware is only electric. A specialized manual cutter for porcelain stoneware is available. But a good quality manual tile cutter can be used for THESE purposes. Most likely you will NOT be able to find a cheap suitable tool, and if you use one, the output will simply be a broken tile.

Basic requirements for the tool:

Good bed with strong stiffening rib. Otherwise, when the tile breaks, the bed will bend and the tile will riot clerks out of line;

• No backlash in the carriages (usually depends on the thickness of the guides). With use over time, any manual tile cutter begins to play. Therefore, it is not recommended to use old, untested ones;
• The thicker the tile, the thicker the cutter roller diameter should be;
• The carriage must run smoothly. This is achieved by special bearings. A non-bearing carriage can also have a smooth ride, but from experience of use it is not long and unstable, i.e. Once it rolled smoothly, and the next time there is no guarantee any comment.

Choosing a cutting blade

The material is cut only with diamond discs. Diamond blades are produced in two types: solid and segmented. For best results, it is recommended that you try cutting with different cut-off wheels. For cutting porcelain stoneware, there are special features when using both solid and segmented discs:

Solid ones are positioned by manufacturers mainly for “wet” cutting. THOSE. For cutting with cooling water or special fluids. And they are not used for cutting without cooling, as they can quickly fail. However, when the task is to obtain a cut with as few chips as possible, a solid disc may be better suited. This is situational and largely depends on the specific material (quality, thickness, relief, etc.) that is processed;

Solid cutting disc.

Segment cutting disc.

In addition to the type, the discs differ in a whole set of characteristics: the density of the diamond coating, the height of the cutting edge, the thickness of the disc, and so on. It is best to follow the disc manufacturer’s recommendations. The disks themselves usually indicate for what purposes they are used.

For cutting with a hand-held angle grinder, discs less than 2.0 mm thick are NOT acceptable. The height of the cutting edge must be greater than the thickness of the tile (affects the cleanliness of the cut).

What discs are used for cutting tiles

For cutting ceramics, special discs are required, which can be stone or metal with diamond coating. Stone ones are rarely used, as they are rather thick and quickly grind off, and during work they are very dusty. The cost of stone discs is several times less than metal ones, but specialists prefer to work last.

Metal discs can be:

• Solid;
• Segmented.

It is preferable to process ceramics with solid discs. When working with such discs, there is a time limit: they cannot continuously cut for more than 1-1.5 minutes. Then let it cool down while the angle grinder is idling.

Segmented for cutting paving stones, porcelain stoneware, natural stone or concrete.

Straight cut

It is not difficult to master it, at the same time the cutting line turns out to be clean and without chips. When performing the work, the tiles are securely fixed on a flat surface and marked with a pencil or felt-tip pen. The part to be cut should hang freely from the table. The cutting tool is at right angles to the workpiece. Carefully, without jerking, slowly drive the angle grinder along the marked mowing line. The tool should be moved towards you so that the marked line is visible.

Notched neckline

It is often necessary to cut a round hole in a tile. You can do the job correctly with an angle grinder with certain skills. To do this, mark a hole on the workpiece and circle the fishing line with a felt-tip pen, mark the center of the circle. Begin to cut at a slight angle, Take your time, along the inside of the mowing line, gradually going around the entire circumference. Then the sectors are cut through, they are taken out in turn, cutting the ceramics if necessary. Finally, the edges are processed with a file, getting an even circle. Such processing is called dry cutters.

When performing shaped processing of a workpiece, it is easiest to make rectangular cuts. In order for the cuts to be smooth, without chips, it is necessary to regularly change the cutting wheel. If you use segmented discs, then chips will appear on the cut line.

Cutting ceramics

To cut tiles with an angle grinder, you need to master three cutting directions.

How to get rid of dust when cutting tiles

Tile cutting angle grinder. Not very difficult, but it generates a lot of dust. There are techniques that can reduce dust formation. Specialists use special tile cutters for this, but buying them for a one-time job is impractical due to their high cost. Therefore, when processing parts, the craftsmen act differently. First, a layer of glaze is cut through. It almost does not produce dust, the main dust appears when a layer of fired clay is processed. Then it remains to gently break the ceramic tile and process the edges with abrasive materials.

A common way to get rid of dust. Moistening the workpiece. For this, water is constantly poured into the working area with a diamond wheel. After each pass of the tool, fill the seam with water or install a special device for supplying water to the working area. This device attaches directly to the protective cover of the angle grinder. As a result, the workpiece is processed without dust.

Angle 45 0

It is often necessary to make docking, which means cutting the material at an angle of forty-five degrees. This angle can only be obtained with a great workout. But you can use this technique: first, cut the workpiece in a straight line, and then carefully process the edge at the desired angle with a disc, sandpaper or sharpening stone.

Where to cut porcelain stoneware tiles

Oddly enough, but it is precisely the smallest ceramic dust formed when cutting artificial ceramic granite turns into the main problem. At home, it is most convenient to cut the material directly at the place of its laying.

If you plan to cut tiles with a tile cutter, then you can cut out porcelain stoneware in any place suitable for this. The amount of shavings and dust in this case is insignificant, but the performance at home is also small.

For curly cutting or cutting sufficiently thick slabs of porcelain stoneware, you will have to use an angle grinder or machine. You will have to work at home either in the courtyard of the house, or you will have to sacrifice a bathroom or a toilet.

How to cut porcelain stoneware glass cutter

The technology of cutting tile material with the introduction of a manual glass cutter is not much different from the previous method. The only differences are that, instead of a carriage moving along the guides, you have to cut porcelain stoneware with a small tool held in your hand.

In fact, this is ideal if you want to cut material at home. Instead of a frame fixture, a regular table, a metal ruler and the glass cutter itself are used. In order to cut porcelain stoneware, it is enough to lay a ruler on the mowing line of the marking and draw a diamond along the mowing line of the cut.

To break the material, the tiles are laid on the table so that the scratch line coincides with the edge of the table top, pressed on top with a board and with a sharp movement break the material into two halves. For home conditions, there is no easier way, but in order to master the technique, you need to practice cutting on the waste of porcelain stoneware or glass.

The advantage of this method is the simplicity and the minimum amount of equipment required. It is easier to store a manual glass cutter with a diamond at home than a tile cutter. The disadvantage of this method is that it is necessary to learn how to draw a line with a diamond along the markings at a constant speed, and most importantly. Do this continuously, in one motion, while accurately metering the force applied to the surface of the porcelain stoneware.

In addition, it is very difficult to cut glass cutter material without chips, therefore, if possible, it is best to use a diamond, and not a carbide roller.

How to cut porcelain stoneware tiles at home

In terms of technology, there are two main ways to cut porcelain stoneware. For this, you can use various tools and devices, but, regardless of the number and type of technical equipment, porcelain stoneware is still cut in two ways:

• Mechanical spray of ceramic granite massif. In this case, the cutting line is sampled with an abrasive tool;
• Injection method. A deep scratch is cut on the surface of the porcelain stoneware along the future mowing line of the division. Further, a bending or shear force must be applied to the porcelain stoneware, and the tile splits exactly according to the marking.

At home, you can use both methods, depending on the available tool, the amount of work and the thickness of the material. In addition, the complexity of the cut line configuration must be taken into account. For example, if you want to cut a tile that is large enough in size at home, which simply does not fit into the tile cutter, then you will need to look for a diamond cutting wheel and an angle grinder. For cutting at home, this is one of the most reliable ways.

I laid the tiles on the drywall lettering, you can cut the porcelain stoneware with an angle grinder in almost any trajectory, it is only important not to rush and evenly pressing the edge of the disc to the surface of the porcelain stoneware. Otherwise, you can easily overheat the tile at the cut point, which will lead to a pinch.

Professional advice

Oddly enough, but the greatest number of problems arise not even with the drive or the tool used to process porcelain stoneware, but directly with the diamond disc. The main complaint about a diamond is its rapid loss of cutting ability. As a result, with an increase in feed and force, the edge of the wheel heats up and begins to lose diamond powder. If you try to cut at home in this mode for at least 10-20 seconds, then there will be nothing left for an expensive disc.

In this case, before each cut, the edge is cleaned and restored; at home, this can be done on an ordinary red brick by performing several small cuts. This removes the soft material adhering to the diamond strips.

Experienced craftsmen, before cutting porcelain stoneware tiles, soak the material for 10-15 minutes in water. Artificial granite absorbs moisture very poorly, but a small amount of water still remains on the edge of the slab. As a result, the first time the cutting edge touches the surface, a beautiful, chip-free entry hole is guaranteed.

How does porcelain stoneware dust with a circular saw

Porcelain stoneware tiles can be cut and cut without any problems using a more powerful cutting tool, such as a hand-held circular saw. Engine speed and power allow you to cut almost everything at home, from wood to metal profiles.

In order to cut porcelain stoneware, the tool must be retrofitted:

• First, the standard carbide-tipped dust disc must be replaced with a diamond disc;
• Secondly, a bandage ring is placed under the disk mounting, thanks to which it is possible to damp vibrations and uncontrolled bending of a thin and flexible diamond wheel.

Alteration of the saw for porcelain stoneware

The process of sawing material is not much different from working on an electric tile cutter.The only difference is that the engine power is noticeably higher. Therefore, you need to carefully control the supply of the diamond wheel with minimal effort, otherwise the porcelain stoneware quickly overheats and splits.

If you want to cut large quantities of porcelain stoneware, then there is no better option than an electric machine

This method of cutting porcelain stoneware is considered the most productive, but at home it is used for short-term cutting of a small amount of material. You can work only in the yard, in the garage, in the shed, but in no case inside the dwelling. The amount of dust that is generated when cutting even a small amount of material is about an order of magnitude higher than all other cutting methods. The only indisputable advantage of this option is that with the help of a circular and a diamond wheel, you can cut porcelain stoneware at 45 degrees.

Cutting porcelain stoneware tiles at home

Anyone who prefers to make repairs or do minor work with their own hands must have had to cut porcelain stoneware at home. In the first tests, spraying porcelain stoneware tiles is more difficult than in the case of cutting tiles. It turns out a lot of scrap, but in general, the process itself is not much different from working with high-quality ceramic tiles.

The line of the cut should be marked with an allowance for finishing