How to cut tile angle grinder correctly; technology overview
If you have an angle grinder, then cutting the tiles will not be a problem, you just need to master the technology. How to cut tiles with an angle grinder, we will consider in the publication.
Cutting rectangular holes in tiles
Rectangular openings are recommended to be cut like this:
- Having drawn the boundaries of the opening with a marker, steel plates are laid out along them outside. When moving the tool along the plate, it serves as a ruler, and the perpendicular to it limits the stroke of the angle grinder.
- The plates are screwed on with clamps or tacked with tape.
- Bypass the drawn contour of the angle grinder, first cutting the grooves, then gradually deepening.
Segmented dry cutters
Segmented discs received the common name "dry cutters", for the ability to cut material dry, that is, without water cooling. The circle is divided into segments by radial cutouts that provide efficient heat dissipation and free expansion of the metal when heated. Due to this, the time of continuous operation reaches 1 minute, after which they pause for 20 – 30 seconds. The angle grinder is not turned off for this time – the disk rotates at idle for the purpose of cooling.
The disadvantage is low cut quality, a large number of chips. If the trimmed edge of the tile will remain visible, the cutting is carried out with a margin of 3 – 5 mm and then trim the edge with a grinding wheel.
How to cut tiles with an angle grinder without chips or dust
In order to reduce the number of chips, the following rules are followed:
- Start cutting from the front. Most of the chips are formed when the cutting blade exits the material.
- At the beginning and at the end of the pass, the disc rotation speed is reduced.
- Cutting is performed in one pass. With each additional pass, the number of chips increases.
Tile cutter from angle grinder
The amount of dust is minimized as follows:
- Cut only a shallow groove, then break the tile. When cutting the glazed coating, little dust is generated, almost all of it is released when cutting the main array of tiles.
- Water is supplied to the cutting zone, as described above.
- Use a construction vacuum cleaner. An assistant is required to manage it.
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.
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.
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.
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. They begin to cut at a slight angle, slowly, along the inside of the mowing line, gradually passing along 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. This processing is called a dry cutter.
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, chips will appear on the cut line.
Cutting porcelain stoneware
When performing repairs, not only walls are faced. The floors in the bathroom and toilet are covered with porcelain stoneware tiles, an artificial material that replaces granite and marble. Its cost is several times less than natural, but in terms of hardness and abrasion, porcelain stoneware surpasses them. Recently, it has become widespread. It can also be cut with an angle grinder.
To do this, you need to know the basic methods of processing material at home.
- Choose the right cutting tool. It should say what it is used for: porcelain stoneware, hard ceramics, etc.
- To reduce chips, choose a disc with a continuous cutting edge. The thickness should be minimal.
- Choose a cut-off wheel with a high diamond coating height.
- The angle grinder must have a speed controller.
After choosing the tool, prepare the workplace and start cutting the porcelain stoneware with an angle grinder. To do this, you need to perform the following steps.
- Place the material on a flat surface with thin foam or similar material underneath.
- Fix the tiles securely to the surface with clamps.
- To reduce chips, glue masking tape and make markings along which you need to cut off the excess part.
- Prepare a vacuum cleaner to remove dust.
- You need to cut from the front side, moving the grinder away from you.
- It is recommended not to cut along the marked mowing line, but slightly to the side. This is done for the subsequent grinding of the end of the porcelain stoneware to remove irregularities and chips.
Following these simple recommendations, you can cut the floor tiles with your own hands.
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 generate a lot of dust. The cost of stone discs is several times less than metal ones, but experts 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.