Professional tools for high-quality finishing are always very expensive, but what to do if you need to lay tiles, but buy them just for a couple of square meters. m equipment there is neither money nor desire?
Then the question arises, how to cut ceramic or porcelain tiles without using a tile cutter due to its absence? It is worth warning you right away that this task can be completed, but in order for the cut to be smooth and with minimal chips, strictly follow the technology.
Cutting tiles without a tile cutter: methods and nuances
Ceramic or porcelain tiles are very hard facing materials, similar in many properties to glass. Therefore, the methods of cutting it will be similar. The same glass cutter, but you should immediately warn that not all material can be cut equally effectively even in this way.
For example, tiles with a relief structure will be a very difficult task and sometimes even beyond the capabilities of a glass cutter.
The main task when cutting is to ensure that the cutting side remains smooth and there are no chips. Often the cut edge is placed under a plinth or covered with vertical tiles, in which case you don’t have to worry at all, but feel free to take a grinder with a diamond cutting wheel. But you should be careful with this tool, as you can cut with a lot of chips.
Let's look at the most effective methods for cutting tiles without a tile cutter and with minimal waste. Regardless of what you use to cut or drill tiles, you should always be extremely careful and not make sudden movements. You can accidentally move the workpiece and break the thin element. It is especially dangerous when it is L-shaped and one side is thicker than the other.
It is also important to provide the necessary conditions for carrying out such work. They consist in securely fixing the material so that it does not vibrate or twitch during processing.
Types of Tile Cutting Tools
The tools available for this action can be divided into two types:
- Electrical tools.
- Hand tools and accessories.
- electric tile cutter;
- Bulgarian;
- jigsaw;
- drill with attachments.
Basic types of tile cutting tools
- manual tile cutter;
- glass cutter;
- hacksaw for ceramic tiles;
- wire cutters
And even with the help of a large, banal nail with a fairly sharp end, you can cut tiles at home. The cutting process is actually the same as when using a glass cutter. Let's consider the selection of tools for cutting tiles in more detail.
Tip: to make it easier to cut ceramic tiles, you need to soak them in water for a couple of hours.
First of all, the choice of tools will depend on the volume of planned work. If this is a small adjustment, without complex cuts, then you can get by with a diamond glass cutter; in the case of a large number of cuts (diagonal laying pattern), it is better to use a tile cutter.
Is it possible to cut tiles without a tile cutter?
Considering the many ways to cut ceramic and even porcelain tiles, the answer to the question is whether it is possible to cut tiles without using a glass cutter, we will answer directly, it is possible. But the quality of the cut will be different in all cases, which also depends on the hands of the master who will perform this procedure.
You should also stick to technology. For example, when working with hard facing materials and using an angle grinder with a disc, it is recommended to use water cooling. This will increase the cutting speed and quality significantly.
Some tips about forgotten technologies
Are you going to lay the tiles yourself? Please note that the process is very labor-intensive and will require certain experience from the contractor. Beginners should be given some practical advice: if you use a grinder to cut tiles without a tile cutter, then you should not make sudden movements, because the diamond wheel will damage the part that should remain clean.
Also follow safety precautions, always use personal protective equipment against dust for the respiratory system and eyes. Shards can very quickly and easily damage the cornea, and dust can clog the airways.
Alternative tools and their features
Let's look at the most popular methods of cutting ceramic or porcelain tiles with acceptable quality. These include:
- Grinder with a large disc . There are several types of these tools that can be used to cut ceramics. To do this, buy an appropriate diamond-coated disc. There are several varieties of them on sale, depending on the grain size and cleanliness of the cut.
- Jigsaw . This is a convenient and very practical tool with which you can make a clean cut, but for this, purchase a special tile file. Its advantages lie in its versatility, that is, it is possible to perform curved cuts with a large radius.
- Manual glass cutter . Suitable for cutting smooth glazed tiles.
- Drilling holes with a drill . This is a convenient method, but to obtain a high-quality end after cutting, you need to go through the area with additional grinding tools, for example, a file and sandpaper.
To make round holes in ceramics, a hole saw, a crown, or a ballerina drill are used. Radius bends with small turns are selected manually using tongs or pliers.
We also recommend watching - How to drill tiles in the bathroom: expert advice
Jigsaw
It is difficult to cut tiles figuratively, for example, in a semicircle. For this purpose, it is recommended to use more maneuverable tools. Of course, you can try to do the job with a grinder or glass cutter, but it’s better not to risk the integrity of the material and use a jigsaw.
How to properly cut tiles at home using a jigsaw:
- Draw the marking line with a pencil. If the tile is too dense, it is recommended to first soak it in water and then wipe it dry.
- Install a diamond-coated file onto the jigsaw.
- Start slowly to establish yourself in the furrow.
- Guide the tool along the markings, but do not press too hard. Do not move the tile forward until you have cut through it, otherwise you risk breaking the cutting part.
- Smoothly move the jigsaw to the edge; at this moment it may move to the side, so keep it in the correct position.
Methods for cutting tiles without a tile cutter
Depending on the type of cut, there are several technologies for performing this task:
- Electromechanical - the process occurs using any tool with a crown, drill, disk, stone or other device. In one case or another, everything is done strictly to the line.
- Mechanical – cutting tiles without a tile cutter, namely without the use of electric tools. Based on physical strength and the use of hand tools. These include: glass cutter, pliers, forceps, file.
- Hydromechanical is a cutting method in which the tiles are separated into parts by exposing the area to a powerful jet of water with an abrasive mixture. The thickness of the cut is quite narrow, and the quality of the cuts is high.
Angle grinder grinder
Let's look at how to cut tiles without a tile cutter using an angle grinder. To do this you will need:
- A machine with a diamond wheel of appropriate grit.
- A flat, stable surface to perform work on.
- A ruler or pre-drawn line on the back of the tile.
- A backing for the tile so that it does not wobble or slide during cutting.
- It is advisable to connect a vacuum cleaner, because during operation a lot of dust will be generated.
Once the tile is stable, you can start cutting. You should start from the nearest edge and move the stone so that it hits the face covering. This way, chips will form only on the bottom, while the top will remain smooth. It is convenient to make cuts in the same way.
Jigsaw
Another handy tool for cutting tiles is an electric jigsaw. To use it, you need to purchase special stone files. The peculiarity of using this tool is that it can be used to make curved cuts.
By applying a ruler to the surface of the tile and moving along it, a fairly even cut is achieved, and the end remains with a slight roughness. To avoid chipping, point the saw teeth at the glazed surface and move the tool slowly.
To perform the work, you should use a durable table, securing the tiles to it with a wooden clamp, and the surface should be perfectly flat.
Glass cutter or any pointed tool
This is the most ancient and quite effective method that is still used for cutting glass. With an experienced craftsman and a well-sharpened tool, the end is smooth without bevels or twists. The glass cutter essentially does not cut, but cuts, creating cracks in the upper layers of the tile.
After the strip has been drawn, the tile must be placed on a hard surface along the cut site and pressed onto the edge with a sharp movement. If the facing coating is hard enough, then the chip will be smooth, but if the ceramic is loose, then the unevenness will have to be removed with a needle file.
Round holes
To cut round holes in ceramics or porcelain stoneware, you must use specially designed crowns. They are equipped with diamond segments or coating, which are used for drilling. The diameter of the hole can be any using such devices, ranging from 30 to 80 mm.
If you need to drill more for installation of electrical or plumbing components, then it is better to use a ballerina drill. It consists of a drill on a bracket in the center and two cutters, with regulation of their position relative to the center. A hole saw and diamond bits are also used for these purposes. The principle is the same.
Figured breaking out
Figured breaking in ceramics is not an easy task. To do this, you must first make many cuts with small increments from the end to the figured cut. The smaller it is, the more accurate the bend on the ceramic will be. The cuts are made slightly short of the main line. Afterwards, using forceps, each segment is carefully broken out and unnecessary ceramics are removed with small bites.
Cutting with tongs and cutter
The technology consists of cutting off the main part of the tile with a cutter, like a glass cutter. Afterwards, using pliers, the cut shape is adjusted to the required profile. Finally, the roughness is cleaned up and final shaping is performed. If you try, you get the shape of a hole or cut with the given parameters.
Using a sander to cut slabs
An angle grinder is the most common way to cut tiles without a tile cutter. With its help, you can obtain perfectly even pieces of material with exact dimensions for specific requirements.
It can also be used to trim the profile to the required value. To obtain a quality saw, you must use the correct blade. They are available with integrated teeth-segments made of a high-hard alloy and coated with diamond chips or slurry. The finer the crumb, the better the quality of the end.
Using a Hole Saw
A common method for making round holes for sockets, switches, junction boxes or plumbing equipment. It is a diamond nozzle with a centering drill. It has thickened walls, and on the cutting part there are cutting segments made of diamond or carbide.
The use of sprayed crowns is also practiced. The hole diameter can be up to 80 mm.
Waterjet cutting
A relatively new, but already very common method of cutting tiles and other sheet materials. The principle is based on the effect of a powerful jet of water of small thickness on the material, as a result of which there is no temperature effect on the workpiece, so it will not deteriorate and will not lose its qualities.
Cutting with water and abrasive ensures high quality and accuracy with minimal deviations from the specified parameters.
How to make a rounding?
Often, when finishing walls or floors with tiles, it is necessary to make a rounding on the element. To get it, you need to use figured cutting technology. It consists of small cuts at small intervals to the required bend line, slightly short of it.
Afterwards, using end cutters, small fragments are broken out and the bend is trimmed with small bites. You can finally bring the detail to mind using a needle file.
Can I use a jigsaw to cut ceramic tiles?
The advantage of this tool is that it creates a perfectly accurate and even cut, and also makes it possible to cut into very complex shapes.
- The electric jigsaw works quite quickly, and the quality of the cut is quite satisfactory. Speed and accuracy depend on the grain size of the file - the higher it is, the greater the speed, but the worse the quality of the cut. A fine-grain jigsaw blade for ceramic tiles cuts cleaner, but slower.
- Usually a jigsaw , but for particularly critical moments, where a cut of a very complex shape and high quality is required, a hand tool is used. Its speed is several times slower, but the quality is much higher.
- It should be taken into account that any jigsaw can only be used with low-density wall tiles . A jigsaw is not suitable for porcelain floor tiles.
So, how to cut tiles with a jigsaw?
- Prepare a work space - a flat table on which most of the tiles to be cut will be located, clamps for securing the tiles, a marker or pencil for marking.
- Soak the tiles in cold water for 1-2 hours.
- Start cutting ceramic tiles at low speeds, using medium pressure.
Cutting with a jigsaw
When working with a manual jigsaw, the technology remains the same as with an electric one, but cutting is done manually, with a special diamond-coated file and much longer. In general, working with a jigsaw takes more time, but at the same time gives an excellent result.
