After carefully selecting your desired tile or ceramic, considering various aspects, it comes time for installation. Usually, tile installation consists of several steps including underlayment, leveling surfaces, cutting tiles, and installation. Cutting is an important step during installation, and a mistake in this phase can not only cause disarray in the tile layout but also lead to excessive breakage. Therefore, we have dedicated this article to tile cutting methods, detailing this task alongside mentioning the method for cutting ceramics. Join us to learn more.
Tile and Ceramic Cutting with a Tile Cutter
The method of cutting tiles with a tile cutter is as follows:
- - Marking : In this step, using a square and aligning its horizontal edge with the tile edge, we can draw our tile or ceramic cut line. It is worth mentioning that using a tile cutter is an excellent method for cutting a high number of tiles or various ceramics, such as porcelain façade ceramics.
- - Using a Tile Cutter: Now, you no longer need the square, just place the tile or ceramic in the cutter tool. Make sure the cutter is clean, then press the tile against the surface and correctly position the cut line under the blade.
- - Cutting with a Tile Cutter: Gently press the wheeled part of the cutter so that the wheels are on the tile edge. The pressure applied to the cutter handle should be uniform; otherwise, it could cause the tile to break. If you hear a scratching sound from the device, it means the cutting has been done correctly.
- - Splitting the Tile: With the help of a ceramic cutting machine and gently hitting the cut piece, separate it. If you want to make a delicate cut, like a book match ceramic cut, you can use a thin, flat piece of wood under the part being cut for a cleaner result.
- - Sanding the Edges: In this method of ceramic cutting, like the previous one, we use a finishing pad as sandpaper to polish the edges.
Tile and Ceramic Cutting with a Grinder and Disc
The method of cutting tiles using a wet saw is as follows:- - Marking : To do this, use a square; a special type of ruler typically used for drawing vertical and straight lines, consisting of two main blades forming a 90-degree angle. Marking involves first aligning the square's horizontal blade with the bottom edge of the tile. You can use a pencil and the square's vertical edge for drawing the guideline. This method is suitable for small jobs that only require cutting a few tiles and is not applicable for cutting curves or corners.
- - Guide Lines: This step is almost the same for all types of tile and ceramic cuts, with the only difference being in cutting with a grinder and disc due to the proximity of tiles and ceramics to water, which might erase the guide lines. Therefore, darker lines should be drawn, or waterproof pens like markers used so that water has less effect on the lines, or lines drawn on adhesive paper stuck to the tile to prevent them from being washed away. If you need to cut a large number of tiles and ceramics, using a grinder and disc is suitable, and cuts can be made in vertical, horizontal, or even oblique directions with this tool.
- - Setting Up the Wet Saw: The operation of the grinder and disc may vary depending on the model, so read the instructions on the box before using it.
- - Cutting Tile with a Wet Saw: For a proper cut, do not apply too much pressure on the saw or tile, and be careful to keep the blade covered with water during the cut. For this, a sprayer (filled with water) can be used. It is also recommended to cut the tile thickness in three stages, each deeper than the last, until the tile is completely divided in the final stage.
- - Polishing the Edges: You can easily remove the roughness of the tile edges with a finishing pad.
Tile and Ceramic Cutting with a Water Jet Machine
This method, which can be performed semi-automatically or fully automatically, involves placing the tile on a machine table with a special rubber coating and then cutting with a disc installed on the machine along with water poured from a nozzle on the disc edge at the cutting site.
Curved Tile and Ceramic Cutting
The method for cutting ceramic or tile in a curved shape is as follows:
- - Drawing Curved Lines: To cut tiles and ceramics in a curved shape, you should use a template. You can draw the desired curves using ready-made circle templates or flexible sheet templates, or if you prefer not to use them, you can use round objects like cans to draw the guide lines.
Conclusion
One of the important steps in tile and ceramic installation is cutting. If not done correctly, not only will tile wastage increase, but the outcome will be unsatisfactory and unattractive. There are various methods for cutting tiles, including cutting with a diamond blade, cutting with a cutter, cutting with a wet saw, and curved cutting with a tile nipper. In this article, we have explained these cutting details in depth.