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.
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.
How to cut ceramic tiles with a nail?
- If there is no special tool for cutting tiles in the house, and at the same time there is a need for such work, how can you cut ceramic tiles? A regular nail may be suitable for this purpose.
- The nail must be at least 100 mm (one hundred square meters) and of appropriate thickness. Old Soviet steel nails are more suitable, but in any case, one nail is only enough for 5-7 tiles, then it needs to be replaced.
- And yet, you can only cut wall tiles with a nail, but not porcelain tiles.
The technique of cutting with a nail is not much different from similar work using a glass cutter or cutter:
- A line is drawn along the front side of the tile using a nail and a metal ruler (slat).
- The cut should be smooth and as deep as possible.
- You can make 1 more cut from the back side of the tile, but maximum accuracy must be observed.
- The tile is carefully broken along the cut line in the usual way.
- Most often, the cut line needs to be cleaned and sanded.
Using a nail
As you can see, there is nothing complicated, but it’s still better not to abuse it this way. It is quite tedious, and the quality of the cut is not very good; a lot of effort will be spent on finishing.
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
Bulgarian
This tool cuts any material, including metal and porcelain stoneware. For this purpose, a diamond-coated nozzle of suitable grain size is used.
The most popular and used device
How to cut tiles using a grinder:
- Attach the dry cutting disc to the tool and check the quality of the connection.
- Mark the cutting line on the tile.
- Work only on the front side to avoid chipping.
- Secure the tile to the work surface so that it does not move, but does not interfere with anything.
- Start from yourself. Hold the tile with one hand. Guide the disc slightly to the side of the mowing line marking.
Using a grinder, you can easily cut an L-shaped or simple figured fragment.
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.
Tile cutter-tongs
A very convenient tool is a tile cutter. With its help you can cut in almost any conditions. The tool itself looks like pliers. At one end there is a cutting wheel.
Thus, it is similar to a glass cutter that is combined with a wire cutter. At home, such a device is often simply irreplaceable. It is inexpensive, but at the same time it is quite justified in small volumes of work. Actually, all this work is reduced to a minimum:
- along the marking line they are drawn with a cutting wheel mounted on tongs;
- The lips of the forceps are brought to the edge of the product;
- the plate of the tongs is placed on the front surface of the tile, and the central part is installed above the furrow;
- The tongs apply gentle pressure, after which the tile breaks off evenly.
This tool does its job much better than a glass cutter . But it is also not easy to cut thin strips with its help. To do this, in any case, you will need more complex and expensive equipment.
