How to cut tiles with a tile cutter: proper operation and safety precautions

There are several rules regarding how to cut tiles with a tile cutter. The instrument is quite simple, but it is important to learn how to feel it. When working, the characteristics of the material should also be taken into account. Practical recommendations and useful tips are described in this article.

Which tile cutter is suitable

To understand how to use a tile cutter, you first need to understand which tool is suitable. All appliances are divided into 2 classes - household and electrical. The latter are more powerful and are used mainly for industrial purposes.

As for household ones, these are hand-held devices that are suitable specifically for home use. There are 3 classes of such instruments:

1. With cutting roller – these are often used in conjunction with a saw station.
2. Another way to properly cut tiles with a tile cutter is to use devices on bearings. They are well suited for ceramic products whose thickness exceeds 16 mm.
3. Mechanical ones are equipped with a rigid carriage, which allows for more precise cutting.

It is important to understand that all of these models can cut a strip from the edge that is at least 10 mm wide.If you need to understand how to properly cut tiles with a manual tile cutter so that literally a few millimeters remain, you should use nippers. They provide more accurate results.

How to use the tool

The main question relates to how to work with a tile cutter. This is a fairly simple procedure that requires minimal skills. The work is carried out in several stages, which are described in detail below.

Preparation

The main way to use a tile cutter correctly is associated with the preparatory stage. Before turning on the device, you should make sure that it is working properly. Most often the roller suffers. Its surface must be perfectly smooth - if there are nicks, replacement is required.

First, the device is inspected to make sure there is no dust or dirt. All components of the mechanism are tightened using screwdrivers. If you haven’t used it for a long time or you’re not sure, lubricate the carriage with machine oil.

Marking

Before cutting the tiles with a tile cutter, you need to mark all the fault lines. To do this, determine the desired size in advance and draw a line with a special marker or pencil.

cutting

The next stage is the actual cutting. To do this, the blade is placed directly above the line and passed along it to the end. If you need to cut a small edge (up to 10 mm), you should understand how to use a tile cutter and nippers. It is he who will help in such cases.

Before cutting and during this process, it is recommended to proceed as follows:

1. An hour before work, cover the tiles with a wet towel or other cloth. Thanks to this, the material will crumble less, and chips will practically not appear.
2. Ensures the immobility of the die.
3. The cutting part is placed directly above the intended fault line.
4. Next comes the main stage - you need to feel how to work with a tile cutter.
5. The cutter is placed at the very beginning of the line.
6. Applying a little force, move it along the surface of the ceramic. At the same time, it does not have much movement, where to direct it (toward yourself or in the opposite direction). You need to work in a way that is convenient for you.

After this, it is not difficult to figure out how to use an electric tile cutter or a manual device. Next, as soon as the cutting element passes the entire strip, the operator carefully presses the lever. After this, the product splits exactly along the line.

Formation of round and figured cuts

The simplest method of how to properly work with a tile cutter involves a straight, even cut. But in practice, it is often necessary to perform other operations, for example, a figured or round cut. One example is installing an outlet in a tile.

For such cases, a diamond core bit, also called a core drill, should be used. If you need a more complex cut of a figured type, use several devices at once. To do this, take a set of cuts - you will need straight and round types. If you need to cut along a broken line, use a grinding machine. You can also use a grinder.

Features of cutting porcelain stoneware

It is clear how to cut tiles with an electric or manual tile cutter. But a material such as porcelain stoneware is much stronger than classic tiles. Therefore, hand-held instruments are practically not used for it. It is best to use electric devices. Otherwise, you will have to figure out why the tile cutter breaks the tiles.

For the job, it is better to choose a tool with a high-quality cutting element made of high-quality steel. But even with such a device it will not be easy to work, so a lot of effort is required. Moreover, a handheld device will also come in handy. It is used to form straight cuts on a porcelain stoneware product. The result will be good if the tile thickness does not exceed 15 mm.

Features of cutting tiles

As a rule, in domestic conditions you have to work with tile blanks. They cover the walls in the bathroom and kitchen. If we talk about how to properly cut tiles with a tile cutter, the principle will be exactly the same. But it’s worth considering that compared to classic ceramics and especially porcelain stoneware, tiles are noticeably more fragile

Therefore, you need to properly feel how to use a tile cutter. When working, use less force to prevent the surface from cracking. But at the same time, they must be sufficient for the workpiece to break exactly along the line. If the groove is shallow, an even break will not be achieved.

Another important point is that cutting tiles with a tile cutter is done only once. Even if the groove is shallow, it will not be possible to move the cutter with high precision in the same place. Therefore, it is worth purchasing tile blanks with a small supply and practicing 1-2 times. This is the basic preparation rule that allows you to understand how to cut correctly with a tile cutter.

You can work with tiles using different tools. Often, a grinder or tongs, or a glass cutter are used for these purposes. But it’s better to figure out how to cut tiles with a tile cutter. The tool allows you to draw a straight line exactly at the specified location.This allows the tile to break along the groove and will look beautiful in the bath, kitchen or other spaces.