What is the Best Way to Cut Tiles?

best way to cut tiles

There are different type of tiles such as ceramics, porcelain, cement, stone and terra cotta; ceramic being the most popular. There are also different cuts that can be done on any type of tile: straight cut, curved cut, a hole, a small nip, among others. There are tools to achieve the cut. So what is the best way to cut tiles, you might ask?

It is good to note that all of the tiles, except ceramic, must use the only tool appropriate for them: the wet tile saw. For ceramics, all of the tools listed below will be fine to use. One more thing, tools from 1 to 4 are good for straight line cuts; 5, and 6 are for holes and arches.

For a square hole on any side of the tile, combine 1 and 6 to scour the glazed surface of the tile then chip off small pieces of the square with the nipper then sand the edges; slow work but sure result,

Cutting Tools for Tiles:

  1. Tile Scribe
  2. Contractor’s / Mechanical Tile Cutter
  3. Wet Tile Saw
  4. Hand Saw
  5. Tile Nipper
  6. Power Drill with a Circular Tile Cutter

1. Tile Scribe

This handheld tool, like most cutting blades, has tungsten carbide tip for strength and sharpness retention. After marking the tile and with the use of a guide, put the tip of the tile scribe on the line and put enough force to puncture through the shiny surface.

Repeat the same action until you notice a considerable amount has already been taken off the surface. On the working table, align the notched line along the edge of the table and exert a force on the unusable side of the tile to separate the two; sand the edges.

Pros:

  • Simple actions
  • Clean cut when enough notching is done
  • No electricity costs

Cons:

  • Cut will be not as expected if not enough notching is done

2. Contractor’s Tile Cutter

Using a circular blade this time under the handle of the tool, the tungsten carbide tip of the blade is placed on the line to be cut. Then the handle is pushed forward with enough force to scour the surface deep, much like the same as the tile scribe. You can read our list of the best tile cutter tools if you need to get one.

The clamp then is wound down onto the surface to break the tile along the line.

Pros:

  • Much easier than a tile scribe
  • Cuts clean when notching is done well
  • No electrical cost

Cons:

  • Tile breakage is possible when improper notching is done

3. Wet Tile Saw

This tool uses electricity to operate it and can be placed indoors or outdoors where outdoors is the recommended placement. After cutting the tile, water drips at the front and at the rear and the tile will need some cleaning since dust has mixed with the water.

Expensive models have diamond tipped blades, a small water pump and a water tank. Some models may also not have pumps where you will have to pour manually.

Pros:

  • Cut is very clean

Cons:

  • Very noisy
  • Electrical cost
  • A big batch will be expensive to operate

4. Hand Saw

With a cylindrical blade made of tungsten carbide, this human-powered tool literally weaves its way through the tile. This is not recommended for straight cuts but for arches, symmetrical or not.

Pros:

  • Relatively cheap tool
  • No electrical costs
  • Durable tool

Cons:

  • Resultant cut needs sanding

5. Tile Nipper

Like a tong but with teeth on both ends, the key to the successful use of this tool is to try not to cut more than a “nip” at a time. Patience at the start and careful attention to the amount of tile mass chipped off will surely get you your form.

Pros:

  • Cheap tool
  • No electrical cost
  • Durable tool

Cons:

  • Requires getting used to
  • Time consuming
  • Error prone leading to tile breakage

6. Power Drill with a Circular Tile Cutter

A circular tile cutter attached to a power drill is the best method to make a small or large circle in the middle of the tile. With the circular tile cutter, you can make a perfect hole from 2cm to 9.4cm. It also has a plastic guard to ward off errant fingers.

Pros:

  • Efficient tool
  • Multiple sized holes
  • Fast work
  • Cheap drill bit
  • Hand guard

Cons:

  • Electrical cost