Knife for cutting ceramic tiles. Quick cutting of ceramic tiles with your own hands at home. Ceramic cutting options

When choosing how to cut ceramic tiles, you need to decide on the upcoming amount of work and its type. A tool that can easily cut wall tiles will not work on floor tiles. Radial cut requires other devices than simple cutting.

Ceramic tiles, which are usually used for wall decoration, are relatively soft. Therefore, its cutting, in comparison with other types of this finishing material(floor or facing tiles) is not particularly difficult.

Glass cutter: conventional and oil

If you want to make a quick cut ceramic tiles in a small amount, it is most convenient to use a roller glass cutter. Working with this tool is easy. We lay the tile on a hard and even surface, make markings with a marker. We roll the glass cutter along the intended line, pressing evenly, towards ourselves. A visible stripe should remain on the surface. After that, we break the tile along the incised line. To do this, we put under it small object- a match or carnation, and gently press on both sides.

If you use oil glass cutter, cutting ceramic tiles will become even more convenient.

The handle of this tool has a reservoir into which a mixture of kerosene and engine oil is poured. Flowing through a special channel, this mixture falls on the roller and greatly facilitates the cutting process.

The advantages of the tool include the speed of work, low price and ease of use. At the same time, with a glass cutter, it is difficult to process a large number of tiles at a time.

With a large amount of work, a more suitable tool for cutting ceramic tiles is a manual tile cutter. It consists of a base, guide tubes and a cutting element.

To work, place the tile inside the device. Move the cutting roller away from you, while trying to keep the pressure even. When finished making the cut, click on the handle to break the tile.

Pluses of a tile cutter: it is convenient to work, use of the lever reduces efforts, cutting of a ceramic tile turns out more exact.

Cons - the tool is not universal, it cannot cut strips less than 5 millimeters wide. The edge of the fault sometimes turns out to be uneven, and it has to be sanded by hand.

How to cut floor tiles

outdoor ceramic coating has a high hardness coefficient and exhibits more high requirements to the instrument. When choosing the best way to cut ceramic floor tiles, stop at one of the options discussed below.

If you are looking for a way to cut ceramic tiles quickly and efficiently, then use an electric tile cutter.

An electric ceramic tile cutting machine consists of an engine, a platform on which a cutting element is fixed (most often a diamond-coated disc) and a container of water. In some models, the disc is partially submerged in water, in others, only the cutting area on the tile is wetted. This principle of operation reduces the amount of dust, protects tiles from cracking and extends the life of the cutting disc.

Electric tile cutter - universal tool. It is suitable for cutting ceramic tiles of any hardness; makes straight cuts, with smooth edges that do not need additional processing; cuts pieces of tiles less than 5 mm wide. In addition, it can be used to make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees, as well as a hole or recess.

When deciding how to cut ceramic tiles, keep in mind that a good electric tile cutter is a rather expensive tool.

Such an acquisition makes sense only if you plan to use it regularly.

Bulgarian

The main advantage of this method is that cutting ceramic tiles with a grinder does not require special skills and is available to a non-professional. The principle of operation is very simple: we connect to the network, press the start button and, after the disk picks up the desired speed, we cut “away from ourselves” according to the pre-applied markings.

Cutting ceramic tiles with a grinder with a diamond wheel installed

It is advisable to cut ceramic tiles with a tool that has the ability to adjust the speed. It is recommended to work at a speed not exceeding 3.5 thousand rpm. With more high speed ceramics begin to crack, and hot chips and dust fly in all directions at great speed.

You should also not use discs designed for cutting metal. Choose from concrete discs or diamond discs (unsegmented).

The grinder is an inexpensive and easy-to-use tool. But it has several significant drawbacks. First, when cutting, it forms great amount dust and splinters. Secondly, the edges of the tiles are not very neat. They have to be processed additionally: remove jagged edges with wire cutters, process the cut with a file and sandpaper.

Also, despite its simplicity, this tool requires careful handling. In order not to harm yourself during work, you need to know how to cut ceramic tiles correctly. Always hold the tool firmly in your hands so that there is space in front of cutting disc was free. Be sure to use safety goggles, gloves and a respirator.

Figured cutting of tiles

During repairs, it may be necessary to make holes in the tile for pipes, hoods or sockets. It may also be necessary to trim tiles to fit around a toilet, sink with a foot or door architraves. Below we will consider how to cut ceramic tiles in these cases.

Deciding how to cut ceramic tiles to get a hole of a certain diameter? Choose a circular ballerina drill for this job. The distance to the cutter is manually adjustable, and you can set any diameter that you need.

To make the hole neat, use a special drill stand while working. With the help of one ballerina, you can make up to 20 holes in the tile.

In conditions minor repairs Curly cutting of ceramic tiles can be done with wire cutters. This simple tool allows you to create your own cutouts. different shapes. You should bite off from the edge. If the tile is glazed, then the size of the pieces should be minimal.

A common disadvantage of these methods is that no matter what the ceramic tile was cut with, the edges are uneven.

Curly cutting requires good tool skills and experience with ceramics.

In addition, some tasks that arise during repairs are difficult to solve without the help of a professional tool. In this case, you have to look for where you can cut ceramic tiles so that the work is done efficiently, at a professional level.

If you need professional cutting of ceramic tiles, the price for all types of work is usually indicated on the website of the company providing such services. After reviewing the price list of several companies, you can choose the option that suits your budget.

When laying the tile, it is necessary to cut it, adjusting the cladding to the geometry of the surface to be trimmed. There are several devices, different in design complexity and ease of use, with which ceramic tiles are cut.

Ways to cut tiles yourself

Sometimes home craftsmen, pursuing various goals (saving money or testing their own capabilities), decide to tile this or that surface on their own. Having calculated the symmetry, having learned to guess the level and direction, the craftsman reaches the corner on the wall or the edge of the floor, and here the problem arises - how to cut ceramic tiles at home, when there are tools at hand and no more. Buy special device, or do with the existing arsenal? Let's consider how to cut tiles.

cutting grinder

Probably every owner of a household or apartment has this power tool. The thing is indispensable in many situations - by changing the nozzles (circles), you can sharpen, cut, grind something. There will be no problems with cutting tiles. It does not matter what power tool, under what diameter of the working disk is designed. It is easier and more convenient to use a small angle grinder, but a powerful grinder with a large circle for linear cutting is quite suitable. It remains to choose the right replacement nozzle.

Ceramic tiles, including porcelain stoneware, so popular for flooring, are cut with discs according to:

• concrete;
• brick;
• ceramic tiles.

But neat cut with a small number of chips, only a special circle for tiles will provide, which is distinguished by a solid surface (without slots on the disc) with a diamond coating on working surface. It will cost a little more when buying, but a small overpayment is worth it. The tile disc will provide low vibration when cutting ceramics, therefore, a smooth cutting edge with minimal damage to the decorative coating.

If the cutting edge of the tile is hidden, and the quality of the cutting edge does not play a big role, a circle on concrete is quite applicable. Other nozzles (for wood or metal) cannot be used. This is not only ineffective, but also fraught with serious injuries. Also, you can not shoot with angle grinder protective cover, protecting the master from small ceramic fragments formed when cutting tiles. It will not be superfluous to protect your eyes with a special screen or glasses that come with most angle grinders sold.

How to cut tiles at home with an angle grinder? Everything is simple.

1. We mark the cut line (for glazed tiles or polished porcelain stoneware, use a permanent marker - a pencil on a sliding surface does not work).
2. We lay the tiles on a flat base, inferior in hardness to ceramics (a board, a piece of drywall or OSB will do) “face up”.
3. Lightly fix the tile so that it does not move when cutting.
4. We cut through the front layer (done without pressure on the tool) on the side of the drawn line with an offset away from the desired fragment.

Then there are two ways. Cut the tile with a grinder to the full thickness, or break off an unnecessary fragment by laying the trimmed tile on the edge of a table, workbench or similar improvised item. In the first case, the cutting edge will be even throughout the entire thickness of the tile body, but there will be a lot of dust when cutting. The second method is practically dust-free, but you will have to additionally trim the “teeth” that form when the tile breaks. This is done with the same grinder or file (if you want to bring the quality of the cutting edge as close as possible to the factory one).

Cutting with a manual tile cutter

A bed with a cutting roller driven manually by a lever is a manual tile cutter. In addition to the listed parts, the fixture has a metal protruding strip, two guides along which a lever with a “knife” slides, and a double-sided “foot” that breaks two parts of the cut tile. The device is simple, but effective - a manual tile cutter will divide tiles up to 10 mm thick without problems. Chips are minimal, the accuracy of the cut depends on the quality of the tool.

Having purchased a tile cutter for $ 10, you should not hope for the ideal geometry of the cutting edge. Over time, as the tool wears out, the tool becomes worse, making the cutting edge further from the ideal. But such a device for cutting tiles is suitable for one-time work on a small amount of cladding with your own hands.

For long-term use, a manual tile cutter is purchased, the price of which exceeds $ 50. There are high-quality guides, minimal play of the cutting roller and decent operational durability. When working with tiles, the tool is effective, it can cope with floor tiles, but porcelain tiles are too tough for a tile cutter. The device will not overcome decorative tiles, frieze, having a structured front surface. Now about how to cut ceramic tiles with a manual tile cutter.

1. We spend necessary measurements, draw a line on the front surface of the tile.
2. We lay the tile on the bed of the tile cutter so that the line coincides with the metal ledge (there are additional indicative marks on the tool).
3. Using the lever, with one movement of the cutting roller, we make a cut in the decorative layer of the tile.
4. We break the tile by pressing a double-sided foot.

First time cutting tiles Not everyone succeeds with a manual tile cutter. To adapt to the tool, it is better to "sacrifice" one facing element and practice on it, cutting it into several parts.

In the video, an experienced master tiler demonstrates how to cut tiles with a manual tile cutter, the possibilities of a device for cutting ceramics, and the rules for caring for a tool:

Tile cutter

This tool is suitable for straight line cutting of ceramic tiles if the volume of the cladding is small. With large-scale finishing work, more advanced devices are used. Tile tongs are an advanced roller glass cutter, additionally equipped with a double-sided foot that breaks the notched tile (as in a manual tile cutter). In another way, this device can be called a primitive manual tile cutter, where there is no frame. Trim the excess with tongs in the following sequence:

• • we draw an indicative line on the "face" of the tile;
  • we compare the construction ruler with the marked segment;
  • along the ruler with uniform pressure we draw with a roller, which is equipped with tongs;
  • we put the tile with the incised glazed layer between the working levers of the tool so that the groove on the tile is between the legs of the tongs, with force, but smoothly, we close the handles

Advice. So that when the tile is broken with tongs, the edge comes out even, place the cutting groove strictly in the middle of the tool legs and perpendicular to them.

diamond glass cutter

The simplest cutting of ceramic tiles at home is done with a glass cutter. If there is no tool with a diamond working part, a roller glass cutter will do. Cutting a tile along a curved line with a diamond or a roller will not work, it will be tedious to work with such a tool with large volumes of cladding. But for slow laying in small areas, a glass cutter is quite suitable. The advantage of this tool is its affordability (2-3 dollars), - the purchase of a glass cutter will not shake even a modest family budget. If the question arose about how to cut ceramic tiles at no extra cost, a glass-cutting diamond is exactly that.

Cutting tiles with a glass cutter is easy. The process is similar to working with tile tongs, with the difference that the tile is broken at the edge of the table (as described in the section on cutting tiles with a grinder).

With a firm hand, a diamond glass cutter can be replaced with a conventional concrete drill for a drill or puncher with a victorious tip.

Hacksaw for metal

From this tool for cutting tiles, you only need a frame. The usual canvas is detached, instead of it a string with a diamond or victorious coating is attached, which is designed to cut off fragments of the tile. Cutting porcelain stoneware, especially floor tiles, in this way is long and painful, but ordinary ceramics can be cut without much difficulty. The advantage of a diamond string is the possibility of accurate curvilinear cutting of tiles, although special tile files for electric jigsaws are now being produced for this purpose.

To cut the tile along the reference line, the tile is placed on the edge of the desktop and the ceramic is cut with a hacksaw like any other material. The process of removing an excess fragment is lengthy when compared with a manual tile cutter or grinder, but the cutting edge comes out much better, without chipping the glazed layer. A hacksaw with a string sprayed with victorious crumbs is often used by professionals when you need the most even cut, but there is no “wet” electric tile cutter at hand.

Electric tile cutter

Most professional tool for cutting ceramic tiles - electric tile cutter. There are several types of such devices. The simplest mobile electric tile cutter is similar an ordinary grinder with a modified shape, making it convenient to hold the tool with one hand (equipped with an ergonomic handle). Additional options This device includes a dust collector (or a sleeve for removing dust), water supply to the surface being cut. Mobile electric tile cutters can cut tiles, natural stone tiles, wall, floor and technical porcelain tiles into parts. But, nevertheless, the quality of the resulting straight cutting edge when using this tool is not comparable to the factory one.

To completely close the question of how to cut tiles, the purchase of a stationary electric tile cutter will help. The tool is equipped with a bed on which the ceramic tile that needs to be cut is placed. Cutting element - steel abrasive wheel with diamond coating, similar to those used in grinders. The cut is made from above or below (similar to a woodworking "circular"). A mandatory functional feature of such electric cutters is the supply of water to the cutting element. During the top cutting, the coolant is supplied to the cutting disc through the supply pipes. Tile cutters similar circular saws, easier - the pan with water is under the bed, and the cutting wheel, when rotated, scoops up water from the tank itself.

Tile work will not do without cutting tiles. It is always necessary to trim individual tiles, but how do you do it?

The article will reveal the main options for how to cut a tile. You will learn what tool is needed for this and how to use it.

Tile cutting tool

All tools for cutting ceramic tiles are divided into two groups: manual and electric.

Hand tools include:

• tile cutters
• glass cutters

More electrical appliances

1. bulgarian or ushm
2. electric drill
3. jigsaw

In addition to the tool used for repairs, there is special equipment. This includes tile cutting machines.

What tool and fixtures to choose?

The choice of cutting tool is determined by many factors:

• Do you need curly cutting. The tile cutter will cut off a strip of 2 cm wide without any problems, but the tool will not cope with curly tasks.
• Scope of work. For cutting one tiles fit and Bulgarian, but put large area tiles without a tile cutter is problematic.

  note

  Please note that layout options vary. Diagonal layout will require more pruning.

• Household nuances: are there any restrictions on the noise level of work. The tile cutter is a silent tool, but there will be a lot of noise and dust from the grinder. At home, this is of great importance.
• Financial opportunities. good tool is not cheap. In addition, the tile cutter cannot be called multifunctional. It will not work for any other job, so decide if you need an expensive tool for one time.

Cutting tiles with a tile cutter

A mechanical tile cutter will cope with ordinary ceramics. The roller cutter will be the cutting element. It is mounted on a horizontal bar, which is controlled by the tiler while cutting tiles.

The advantages of the method include:

• quiet operation, no dust;
• fast cutting of material;
• a neat cut that can be additionally passed with sandpaper.

How to use?

Only one deep cut is made. If you run the wheel over the tile several times, you will get a lot of grooves and you will not get a neat cut.

Bulgarian - a worthy solution to the problem

The tool, which is commonly called the "grinder", is called angle grinder - angular Sander. Bulgarian suitable for cutting ceramic tiles different thickness, including for porcelain tiles.

To cut the tiles with a grinder, you need a special disc. Watch the video

Use diamond-coated metal wheels: they will last longer than others and provide a smooth cut.

Pros and cons of the method

1. Possibility curly cutting tiles.
2. Fast cutting.
3. Precise cut.

1. Lots of noise and dust.
2. The diamond-coated disc wears off quickly and needs to be replaced.

How to use?

We cut tiles only with front side to reduce the number of chips and small cracks. Before starting work, prepare workplace. The tile should lie on a flat base, and the circle should have a diamond coating.

If the coating is worn out, cutting off the tile will not work; you will only damage it. Ushm is held vertically, and cut away from you. During operation, do not press hard, otherwise the tile will crack.

Do not forget to ventilate the room so as not to work in dust.

Electric drill

An electric drill with various attachments is often used to cut tiles and drill holes. Holes are needed in tiles to hang shelves, hooks, decor elements. Holes of larger diameter are made for sockets, switches, to bypass pipes, etc.

Keep the following in mind when working:

You need to work at low speeds, so the drill must have a speed control function.

The use of a special tile drill, which is commonly referred to as a “feather”, as well as a set of diamond-coated bits will speed up the process.

When working, you need to remember about your own safety. Glasses and gloves will protect against cuts and chips in the eyes. The cut edge of the tile is sharp and dangerous.

First, mark up with a marker. Start at low RPMs, then gradually increase RPMs. Do not press on the tile so that it does not crack.

We use a jigsaw

Jigsaws are either mechanical or electric. We will focus on the consideration of the mechanical model. The tool will provide a smooth cut and safe cutting. Such a jigsaw is made in the form of an arc with a handle. Located on the arc cutting blade- a special string with notches.

How to cut a large hole in a tile with a jigsaw, see this video

With a mechanical jigsaw, you can carefully make a curly cut. The process is laborious, but the beautiful result is worth the effort. It is reasonable to use the method with small amounts of work and in the absence of another tool for cutting tiles.

Electric jigsaws are equipped with abrasive files that will quickly cut through ceramics and will remain “in service” for a long time.

other methods

If you need to bite off a small fragment or trim the cut, use ordinary wire cutters. A simple but problematic way. Don't try to bite off too much.

Mark a circle or draw a line along which you need to bite off the tile. Then carefully remove the excess fragments with wire cutters.

Important. Work with gloves to avoid cutting yourself on the sharp edges of such a cut.

If there is no special tile drill or diamond-coated bits, a concrete drill with a pobedit tip is suitable for drilling a hole. Sharpen it so that the drill is sharp and better through the layer of glaze.

Make sure that the drill is not on the jackhammer function, otherwise you may deform the tile. Work carefully, do not put pressure on the drill, so that the tile does not crack under pressure.

For drilling holes large diameter, use diamond-coated crowns, but sometimes they are not at hand. Use conventional drill on tiles.

Draw a circle, and drill smaller holes in this circle. Then, with wire cutters, remove all fragments of the tile.

Professional cutting equipment

Professional equipment is not affordable for a modest tiler, it is more often used for industrial purposes or by employees of a large construction organization.

Professional equipment differs in configuration and type of cutting:

laser machine. The cut is performed by a laser beam, which breaks through tiles of any thickness and texture. The advantage of the machine is that it can cope with tiles of any thickness, density and relief, and as a result, an even cut will be obtained without edge melting.

Waterjet cutting method. Most often used for making mosaics. Under high pressure, a jet of water with abrasives exits the nozzle. This pressure is enough to cut through ceramics.

Frazier. Tile router to cope with dense and durable materials, even with natural stone. The cut will be even and neat.
For a small repair, such special equipment is not needed, but you need to know about all the possible options.

Outcome
Cutting tiles can be done with a tile cutter, grinder, jigsaw and special equipment, for example, laser machine or a cutter. Each of the options has its own advantages, so it's up to you to choose.

Depending on the amount of work, financial capabilities and other features, you will choose a tool for cutting tiles.

The tool can be manual or electric.

Hand tools include tile cutters, or their ancestors - glass cutters.

Power tools can be universal, designed for various operations (angular Grinder, jigsaw, electric drill) or special. Special tools include tile cutting machines.

What to consider when choosing a tool

Factors that must be taken into account when choosing a tool can be both technical and purely domestic.

To technical nuances can be attributed:

• the need for curly cutouts of ceramic tiles;
• the need to trim the end of the tile at an angle;
• the need for internal cutouts or curved lines;
• unevenness of the front side of the tile and others.
• amount of work required.

Household factors include the following:

• the need for silence;
• the need to cut tiles without dust ;
• availability of free space;
• free Money other.

What tool to use

Let's review from cheap tool options to more expensive ones.

If there is no need for complex trimming, and the tile has a flat front surface, it is quite possible to do hand tool. For those who do not have any special tool in their arsenal, a glass cutter can serve as the cheapest option. Cutting rates will be minimal, the same can be said about quality. But if the amount of work is not large, and you are determined to keep costs to a minimum, you can start with it and look at the results. If the quality suits you, you can stop there. If you do not have basic knowledge and basic skills in using a glass cutter, then the question remains, how to cut ceramic tiles?

It is worth considering purchasing a tool that can facilitate and speed up the process of cutting tiles. Here it is important to take into account the possibility and necessity of using this tool in the future. For example, the use of a manual tile cutter is limited to this operation only. In other areas, you will not be able to use it. And if you do not plan to do this business regularly in the future, buying this tool is unlikely to be justified.

However, for home needs, an angle grinder (grinder) may well come in handy. Depending on the cutting wheel, it can cut metal, wood, brick, concrete, and ceramic tiles. The purchase of this power tool will be fully justified.

Alternatively, can be used. It is also applied to cutting various materials. Its advantage is the ability to cut along curved lines. Such a need arises when you need to bypass plumbing connectors, sockets and other protruding elements with tiles. For this, you will need to purchase a diamond crown.

A grinder can also cut curved lines, but with relatively large bending radii. In that case, decide , the better to cut tiles, you can experiment or have the ability to perform the necessary trimming.

The disadvantage of using an angle grinder (grinder) will be increased noise and the presence of dust. The jigsaw will also make some noise, but there will be much less dust.

For a person who plans to professionally engage in this type labor activity, the acquisition of both a manual tile cutter and various power tools will be relevant. It is worth considering the option of a machine for cutting tiles, the price of which can range from several thousand to several tens of thousands of rubles.

Ways to cut tiles

Exist various ways cutting ceramic tiles. First, we suggest watching a video on how to cut ceramic tiles and listen to the opinion of experts.

tile cutter the fastest and easiest option for cutting tiles in a straight line. First, a cut line is marked on the tile (with a pencil or a thin marker). The tile is inserted into the tile cutter and the edge perpendicular to the cut is pressed against the stop bar (on the side farthest from you). In this case it will even cut under 90⁰. The lever with a diamond cutting roller is pressed against the near edge of the tile and is carried out with a uniform movement to the opposite side. Then the lever must be pressed (not hard). The tile should break along the cut line. If it doesn’t break, you need to once again walk the roller from yourself to the stop and press it down again.

If necessary, irregularities are removed on the face resulting from cutting. This can be done with a spatula or other metal object sufficient hardness.

Video: How to cut a tile. cheapest tile cutter

Now let's discuss how to cut tiles without a tile cutter

glass cutter. After you have passed the glass cutter along the cut line, the tile must be laid on a flat surface. Under one edge of the cut line, place a small diameter nail parallel to the cut line. On the one hand, we hold the tile with our hand, on the other hand, we press down with a level or rule. This method allows good craftsmen cut strips with a width of 15 millimeters.

Video: Cutting tiles with a glass cutter

Bulgarian. This method has a number of advantages over manual tools. Using a grinder, you can cut relief tiles . After marking the cut line, the tile must be placed so that there is no support under the cut line, as the cutting wheel will fall below the tile. It is also desirable that the tile does not lie on a hard surface, but on rubber or hard foam. These materials will dampen possible vibration.

Video: we cut porcelain stoneware with a grinder

How to cut tiles? For cutting with a grinder, there are special circles for cutting ceramic tiles. Them cutting edge does not have cuts or waves that are on circles for brick, concrete and other materials. Also, diamond coating consists of smaller particles. These two factors contribute to cutting with much less chipping. It is important not to exceed the diameter of the circle provided for your grinder, and use a protective cover.

Video: overview of diamond blades for cutting tiles

Electric jigsaw. This tool is mainly used if there is a need to cut holes inside the tile for protruding elements. To do this, a line is preliminarily marked, then a hole is drilled inside with a diameter exceeding the size of the nail file, and a cut is made from this hole with a smooth approach to the intended line.

Video: File MPS HM for cutting ceramic and glass material. How to cut with a jigsaw

Tile machine. Which disc to cut ceramic tiles on the machine? For the machine, a circle from a grinder may come up. However, the advantage of the machine is that it can cut without dust if wet cutting is applied. In this case, a wet cutting wheel is needed, which has the appropriate designation.

The history of ceramic tiles goes back thousands of years. AT Ancient Rome it was widely used to decorate the palaces of the nobility, and in Ancient Greece- temples. Ancient masters created huge panels and amazing wall ornaments from multi-colored tiles.

History is silent about what tools were then used to cut tiles, but the fact that they knew how to cut them masterfully is beyond doubt. And since tiles are still made today from the same materials as in ancient times, by firing a specially prepared mixture of clay and sand in a kiln, the methods of cutting tiles that exist today have their roots in ancient times.

Why do you have to cut tiles?

Fulfilling Finishing work, it is impossible to do without cutting off some part of the tile to be laid. After all, no matter how hard you try to choose the size of the tile in such a way that it fits exactly, without a trace, on the plane of the wall or floor, the mathematical probability of such luck is very close to zero.

But even if you are fabulously lucky, then in this case, the presence of gas, water and sewer pipes, as well as exhaust openings, window and doorways will still force you to fit the tile to get around these obstacles.

Therefore, undertaking to lay the tiles yourself, be sure to familiarize yourself with the technique of cutting it and purchase the tools and fixtures necessary for this work.

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Tile cutting tools

Tools that can be used to cut tiles are conventionally divided into two types - professional and adapted. When choosing how to cut tiles, you need to focus primarily on the amount of work performed.

Professional tilers in their work use special tools for cutting tiles. But their work is expensive, and if the volumes are not very large, it is not economically feasible to purchase them. Moreover, it is possible conventional tools that can be found in any home master, or which are not so expensive, and therefore it is not so expensive to purchase them.

You can cut tiles with the following tools:

• glass cutter;
• grinder;
• a special hacksaw for ceramics;
• special ring nozzle for tiles;
• manual or electric tile cutter.

A glass cutter is a hand-held roller tool designed to cut glass. Its roller is made of a very hard alloy capable of leaving on glass deep scratch. Tolstoy floor tiles you won’t cut them, but it copes satisfactorily with a thinner wall. But still it is not suitable to perform large volumes similar works.

Manual tile cutter appearance It resembles ordinary tongs, but it works a little differently. In the tile cutter, the tile is fixed by clamps in a static state, and then, using a special roller, an incision is made in the right place. Such a cut can be made to a greater depth than with a glass cutter. This allows you to cut not only wall tiles, but also thicker floor tiles. When choosing a manual tile cutter in a store, keep in mind that it is better to take a tool with a metal corner rather than a plastic one, since the latter, although much cheaper, does not do well with cutting floor tiles.

An electric tile cutter is similar in design to a manual tile cutter, but is a more powerful tool. It easily cuts tiles of any thickness, and is also able to cut thin strips, which is problematic to do with a manual tile cutter, and even more so with a glass cutter. The advantages of an electric tile cutter include the almost complete absence of dust when cutting, as well as the minimum amount of waste.

However, the price of a good electric tile cutter is very high and, with small amounts of work, can exceed the total cost of the rest of the repair. Therefore, it is mainly purchased by construction companies.

A special hacksaw for ceramics looks like a regular hacksaw with a removable stretching blade. However, the very tightly has a special tungsten carbide coating. Working with this tool is characterized by exceptionally even and smooth cuts that do not require additional grinding.

The hole saw is produced in the form of a ring nozzle with teeth, which is mounted on an electric drill. Designed exclusively for cutting round and semicircular holes in tiles for pipes, hoses or taps. The inconvenience of working with hole saw The fact is that both the tool itself and the tile during cutting are very hot and require periodic cooling, for which they have to be dipped in a container of cold water.

Bulgarian is a well-known universal tool. The grinder cuts not only tiles, but even porcelain stoneware products. It is functional for all operations when cutting tiles: cutting thin strips, cutting grooves and curly cutting edges. But working with a grinder has a significant drawback: when cutting tiles with it, a very large amount of ceramic dust is obtained, so you can resort to the help of a grinder only when all other tools do not do the job or are not suitable for the price.