How to Cut Ceramic Tiles with Glass Cutter

Before starting repairs in the bathroom or in the kitchen on your own, it is better to learn how to cut tiles with a glass cutter, because this is a very simple and cheap way. After all, resorting to the help of a master is expensive, as well as acquiring special equipment for cutting tiles. Therefore, with a small front of work, it is better to do everything yourself and with a simple tool. The only thing that is necessary in this case is that you need to be careful so as not to chop the edges of the ceramic product with a glass cutter, and everything will work out.

Stage 1. preparation for work

If you do not comply with the necessary technology for cutting ceramic tiles, you can get ugly chipped products. Therefore, you should carefully prepare for work. You should also take into account the factor of future marriage and purchase an additional 5 tiles in reserve in case you suddenly do not get a quality cut and the processed tiles will curve crookedly.

Before you start cutting tiles, you need to take care of the availability of the necessary tools in advance. For cutting you will need:

• glass cutter;
• metal ruler or corner;
• a pencil for drawing a marking line;
• sandpaper or sandstone for polishing chipped edges;
• work gloves to protect hands from damage against sharp chips.

Glass cutter comes in two variations:

• roller;
• with diamond tip.

A diamond tool for separating ceramics is not suitable, therefore, only a roller tool should be used. The tool must be of high quality. A bad cutter will not cut a groove of the required thickness on the tile, and the break of the product will be uneven.

So that the tile does not crack during the cutting process, it must first be soaked in plain water. Moisture will fill the porosity inside the clay product, and it will become more flexible, lose its fragility. The minimum time for such "water procedures" is 1 hour, but it is optimal to hold 3-4 hours, especially if the tile is large.

To successfully cut the tile, you need to correctly calculate its future size. You should take into account the distance between the tiles and the gap in front of the wall of 3 and 2 mm, respectively. Therefore, from the distance from the edge of the last laid sheet and the wall, you need to subtract 5 mm. this will be the necessary width of the future product.

On a tile soaked in water, it is necessary to measure with a ruler the desired size of the future product. On the glossy side where the glaze is applied, it is necessary to mark with a pencil or felt-tip pen, which is easily removed, the marking of the future notch. It should be noted that you can break off only the edge of the tile, which is not less than 1 cm. Otherwise, you can easily crack the ceramics not along the cut line. Therefore, in such a situation, it is better to grind the excess with an emery stone.

Stage 2. performing ceramic cutting

Cutting a tile with a glass cutter is similar to cutting a glass with the same tool. The soaked and marked ceramic cloth must be laid on a flat hard surface with the glossy side up. In order not to hurt your hands, it is better to wear work gloves. On the marking line, it is required to draw a glass cutter by clicking on it. For accuracy, it makes more sense to use a ruler, corner or template as a guide. Leading the cutting tool is recommended in the direction from the far edge of the ceramic towards you. The pressure on the cutter should be of medium strength, so as to cut the tile and not crush it.

Видео: How to Cut Ceramic Tiles with Glass Cutter

When cutting ceramics, the main thing is to cut through a strong outer layer. You get a smooth, thin fishing line grooves, weakening the strength of the tile. For a thick plate, you need to make a groove on the back side. The groove from the glass cutter remains shallow, it is impossible to cut the tile with a glass cutter. Therefore, a refined clay product must be broken into two parts along the file line.

So that after cutting the tile it turns out high-quality, without cracks, it must be able to break correctly. There are several ways to separate parts of a clay plate:

1. It is necessary to arrange the tile on the table so that the notch line and the edge of the furniture coincide. With one hand you need to hold the edge of the tile left on the countertop, and with the other. gently press on the free part of the ceramic. Thanks to such manipulations, the tile should break gently along the line of the groove.
2. Place a match or a small carnation along the cut line under the tile and lightly press on both sides with your hands. If the cut is made correctly, then the tile will be divided along the line of the groove.
3. If there is a need to break off a narrow strip of tile, then it is better to disconnect it with pliers.

To break even, you need to evenly distribute the force along the entire line of the notch. When separating the parts do not need to raise them high, otherwise they may fall and break. If bumps have formed after cutting, then they can be broken with joiner’s scissors. If necessary, cut the tile not directly, but around the circumference, you need to make a marking with a pencil, make a notch with a cutting tool and carefully bite out small pieces with pliers, forming a recess.

At the end of the work, it is advisable to sand the cutting site with a large fraction emery paper or with a grinding stone. It will turn out a beautiful smooth surface, the cut will look neat and aesthetically pleasing.

Stage 3. the nuances of cutting tiles with a glass cutter, advantages and disadvantages

Special mechanical tools and electrical appliances are much more convenient for cutting ceramic products than glass cutters. But such special devices are much more expensive. Therefore, if tile cutting is carried out at home with a small amount of work, it is more practical to use a glass cutter. After all, it is inexpedient to use expensive tools when you need to cut just a few tiles.

Glass cutter has some advantages over other tile cutting devices:

• affordable price;
• ease of use.

But the use of glass cutter has significant disadvantages:

• It is not suitable for large volumes of work;
• the tool is not able to cut through dense tiles;
• there is a chance to spoil the tile.

Using such a tool is not very convenient. The glass cutter has a small roller that makes shallow grooves. Therefore, it is necessary to break through the tiles manually, because of which there is a risk of cracking the tile or its uneven fracture. Due to such sequential marking, filing and breaking procedures, the entire process of cutting a clay plate comes out rather long and tedious. Therefore, it is not recommended to use a glass cutter for large volumes of work.

Even a glass cutter with its small roller is not able to cut through heavy-duty porcelain tiles. He is also unlikely to scratch a thick floor tile to the depth necessary for breaking. The tool is able to cut only thin wall tiles. Therefore, for large volumes of work or cutting powerful products, it is better to purchase a special tile cutter.