How To Cut Porcelain Stoneware At Home

How to cut porcelain stoneware with an electric tile cutter

In the recommendations on how to cut porcelain stoneware tiles at home, you can read that it is convenient to do it with a wet cutter. This is the name of an electric type tile cutter, for which a diamond cutting disc is used. To cool it, water is supplied to the part during the cutting process (hence the name of the device).

There are two types of equipment: with upper and lower supply of tiles. The first ones make the cut as accurately as possible and are more expensive. For homework, budget devices are more often purchased that feed parts from below.

Devices of any type make it possible to make cuts not only straight, but also curved. To cut a piece of porcelain stoneware tiles, do the following:

• We outline the cutting line.
• Fixing the part to the bed using special clamps. If you have to make a curved incision, you will have to hold it with your hands.
• We start the device. First, we select the minimum disk speed, so the part does not deform.
• By gradually increasing the cutting speed. Make sure that the element does NOT move from vibration.

The cuts made with such equipment are more accurate and better than with a mechanical device. It is especially appreciated by beginners as it is capable of completely leveling the so-called shaky hand factor. In addition, the device allows you to cut fragments less than 6 mm wide, does not generate dust and no noise. The main disadvantage of the device is the high price of quality models.

How to cut porcelain stoneware with a tile cutter

The principle of the tool is somewhat similar to the glass cutter. There, too, there is a cutting roller, which moves along the guides. In addition to it, there is a bed on which the part is laid, a lever and guides. It is very important that the diameter of the cutting element matches the height of the tile.

In addition, when choosing a device, pay attention to:

• The base of the device. The metal from which it is made must be thick enough so that the base does NOT vibrate or sag during cutting.
• Strength of guides and supports.
• Smooth movement of the carriage. It is desirable that this is provided by special bearings.
• No backlash when moving the carriage. If it is available, it is impossible to make a straight cut.

Tile cutters vary in length and it is best to choose a long model. This will make it possible to cut porcelain stoneware of different sizes, not only along the side, but also diagonally.

To cut off a piece of porcelain tiles with your own hands along a straight mowing line, you need to follow these steps:

• Place the tile cutter on a solid, level surface.
• On the product we outline the cut line.
• We lay the part on the bed so that the trajectory of the roller goes exactly according to the outline.
• We perform the cut by pressing on the carriage and move it away from you.
• I release the handle and break the part with strong pressure.
• Grind the cut to remove Possible chips.

Working with a mechanical tile cutter is very simple, even a novice master can handle it. There are, however, some disadvantages that you need to know:

• A fragment already 6 mm wide cannot be cut in this way.
• It is also impossible to chamfer or make curved cuts with a mechanical tile cutter.
• If the cut falls on the edge under the glue or the surface of the material is ribbed, there is a very high probability of chipping.

How to cut a glass cutter porcelain stoneware

This is the easiest tool to use. It also gives a minimal effect. With the help of a glass cutter, you can cut off porcelain stoneware, but provided that its thickness is small. This is how wall cladding is most often cut. Glass cutter will NOT cope with floor tiles.

There are two types of tools: with a hard metal roller and with a diamond cutter. The latter option cuts better, but fails faster. Its cost is higher than that of a roller analogue.

With a glass cutter, you can make a straight or curly cut. In the latter case, you will also need special nippers. To cut the tiles along a straight mowing line, proceed as follows:

• We lay the cladding on a flat base. Determine where the cut line will be.
• We take a ruler, lay it along the future cutting line of the cut and press it with our fingers.
• Gently, but with strong pressure, draw the line along the ruler with the tool. Try to scratch a deep enough groove at a time. Otherwise, chips cannot be avoided.
• We put the part on the edge of the table or workbench and press firmly on its edge. So that the cladding splits at the intended mowing line.
• The edge is sanded if necessary.

If you want to make a curvilinear cut, the glass cutter is held by the line. Then you need to take pliers and use them to remove sections of the tile. The closer the cut is to the mowing line, the smaller the pieces should be cut off. The edge with such processing will turn out to be sharp and not quite even, so it must be sanded.

How and what to cut porcelain stoneware at home: 4 proven methods. Tools for cutting porcelain stoneware

Before determining how and how to cut porcelain stoneware at home, you should understand its features. It is a composite material that successfully combines the properties of natural stone and ceramics. It is made by pressing a mixture pre-fired at high temperatures. The result is a very strong and durable material. During the production process, it can be given a wide variety of colors and textures.

The surface of ceramics is matte, glossy, structured, etc. Consider this when choosing a cutting method.

You can cut a fragment of a tile using various tools:

• Glass cutter;
• Electric tile cutter (aka wet cutter)
• Mechanical tile cutter;
• Angle Grinder;
• Waterjet cutting attachments.

The latter method is not used in a home workshop, since it is assumed that special expensive equipment is available.

How to cut a porcelain stoneware angle grinder without chips

Almost every home craftsman has an angle grinder, or an angle grinder. Therefore, it is she who is most often cut porcelain stoneware. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to make such a cut without chips, but it is quite possible to minimize their number. For this, it is very important to choose the right disc. He must have:

• High quality diamond dusting;
• Marking confirming that the device is intended for cutting porcelain stoneware;
• The smallest possible thickness;
• Continuous cutting edge.

An angle grinder is a potentially dangerous tool, so do not ignore the safety rules. You should take care of the means of protection. The kit includes:

• Respirator, as a lot of dust is generated when cutting.
• Safety goggles to prevent possible eye contact with disc fragments.
• Special clothing.
• Earplugs or ear muffs to protect your hearing from loud noise.

It is not recommended to neglect protective equipment, even if it is planned to cut several plates.

Cutting porcelain stoneware tiles correctly with an angle grinder is quite simple if you follow the instructions:

• A ready place to work. On the leveled surface We lay a substrate that protects the base. You can choose Penoplex, Styrofoam, etc.
• We put the part face up on the base, mark the section of the cut on it. So that there are fewer chips, we glue a strip of masking tape on it, draw a cutting line along it.
• We apply a metal corner over the tile along the cut path, fix it with clamps. This will allow you to make an accurate cut. This must be done when cutting products with a large thickness.
• We start the angle grinder. We cut the part at a time, direct it “away from ourselves.” To get an even edge, cut off the fragment so that the line of the marking is preserved on the product. It will be removed during the sanding process, and the tile will retain the specified size.
• We remove the masking tape, if necessary, grind the end of the part.

If the plate is thin or you do not need a perfectly straight cut, you can simplify your work. The angle grinder does NOT cut, but only cut. Then the fragment is broken off with a sharp strong movement.

It is very convenient to use a grinder to cut porcelain stoneware tiles. First of all, because it is the most accessible of all devices that can be applied. They can make cuts of various shapes, including any curved. However, the angle grinder is traumatic, you need to work very carefully. It is very dusty and noisy.

Cut off the plate without chips

Porcelain stoneware belongs to the materials of increased strength. It has virtually no pores, does not absorb water and does NOT crumble. It is very difficult to even scratch it. Therefore, in home craftsmen the question arises of how to cut off porcelain stoneware without chips and is it possible at all. It must be admitted that theoretically this is possible, but in practice it turns out very rarely. often small chips remain on the cut, which account for thin sections.

To keep them as small as possible, experienced craftsmen advise following these recommendations:

• Cut the part from the top side. Most material chips appear where the cutter exits the plate.
• The smaller the thickness of the selected cutting disc of the grinder, the lower the probability of chipping.
• Reduce torch speed at the start and end of the cut line.
• When working with a mechanical tile cutter, the pressure on the lever is stronger than when cutting ordinary tiles.
• Make a cut slightly to the right of the intended mowing line so that it remains on the cut piece. Then it will be possible to remove unwanted chips with a sander.

It is very important that the tool is of high quality and suitable for working with the selected material. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to get a beautiful cut without chips. If, however, they do appear, which happens most often, the defects should be sanded down. You can use sandpaper or a diamond sponge.

The best option is a grinder with a special attachment. This is the so-called turtle or flexible diamond circle. They are distinguished by the diameter of the particles applied to the surface of the diamond coating. The turtle can only work with a grinder, the model of which provides for the ability to adjust the number of revolutions. If it is above three thousand per minute, the nozzle can fly off the wasp.

There are many ways to cut porcelain stoneware tiles. All of them are quite effective. When choosing the best option for yourself, you need to take into account the availability or availability of Special Tools and your own experience when working with them. If you have the skills, you should think about the Electric tile cutter, it is more expensive, but allows beginners to make even cuts.

Manual tile cutter

In addition to the power tool, there is also a manual tile cutter. Such a tool has the following requirements:

For manual cutting of porcelain stoneware, the tiles should be marked with a building marker and laid on the tile cutter as evenly as possible along the cut line. You need to draw a line with a roller over the porcelain stoneware in one motion, while pressing gently. Next, install the foot on the tile and break it along the line. Grind the cut if necessary. It is not recommended to cut too narrow strips from tiles with a manual tile cutter, since Breaking them off without chips will be problematic. Also, if, when cutting, you hit the ribs on the back of the slab, then, most likely, the oblique mowing line will be broken off with chips. However, with this method, you get a minimum of noise and dust.

Universal angle grinder

Self-cutting porcelain stoneware and embossed ceramic tiles

I must say right away that due to the hardness of porcelain stoneware and its embossed surface, it will NOT work to use a tile cutter for cutting. You can, of course, try, but the result will be shattered porcelain stoneware. For cutting “in a straight line” or figured cutting of porcelain stoneware and embossed ceramic tiles, angle grinders (angle grinder) with a diamond victory disc are used.

Cutting principle of porcelain stoneware angle grinder:

Using a square and a simple pencil on the front surface of porcelain stoneware, markup.

Attention! Marking and cutting on relief tiles and porcelain stoneware are always performed on the front side of the material. Otherwise, if cutting from the back side, unwanted chips may appear on the front side.

Placed the porcelain stoneware on a flat and stable surface, with the initially rotating diamond disc, the angle grinder passes with light pressure once along the drawn mowing line.

Having completed the first surface cut, with a diamond disc, cuts are made at the beginning and at the end of the mowing line for the entire thickness of the porcelain stoneware. These cuts in length are 10-20 mm. They are needed so that the porcelain stoneware does not burst in the corners.

Along the previously made rip cut, pass an angle grinder 3-4 times with a rotating diamond disc until the porcelain stoneware is completely cut.

It must be said that an angle grinder with a diamond disc is also used for cutting smooth ceramic tiles, for example, when it is necessary to perform figured cutting. Depending on the previously developed design project, it may be necessary to cut ceramic tiles along a curve, for example, a cutting line is needed NOT even, but radius. The tile cutter DOES NOT perform such work, since it is designed only for straight cutting in a straight line.

How to cut porcelain stoneware at home. How to cut porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles, marble or glass yourself

When laying tiles on walls or floors at home, at a certain moment, a situation arises when, instead of a whole tile, it is necessary to lay smaller tiles on glue. Let us consider the main technological methods of cutting (with a manual tile cutter, angle grinder, glass cutter) of various types of facing materials, such as ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, artificial marble and decorative glass. Examples will be shown on.

Electric tile cutter

In addition to the universal angle grinder, there are also specialized tools for cutting tiles and porcelain stoneware. electric tile cutters. They can be with an upper or lower motor position, with different power and cutting circle diameter. For porcelain stoneware, it is also recommended to use a diamond disc. Models of tile cutters may differ in such characteristics as cutting depth, dimensions of the device itself and the desktop, the presence of a cooling system, etc.

Some electric tile cutters come with a water pan. Water enters the blade and cools the blade for longer life. This also improves the cutting quality of porcelain stoneware, no chips, etc. It is due to this that the electric tile cutter wins in comparison with the angle grinder.

Laser

Laser cutting of porcelain stoneware is carried out on CNC machines, equipped with industrial lasers with a power of 1 to 40 kW. The laser beam cuts at high speed workpieces of various thicknesses and in any direction. The tile cutting error does not exceed 0.1 mm. Laser cutting machines are used when you need to create a complex figured pattern, notches on steps, cut out panel elements or make even mowing lines for complex joints. It is NOT possible to use such equipment at home, since it is quite expensive.

Cutting methods

Glass cutter

Cutting of porcelain stoneware glass cutter is carried out in the most extreme case, when there is no longer any tool at hand and it is necessary to process 1-2 tiles of small thickness. This attachment will be useless when working with thick and hard material.

The procedure is as follows:

• Marking line is drawn with a marker or pencil on a ruler on a glazed surface;
• He pressed the metal ruler tightly to the surface of the tile, the glass cutter is brought to the far edge of the mowing line;
• Pressing the tool evenly, the cut line is carried out;
• The pressure must be strong enough to cut through the glaze completely;
• The scratched fishing line is tapped with a glass cutter handle from the back side along the entire length;
• The tile is pushed to the edge of the table and the hanging edge is broken off (you can put a nail under the cutting line and, pushing on both parts, break the product).

You need to work carefully, because when cutting such a hard material, sharp notches remain at the cut site, which can get hurt.

How to cut porcelain stoneware tiles with a tile cutter

A tabletop or floor device for cutting all types of tiles is a small frame with rails installed at the top and a carriage with a carbide head. The carriage is driven by a lever or electric drive. Simple and convenient mechanism at home.

At home, the tile cutter turns out to be the most affordable tool for cutting porcelain stoneware

Before cutting the porcelain stoneware, the tiles are laid on the frame and fixed with plastic or metal stops. This is necessary so that the material does NOT move during the cut. Next, bring the head to the edge of the tile to touch and push the lever away from you, the carriage with a diamond or carbide tip travels evenly over the tile surface, leaving deep scratches behind.

There remains only a slight, but sharp movement of the fracture of porcelain stoneware into two parts. One way to cut porcelain stoneware with a hand-held tile cutter is shown in:

• It is very easy and comfortable to cut porcelain stoneware at home, you can master the cutting technique even with minimal experience and qualifications;
• A minimum amount of dust is formed, which is very valuable at home, especially if you plan to lay porcelain stoneware tiles on a small area of ​​the floor or wall.

An electric tile cutter resembles a circular saw for processing and sawing wood. In order to cut porcelain stoneware, you just need to set the size of the cut strip, after which you can saw in unlimited quantities.

Home compact electric tile cutter

The disadvantages of the device include the fact that only material of a certain shape and size can be cut, for example, it is very difficult to cut off a thin strip of porcelain stoneware or make an incision of a non-standard, curved shape.

A thin strip of porcelain stoneware is easier to cut with an angle grinder

How to cut porcelain stoneware with a jigsaw

Quite an unusual way of cutting porcelain stoneware slabs. Using an electric or hand jigsaw to cut very dense and hard material always raises some doubts for beginners. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to cut ceramics and porcelain stoneware with a jigsaw even at home, but only if certain requirements are met:

• The tool must be prepared for cutting porcelain stoneware. A thin, necessarily soft material is glued to the sole, you can use paper or rubber. This is done in order not to scratch or damage the front surface of the plate;
• The second step is to turn off the pendulum vibration-movement on the hacksaw blade feed mechanism, otherwise the saw will cut with chips on porcelain stoneware;
• A special type of diamond-coated hacksaw blade is used for sawing tiles.

In addition, the slab itself must be securely fixed on the countertop with clamps, and a rubber strip must be placed under the porcelain stoneware to reduce vibrations. The method for cutting porcelain stoneware is quite simple and does not require special skills, ideal for use at home. It is valuable that curly cutting of porcelain stoneware is very easy to perform with a jigsaw.

You can also cut tiles with a hand jigsaw, sometimes at home there is simply a second tool, however, it will take several times more time, but it is possible to get a very accurate and high-quality cut. In this case, the side edges of the hacksaw blade are ground off, and emery powder is fed into the seam during sawing.

Curved sprayed porcelain stoneware

It is believed that this method is the cleanest of all mechanized options, which is especially important if you have to work at home, without a hood and vacuum cleaner.

Where to cut porcelain stoneware tiles

Oddly enough, but it is the smallest ceramic dust that is formed when cutting artificial ceramic granite turns into the main problem. At home, it is most convenient to cut the material directly at the place of its laying.

If you plan to cut tiles with a tile cutter, then you can cut out porcelain stoneware in any place suitable for this. The amount of shavings and dust in this case is insignificant, but the performance at home is very small.

For curly cutting or cutting sufficiently thick slabs of porcelain stoneware, you will have to use an angle grinder or machine. You will have to work at home either in the courtyard of the house, or you will have to sacrifice a bathroom or a toilet.

Water cutting of porcelain stoneware

The most efficient and at the same time accurate method of sawing very hard natural and artificial granites is the Waterjet system. It allows you to cut out entire designs and 3D images. The system is powerful enough to cut porcelain stoneware up to 200 mm thick. At home, such equipment is not used for obvious reasons.

Cutting with the introduction of water can be done on a hydromechanical machine. The use of water or water emulsion can significantly lower the heating temperature of the tool and the porcelain stoneware itself. The result is less wear and better surface quality. The emulsion is applied to the edge of the wheel, but not to the surface of the ceramic.

The diamond wheel, mounted on the rotor of the engine, is fed along the guides of the machine along the surface of the porcelain stoneware, the coolant is supplied from a special reservoir directly to the cutting zone. This method is considered the most harmless, since almost all dust is washed off with water and removed from the surface of porcelain stoneware. It is clear that it is possible to cut material in this way if at home it is possible to find a separate room, for example, in a garage or in a barn.

Such machines have very high characteristics and cutting speed, therefore, if you plan to cut porcelain stoneware of complex shapes and sizes at home, then using a hydromechanical machine will be the best option.

Features of cutting porcelain stoneware

It should be noted that the spraying of a very dense and hard porcelain stoneware slab is sometimes even easier at home than in the case of ceramic tiles. Anyone who does not believe can try to cut overheated ceramics made on old Soviet or Chinese equipment at home. In comparison, the spraying of porcelain stoneware tiles does not look so problematic.

It is quite possible to cut porcelain stoneware without chips, although some masters argue that it is impossible to achieve this in principle. If this were really the case, then most of the walls and steps tiled with porcelain stoneware tiles would be with wide seams, curves and unattractive.

It’s not even about the hardness of porcelain stoneware. The technology for the manufacture of artificial granite is such that as a result of pressing and deep firing, material is obtained practically without internal stresses, and this is the guarantee of high quality mowing line sawing.

In order to accurately and accurately cut porcelain stoneware at home, you need to fulfill only two conditions:

• Choose the right cutting mode, ensure constant and uniform pressure with the cutting tool on the line of the cut of porcelain stoneware;
• Choose the right tool for your specific cutting conditions.

It is clear that at home the possibilities for cutting the material are significantly limited, but even in an apartment it is quite possible to cut porcelain stoneware without a tile cutter, although initially the amount of dust generated when working with electric machines is frightening.

How does porcelain stoneware dusty with a circular saw

Porcelain stoneware tiles can be cut and cut without any problems using a more powerful cutting tool, such as a hand-held circular saw. Engine speed and power allow you to cut almost everything at home, from wood to metal profiles.

In order to cut porcelain stoneware, the tool must be retrofitted:

• First, the standard carbide-tipped dust disc must be replaced with a diamond disc;
• Secondly, a bandage ring is placed under the disk mounting, thanks to which it is possible to damp vibrations and uncontrolled bending of a thin and flexible diamond wheel.

Alteration of the saw for porcelain stoneware

The process of sawing material is not much different from working on an electric tile cutter.The only difference is that the engine power is noticeably higher. Therefore, you need to carefully control the supply of the diamond wheel with minimal effort, otherwise the porcelain stoneware quickly overheats and splits.

If you want to cut large quantities of porcelain stoneware, then there is no better option than an electric machine

This method of cutting porcelain stoneware is considered the most productive, but at home it is used for short-term cutting of a small amount of material. You can work only in the yard, in the garage, in the barn, but in no case inside the living space. The amount of dust that is generated when cutting even a small amount of material is about an order of magnitude higher than all other cutting methods. The only indisputable advantage of this option is that with the help of a circular and a diamond wheel, you can cut porcelain stoneware at 45 degrees.

Professional advice

Oddly enough, but the greatest number of problems arise not even with the drive or the tool used to process porcelain stoneware, but directly with the diamond disc. The main complaint about a diamond is its rapid loss of cutting ability. As a result, with an increase in feed and force, the edge of the wheel heats up and begins to lose diamond powder. If you try to cut at home in this mode for at least 10-20 seconds, then there will be nothing left for an expensive disc.

In this case, before each cut, the edge is cleaned and restored; at home, this can be done on an ordinary red brick by performing several small cuts. This removes the soft material adhering to the diamond strips.

Experienced craftsmen, before cutting porcelain stoneware tiles, soak the material for 10-15 minutes in water. Artificial granite absorbs moisture very poorly, but a small amount of water still remains on the edge of the slab. As a result, the first time the cutting edge touches the surface, a beautiful, chip-free entry hole is guaranteed.

How to cut porcelain stoneware glass cutter

The technology of cutting tile material with the introduction of a manual glass cutter is not much different from the previous method. The only differences are that, instead of a carriage moving along the guides, you have to cut porcelain stoneware with a small tool held in your hand.

In fact, this is ideal if you want to cut material at home. Instead of a frame fixture, a regular table, a metal ruler and the glass cutter itself are used. In order to cut porcelain stoneware, it is enough to lay a ruler on the mowing line of the marking and draw a diamond along the mowing line of the cut.

To break the material, the tiles are laid on the table so that the scratch line coincides with the edge of the tabletop, pressed on top with a board and with a sharp movement break the material into two halves. For home conditions, there is no easier way, but in order to master the technique, you need to practice cutting on the waste of porcelain stoneware or glass.

The advantage of this method is the simplicity and the minimum amount of equipment required. It is easier to store a manual glass cutter with a diamond at home than a tile cutter. The disadvantage of this method is that it is necessary to learn how to draw a line with a diamond along the markings at a constant speed, and the main thing is to do it continuously, in one motion, while accurately metering the force applied to the surface of porcelain stoneware.

In addition, it is very difficult to cut glass cutter material without chips, therefore, if possible, it is best to use a diamond, and not a carbide roller.

How to cut porcelain stoneware tiles at home

In terms of technology, there are two main ways to cut porcelain stoneware. To do this, you can use various tools and devices, but, regardless of the number and type of technical equipment, porcelain stoneware is still cut in two ways:

• Mechanical spray of ceramic granite massif. In this case, the cutting line is sampled with an abrasive tool;
• Injection method. A deep scratch is cut on the surface of the porcelain stoneware along the future mowing line of the division. Further, a bending or shear force must be applied to the porcelain stoneware, and the tile splits exactly according to the marking.

At home, you can use both methods, depending on the available tool, the amount of work and the thickness of the material. In addition, the complexity of the cut line configuration must be taken into account. For example, if you want to cut a tile that is large enough in size at home, which simply does not fit into the tile cutter, then you will need to look for a diamond cutting wheel and an angle grinder. For cutting at home, this is one of the most reliable ways.

I laid the tiles on the drywall lettering, you can cut the porcelain stoneware with an angle grinder in almost any trajectory, it is only important not to rush and evenly pressing the edge of the disc to the surface of the porcelain stoneware. Otherwise, you can easily overheat the tile at the cut point, which will lead to a pinch.