How to Cut Tile Without Dust

How to Cut Tile Without Dust

When laying tiles it is impossible to do without cropping.

For this, various tools are used, including an angle grinder (angle grinder).

How to cut a tile angle grinder. read more about this.

Consider the technology of cutting tiles in more detail.

Is it possible to cut a tile angle grinder

an angle grinder, on the contrary, is a universal tool used to solve many problems, because it is available in almost every household.

And if the homeowner performs the tiling, it is more logical to use this particular tool.

In addition, an angular grinder, unlike a tile cutter, can make round holes if there is no corresponding equipment for a drill. a cylindrical drill (crown) or ballerina.

Which disc to cut ceramic tile angle grinder

Different disks for an angle grinder are oriented to work with this or that material. Several types can be used for cutting tiles. Let’s consider them in detail.

Stone rims

This variety has the lowest cost, but it has two drawbacks: the discs wear out quickly and have a significant thickness, as a result of which the cut is wide.

For this reason, the use of stone discs is relatively rare.

Steel wheels

Steel cutting discs are thinner and more durable. The most expensive varieties have diamond spraying. Such disks cut the most durable type of tile. granite.

Three methods of applying diamond chips are used:

  1. Soldering with silver solder. These diamond blades have the lowest cost, usually used in everyday life. Disadvantage: when heated, silver solder loses its strength and diamond spraying quickly wears out. Therefore, the service life is relatively short.
  2. Geometric closure. The edge of the disk is strongly heated by electricity and diamond powder is introduced into it. With this method of spraying, the service life is significantly increased. The price of the disk, in comparison with the previous version, is higher, but for use in everyday life is quite acceptable.
  3. Laser soldering. Dear heavy-duty wheels capable of cutting materials of any hardness for a long time. Cost. from 9 to 25 thousand rubles. Used in industry.

Discs for angle grinder

Recommendations for choosing a cutting steel disc for ceramic tiles:

  • thickness. no more than 2 mm: then the cut will be even;
  • the width of the cutting edge (diamond spraying) is greater than the thickness of the tile;
  • The recommended rotational speed indicated on the disc corresponds to the rotational speed of the angle grinder.

Segmented Dryers

Segmented disks are commonly called “dry cutters” for their ability to cut material dry, that is, without cooling with water. The circle is divided into segments by radial cuts, providing efficient heat dissipation and free expansion of the metal when heated. Due to this, the time of continuous operation reaches 1 min., After which they pause for 20. 30 seconds. the angle grinder is not turned off for this time. the disk rotates at idle to cool down.

The disadvantage is the low quality of the cut, a large number of chips. If the trimmed edge of the tile remains visible, the cutting is carried out with a margin of 3. 5 mm and then the edge is trimmed with a grinding wheel.

Continuous dry cutters

The wet cutting disc or the solid one, has no cuts for thermal unloading and therefore requires the supply of water to the working area for cooling. Without this, the continuous operation time is only 10. 15 seconds, after which the disk is left to rotate for 20. 30 seconds. idling. Otherwise, the silver solder will weaken and the diamond coating will be erased. Also, overheating leads to deformation of the disk.

Video: How to Cut Tile Without Dust


When water is supplied, the tile can be cut continuously.

A solid disk cuts tiles better than segmented.

Water is supplied to the cutting zone in three ways:

Combination discs

Combined discs allow both dry and wet cutting.

This is the average option:

  • the quality of the cut is lower than that of a solid, but higher than that of a segment;
  • continuous operation time. less than segmented, but longer than continuous.

Combined discs are more easily clogged with dust. And if it is enough to rotate a segmented and continuous disc for cleaning 180 degrees, then with a combined one this is not allowed. For cleaning, they cut concrete or silicate brick.

How to cut a tile angle grinder without chips and dust

In order to reduce the number of chips, follow these rules:

  1. Cutting starts from the front. Most chips are formed when the cutting disc leaves the material.
  2. At the beginning and at the end of the passage, the disk rotation speed is reduced.
  3. Cutting is done in one pass. With each additional pass, the number of chips increases.

Tile cutter from angle grinder

The amount of dust is minimized as follows:

  1. Only a shallow groove is cut, then the tile is broken. When cutting a glazed coating of dust, little is formed, almost all of it is released when cutting the main tile array.
  2. Water is supplied to the cutting zone as described above.
  3. Use a construction vacuum cleaner. They will need an assistant to manage.

Direct cutting

The easiest way is to cut in a straight line. Operating procedure:

  1. According to the results of measurements on the tile, a fishing line is drawn with a marker. It is impossible to make an angle grinder a perfectly even cut, so leave an allowance for trimming with a cylindrical grinding nozzle. If the edge is hidden by the skirting, no cut correction is required.
  2. The tile is fixed face up on the workbench so that the cut part hangs down. A clamp is used, for lack of such, the foot is stepped on the module.
  3. Holding the angle grinder so that the disk cuts from the user, they draw the tool along the line also from themselves, trying to cut in one pass. If the speed of rotation is regulated, at the beginning and at the end of the passage it is reset.

The rotation speed of the angle grinder must not exceed the value indicated on the disk.

Straight cutting

The tile is cut easier if it is pre-soaked for 40. 50 minutes. Porcelain tiles are not soaked.

  1. It is advisable to fix a steel ruler along the cutting line with a clamp. the edge will be smoother.
  2. To make a perfectly even cut, the angle grinder can be turned into a tile cutter. The tool is attached with metal clamps on bolts to a steel sheet with a slot for a disk. Tile to the disc is served with two hands.
  3. If cutting tiles at an angle is required for joining the cladding on mutually perpendicular walls, it is better for an inexperienced master to make an even cut, then grind the excess with a grinding nozzle.

Figure cutting

When cutting tiles along a curved path, for example, semicircular for a pipe, an angle grinder makes a series of short cuts along a drawn line with an allowance for trimming. Then remove excess material with nippers, a grinding nozzle or sandpaper on the bar.

Cutting rectangular holes in a tile

Rectangular openings are recommended to be cut as follows:

  1. Having drawn with a marker the borders of the opening, steel plates are laid out along them from the outside. When moving the tool along the plate, it serves as a ruler, and the perpendicular to it limits the stroke of the angle grinder.
  2. The plates are screwed with clamps or tacked with tape.
  3. A drawn contour is bypassed by an angle grinder, first cutting through the grooves, then gradually deepening.

Hole cutting

  1. Draw a marker with the border of the opening and two lines intersecting at right angles in the center of the cut out figure.
  2. Make an angle grinder cuts along a drawn circle or oval, leaving an allowance for alignment.
  3. Bypassing the boundaries of the opening, make cuts along the intersecting lines.
  4. Knock out the resulting sectors.
  5. Drill with a grinding nozzle or sandpaper wrapped around the bar, trim the edge.

What is the best way to cut a tile: a tile cutter or an angle grinder

The tile cutter cuts the tile more evenly and better than an angle grinder, especially a mechanized one. Such a tool is equipped with a wet cutting disc, as mentioned above. After some training with a mechanized tile cutter, curved cuts can be made. Such an operation is not available to the manual counterpart.

The only drawback of the tile cutter is its narrow specialization, which, together with the high cost, makes it inappropriate to purchase this tool for one-time work.

angle grinder. the most suitable tool for cutting tiles, from the point of view of a home craftsman. The reason is universality: unlike a tile cutter, it can be used for cutting and grinding many other materials. The main thing. based on the above recommendations, choose the right tooling and perform cutting.