When doing any type of ceramic tile work, it is inevitable that you will have to cut and trim some tiles to fit around holes and openings, along edges and borders or the complete part of a design. With the right tools, cutting ceramic tile is fairly simple. In this section, we will show you how to cut straight pieces using the two common tile cutting tools, a Snap Cutter and a Wet Saw.
Snap Cutters are great for making straight cuts. They hold the tile in place, allow to score the cut line and then snap the tile in two. If you do not want to buy one, they can be rented from Home Depot. To make a cut, measure and mark the cutting line on the tile. To ensure you end up with the true right angle, use a combination squares as your straight edge when drawing the line. Set the tile in the cutter and align it so that cutting will rest directly on top of the cut line. Move the wheel away from you to the far edge of the tile supporting the tile to keep it level, lower the cutting wheel onto the edge of the tile and pull it toward you. Apply the light pressure on the handle. Pressing too hard can cause the tile to crack and break. If the tile is more than a quarter inch thick, you may have to repeat the process to score the tile deep enough. Lift the cutting wheel and slide the handle to the center of the tile. Lower the pressing T and strike the handle of the cutter quickly to snap the tile along the scoring line. That is all there is to it.
If you will be doing lots of cutting, a wet saw makes the job fast and easy. They call it wet saw because they use water to keep the blade and the tile cool. It also helps reduce the amount of dust thrown out by the saw. Most wet saws have a sliding table that fits the tile into the over head blade. Always wear safety glasses and use gear protection when you use a wet saw. Since the saw creates a lot of water splatter, an apron is a good idea too. And in anytime you are making adjustments to wet saw, unplug the unit.
As with the snap cutter, measure and mark the cutting line on the tile using a combination square as your straight edge. To help keep your hands away from the blade during the cut, set the fence on the saw so the widest part of the tile is between the blade and the fence. Lock the tile away from the blade and turn on the saw. Holding the tile with both hands, fitted along the fence and toward the blade, move the tile slowly to avoid over heating and cracking. Let the saw do the work and keep your hands away from the blade. When you get to the end of the tile, turn off the saw and then remove the tile.
Nearly every tiling job requires trimming tiles to fit around curves and obstructions. With the right tools and some practice, you can learn to cut curves not just end holes. In this section, we will show you how.
To make a curve cut on a wet saw, mark the outline of the cut on the tile with a greased pencil. Wearing safety glasses and using air protection, make a series of straight parallel cuts from the edge of the tile to the inside edge of the curve. The cut should be about a quarter inch apart. The more cuts you make, the smoother and more accurate your curve will be. Turn off the saw when you are done. Use tile nippers to remove the thin slivers. They should snap off easily.
Finally, use the saw to smooth any jagged edges around the cut by applying sideways pressure on the tip of the blade. You can also make curve cuts with tile nipper. This handy tool nibbles up small bits of the tile. Firmly hold the tile, lay it side up and starting at one end of the curve, use the nippers to bite into the tile gradually widening the cut by nibbling away at it. Now switch to the other end of the curve and repeat the process. Keep alternating sides and work toward the middle until the curve is complete. If you need to smooth any rugged edges left behind, using the brace of stone or rotary grinder.
To cut notches with the wet saw, measure and mark the sides and the end of the notch. Using a wet saw, make a cut along one side of the notch. Rotate the tile, reset the fence and make the second cut to
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