A ceramic tile cutter is used to cut a tile to a particular shape and size. These tools come in a variety of styles, ranging from simple hand held tools to more complicated attachments for power saws.
Hand Tools
When ceramic tools of a medium to soft grade are produced in large quantities, they can be easily cut with hand tools. The surface of the tile is glazed and is first scored with a metal wheel attached to a ceramic tool. Applying pressure to either side of the cut while providing support directly under the scored area should enable you to snap the tiles along the score.
Tiling Snips
Tiling snips look like a small pair of pincers with part of the width of the tool removed so that they can be fit in to small holes. These tools can be used to break off small edges of ceramic tiles after they have been scored.
Glass Cutter
A very simple tool to use is a hand held glass cutter. It is capable of scoring smooth surfaces and allowing the ceramic tile to be snapped.
Beam Score Cutters
The twin beam and single beam cutter boards have the following features:
- They simplify the scoring and the breaking functions.
- Adjustable fences for angled cuts and square cuts.
- Fence stops for multiple cuts of exactly the same size.
- The beam(s) are height adjustable to handle different thicknesses of tiles.
- The scoring wheel is easily replaceable.
- They come in various sizes to accommodate tile sizes.
Power Tools
The harder grades of ceramic tiles like fully vitrified porcelain tiles, stone tiles, and some clay tiles with textured surfaces have to be cut with a diamond blade. The diamond blades can be mounted in either an angle grinder or tile saw.
An angle grinder is used for short, sometimes curved cuts. It can also be used for “L” shaped cuts and for making holes. It is used dry most often but can be used wet.
Tile saws are designed to be used with water which serves as a coolant for the diamond blade. They come in different sizes and can be used for angled cuts and square cuts.
