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How To Cut Tiles: A Guide to Cutting Tiles

When tackling a DIY tiling project, you’ll probably need to make a few cuts! Here’s how to cut tiles – a quick step by step guide for cutting tiles…

How To Cut Tiles: A DIY Guide To Cutting Tiles

We’ve put together a thorough guide on how to cut wall and floor tiles. Our professional tiler will show you which type of cutter to use for which type of tile, and will take you through the cutting process.

A quick introduction to tile cutters

When tackling a tiling job, at some point or another, you’re going to have to cut some tiles. You’ve got two choices of the type of cutter that you can use. There’s the manual tile cutter, and there’s the electric tile cutter.

The manual tile cutter is simply the case of a scoring wheel that is on a rail, and once you’ve scored the tile, you use a snapping action to actually snap the tile in half. This would be used for ceramic and porcelain tiles – and potentially porcelain tiles that are of a thinner variety.

The electric tile cutter / wet cutter would be used for cutting things like natural stone and the thicker variety of porcelain. Ideally, due to the mess that can be created when using the wet cutter, it is best to use them outside.

How to Cut Tiles: Marking your cut line

To find out where a cut is needed on a tile, simply turn it over, offer it up to the gap (so that part of it overhangs the tile already fixed in place), and mark the top and bottom edges of the tile. Extend these onto the surface of the tile. This will be the line you will cut down. Remember to take into account the grout joint you will need.

how to cut lines marking line

Pre-cutting safety preparations – gloves and goggles

Before you cut the tile, you need to make sure you’ve got your safety wear on to protect your hands and eyes from sharp shards of ceramic or porcelain that might shoot off whilst coming. Put on your goggles and a pair of protective gloves.

How to use a manual cutter

In the video, our tiler is working with ceramic tiles, so he is going to use the manual cutter.

When using a manual cutter, simply place your tile onto the cutting bed. Line up your two marks on the tile in line with the cutting bed. Once you’re happy with this position, use the scribing wheel to score the top of the tile. Once you’re at the top of the cutter, simply use the small snapping arm to place over the top of the tile, and apply gently pressure to the arm. This will then snap the tile cleanly.

how to cut tiles

How to use an electric cutter

When using an electric cutter, keep the machine turned off at all times, apart from when you’re using it. Put the tile into the cutter, taking into account the width of the blade. Turn the cutter on, and gently push the tile into the blade – along the line you wish to cut. A wet cutter can also be used for curved lines. This will give you a nice, clean cut, and your tile is ready for fixing in place!

how to cut tiles electric cutter

There you have it – how to cut tiles, with an introduction to manual and electric tile cutters. If you found this guide useful, check out the others below…

Walls and Floors
Walls and Floors