How to Prevent Chipping When Cutting Tiles

If you ever try to tile a floor or wall yourself, you may be faced with the issue of chipped tiles. This is very frustrating and can cost quite a bit of money as once the tile is chipped it is often of no more use. You may be wondering then if there is a secret to tiling of which you are not aware. After all, surely tilers don’t have to worry about this issue. Well, according to the experts at Devour Tools (https://devourtools.com/), having the right blade can help. In fact, using strong diamond blades could be the key.

Which Tool to Use?

There are a few ways to cut tile, and the type of tile you are cutting will usually determine which tool is best. For strong porcelain tiles, a powerful saw fitted with a diamond blade is a great choice. It is important to use a wet saw when cutting tile to minimize the dust, but even this can result in chipping.

Some people will use a glass cutter if they only have a few tiles to cut as it is cheaper to buy than a larger wet saw. An angle grinder fitted with a diamond blade is also useful for cutting tiles. You could, of course, cut the tiles manually with a snap cutter. Remember though that a snap cutter can only cut in straight lines.

Preventing Chipping

Whatever tool you use to cut the tiles, there is still a risk of chipping. Porcelain tiles tend to be more prone to chipping than ceramic ones, so it is important to take care when making cuts. If you are using a wet saw, make sure that the water tank is full and make a shallow cut initially. The cut should be less than half the depth of the tile. The glazed side of the tile should be facing the blade and the shallow cut should be made slowly and steadily. You can then go back and cut the tile again going right through this time.

If you are using a snap cutter, you will need to mark the line on the tile and line the wheel up with the mark. Move the wheel across the tile without too much pressure. Do this two or three times and then push the slide right to the end so that the wheel is not on the tile. At this point you can apply gentle pressure on the tile and it should break neatly where you have scored it.

Notching the tiles before cutting is something that many tilers do as it helps to prevent chipping. To do this you will need to place the tile blade on the tile and then mark the point where you want to put the notch. The glazed or patterned part of the tile should face the blade. Once the saw is on, push the tile towards the blade until you have made a notch (1 inch is good for small tiles and 2 inches for bigger ones). You can then turn the tile over and cut through from the notch.

Conclusion

Chipping is a common problem when cutting tiles. It is important that you use a blade capable of cutting cleanly through this hard material, such as a diamond blade. However, the method for cutting tile will vary depending on the tool you are using. Some people like to make shallow cuts in the tile first before cutting right through while others will notch the tile at one end first. Wet cutting with a good quality blade will also help to minimize waste when it comes to cutting tiles.