Cutting Ceramic Tiles

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It is inevitable that tou need to cut some ceramic tiles at some point if you want to make that new en-suite bathroom in your loft conversion look its sparkling best

Of course we would all like to find that perfectly square wall or floor that precisely conforms to the size of tiles we have purchased.

But, lets face it, whether you are remodelling an existing bathroom or tiling a new loft conversion it ain't going to happen!

Nevertheless, cutting the tiles to size is quite easy if you have the right tools and the right amount of patience of course.

The Right Tools For The Job

For soft floor tiles such as vinyl or cork than a sharp stanley knife is all you need but for ceramic wall tiles and quarry floor tiles something more robust is needed.

Wall tiles are brittle and, once they are scored, they are relatively easy to cut.

Because of this it is possible to use a wheeled tile cutter together with a ruler and get satisfactory results but personally I would always recommend a cutting jig - especially for heavier wall and all ceramic and quarry floor tiles.

The best cutting jigs are those that are fitted with a tungsten-carbide cutting wheel and are mechanically operated with a lever that makes cutting ceramic tiles easy.

Electrically powered cutting tools are also available but really only make financial sense for a professional who will be using the tool daily.

Apart from the cutting jig you will also need a pair of pincers, or nibblers, which are invaluable when you are dealing with irregular shapes or a tile saw that can cut circular shapes out of floor tiles. Especially handy when tiling around a WC.

Finally a hard tile file or very coarse sandpaper will be needed for filing down the tile edges after cutting.

Using A Cutting Jig

Mechanical cutting jigs are very easy to use and good fun as well!

Begin by using a pencil and ruler to mark the face of the tile where the cut needs to be made. The tile is then placed against the barrier of the jig and the wheel is pushed across the surface of the tile to score it along the pencil line.

Finally, place the tile into the jaws of the jig (there should be a mark on the jig with which to line up the scored line) before pressing down hard on the lever to snap the tile in two. Job jobbed!

For more info see the related pages below

Choosing The Best Tiles For Your Project

Thoughts On Tiling Your Loft

Tired Of Cutting Ceramic Tiles? Why Not Plan Your New Bathroom?