When laying ceramic tiles, it will not be possible to do without cuts. Moreover, they can be straight or curved, in the form of a circle. Each type of work requires a certain type of tool. At home, you can use a grinder or an angle grinder. But in order to make high-quality cuts, you need to know which grinder blade to choose for ceramic tiles. It is also advisable to familiarize yourself with the features of using this tool.
The process of cutting tiles with a grinder requires certain skills
Which disc to cut ceramic tiles with a grinder
There are many types of grinder blades that are suitable for cutting ceramic tiles. However, you should immediately stop purchasing cheap equipment, since their service life is short and their use can be dangerous.
Important! How smoothly and without chips the cut will be made depends on the correct choice of disk.
Stone discs
The most budget option, but in terms of reliability it is inferior to all other types. When using it, the cutting thickness will be much thicker, and a lot of dust will be generated during operation.
During use, you need to monitor the condition of the stone circle. And as soon as chips appear on it, replace it.
Steel wheels
This is the most reliable and durable type of equipment for an angle grinder. The steel wheels have a diamond-coated edge. And their service life depends on its intensity.
Using a steel disc on tiles for an angle grinder, you can make straight and shaped cuts without much difficulty.
Segmented dry cutters
This type of equipment is distinguished by the fact that its surface is divided into identical segments. And the cutting edge is coated with diamond.
Thanks to the slots, the disc is able to partially cool during use. This increases the duration of continuous operation to 1.5 minutes. After this, you need to let the tool cool, moving it to the side and keeping it idling for 30 seconds.
Segmented blades are for dry cutting only
Solid dry cutters
This is a solid circle with diamond coating applied around the edge. This equipment is convenient for processing tile edges. After using a solid disc on tiles for an angle grinder, the edges of the material are as smooth as possible.
To cool, it is recommended to periodically wet the tiles and also spray them with a spray bottle.
Combined disc models
This type of equipment is suitable for dry and wet cutting. But unlike segmented ones, they are inferior in terms of cooling, and solid ones do not produce such a high-quality cut.
Important! The disadvantage of combined types of equipment is that they quickly become clogged with small dust particles, and only concrete and sand-lime brick can be used to clean them.
Diamond wheel
To perform complex types of work, it is recommended to use this type of equipment. Its peculiarity lies in a special coating, which consists of small particles of industrial diamonds applied on top of a metal base. This allows the disk to withstand increased loads.
Some tips
In order for the wall or floor covering to look neat and without chips after cutting to the required size, you need to approach the cutting and cutting process responsibly. To ensure the smoothest possible edge, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- It is always necessary to cut tiles from the front side - this reduces the chance of chips and cracks forming on the outer edge, but only when working with a high-quality cutting disc.
- Do not immediately immerse the cutting disc deeply into the body of the material. First go through the glaze, and only after that you can start making a full cut.
- Be careful when lowering the rotating disk to the cutting surface so as not to accidentally damage the glaze.
- There is no need to apply force when cutting, the weight of the grinding machine is quite enough for a neat cut, your task is to stick to the desired direction.
How to choose the right disk
When choosing equipment for working with ceramic tiles, you need to take into account the complexity of the work and the thickness of the material. It is recommended to use steel circles with laser-brazed diamond coating, as well as with positive locking. These types can withstand increased loads and have a long service life.
To obtain a smooth edge when cutting ceramic tiles, you should choose discs with a thickness of no more than 2 mm, and with a cutting edge width greater than the thickness of the material.
Types of diamond-coated discs can withstand increased loads
How to cut tiles with a grinder without dust and chips
The main disadvantage of using an angle grinder to cut tiles is that a lot of dust is generated. This makes the job much more difficult. Therefore, experienced builders recommend initially sawing the glaze layer with a grinder. In this case, practically no dust is released. And only then break the ceramic tile along the cut.
Also, when using an angle grinder, chips often appear. Therefore, in order to saw off ceramic tiles with high quality, it is recommended to reduce the speed when entering and exiting the material. And also start sawing a little to the right of the marking mark. In this case, the chips can be cut off later with a grinding wheel.
Wet cutting
The appearance of scale and dust can be prevented by carrying out wet cutting. This method involves contact of the cutting edge with liquid. This can occur by immersing the working surface of the equipment in water or by applying a stream of water to it.
Electric motor speed
The second important point that determines the quality of cutting hard materials is the speed of rotation of the disk. The higher the speed, the more intense the impact, the easier the edge bites into the ceramic.
You can also get a high-quality cut with a grinder
When passing quickly, the tiles do not have time to heat up, which also reduces the number of chips, so you need a grinder that is powerful, but at the same time compact, so that you can quickly operate it.
Types of cutting ceramic products
Unlike a flat cutter, an angle grinder allows you to perform different types of cutting. But each specific case has its own characteristics that need to be paid attention to.
Straight cutting or straight cut
This is the standard method for cutting ceramic tiles. It involves dividing the material along straight lines.
Algorithm of actions:
- Initially, you need to mark the cutting line. To do this, use a ruler and marker.
- Place the workpiece on a straight surface and remove all excess.
- Secure the tile with a vice.
- Make the first cut to a depth of 1-5 mm, depending on the thickness of the material. When entering the tile, reduce the speed and then increase it.
- The grinder needs to be driven away from you, at the same speed, evenly.
- When exiting the material, you should also slow down to avoid chipping.
- Break the workpiece along the cut line.
- Clean the edges with a jig.
Important! When making a cut, you must adhere to the chosen trajectory as much as possible.
It is better to make straight cuts not completely with subsequent breakage of the workpiece
Curly cutting or curly cut
This type of work is the most difficult. Therefore, it requires a certain skill for high-quality execution.
Work rules:
- Before cutting ceramic tiles with a grinder, you need to make markings with a marker.
- Place the tile on a flat surface and secure it.
- Next, make small vertical cuts, cutting off excess material.
- At the end, there will be some uneven areas that need to be sanded down with an abrasive wheel.
Cutting rectangular holes in tiles
In this case, you need to prepare a drill to make holes along the edge.
Work progress:
- Draw the outline of the hole with a marker.
- Fix the tile on a flat surface.
- Use a drill to make holes in the corners of the intended rectangle.
- Using a grinder, walk along the contours of the intended rectangle.
- Remove the inner part.
- When finished, polish the edges with abrasive.
Cutting circles (round holes)
Before cutting the tiles with a grinder, you need to make a central hole with a drill. To do this, you need to use a carbide drill, the diameter of which is within 3-4 mm.
Work progress:
- Mark the center point of the circle with a marker on the tile.
- Use a compass to outline the outline.
- Use a drill to drill a hole at the center point.
- Using a grinder, make vertical notches from the center to the outer edge of the circle, crosswise.
- Cut off excess material and clean the edges with abrasive.
45° cutting
In order to perform high-quality work in this case, you need to use a metal circle coated with diamond.
Procedure:
- Mark a cutting line at a 45 degree angle with a marker.
- If possible, fix the material face down.
- Make the first cut with a grinder.
- Repeat if necessary to improve the result.
Important! When cutting tiles at an angle of 45 degrees, it is necessary not to reach 1.5-2 mm of the glaze, that is, only cut off the clay.
45° angle cut
In this case, the grinder should not be held in a straight position, but at an angle. Making such a cut is a little more difficult than a regular one, but it is much easier than cutting a hole of a round or other shape. The work is carried out as follows:
- Initially, you should cut the tiles in the same way as is done with a straight cut. In this case, the circle of the tool must be located at the required angle and, with slow and careful action, they need to remove all excess until an ideal angular cut is obtained.
- When finished, to give the perfect look, you can use ordinary sandpaper, which, for convenience, should be secured to a block of wood.
Note! In order to correctly cut the tiles with a grinder without chipping, it is recommended to cut them only from the front side. In this case, the outer glaze coating will be significantly less damaged, and all defects formed during the work will remain on the back edge, which will be completely hidden during further gluing.
Features of working with porcelain stoneware
Porcelain stoneware material is particularly durable and reliable. After all, it is made of natural stone. To cut porcelain stoneware without chipping with a grinder, like tiles, you need to use thin segmented discs up to 1.5 mm thick with intense continuous diamond coating. This will reduce the likelihood of overheating.
Porcelain tiles should be cut in the same way as tiles.
A tool suitable for any beginner
Fortunately, nowadays there is such a tool as a tile cutter. It will allow beginners to achieve maximum results in the shortest possible time, without any mistakes. In this article we will tell you about everything in more detail.
The tile cutter consists of:
- The basis.
- Rack.
- Guides made in the form of tubes.
- Rocking axles.
- Incisors.
- Breaking knot.
- Substrate.
But the question remains open: how to correctly cut these products using a tile cutter? We'll tell you in detail.
Safety precautions when working with an angle grinder
When working with a grinder with tile material, you must take precautions.
Basic safety rules:
- mandatory presence of a protective casing for the tool;
- cord length is at least 2 m;
- keep the grinder strictly vertical;
- use protective equipment;
- hold the tool with both hands and saw away from you;
- do not put pressure on the disc;
- Do not cut with a tool immersed in water.
Important! You can cut tiles with an angle grinder only in a room with good ventilation, as the resulting dust is explosive.
