Cutting Tools for Ceramic and Stone Tile

Cutting Boards provide a very portable and simple method of cutting. They are flat boards with a scoring and breaking mechanism.

They are used mainly for straight cuts and are produced by first scoring the tile with a carbide wheel and then breaking it along the scored line. This produces a slightly rough cut and is acceptable for areas that will eventually be covered (like an inside corner of a shower which will be caulked).

Scoring and braking, however, doesn’t work too well for natural stone because of the natural fissures and veins in stones like granite and marble.

Cutting boards come in a variety of sizes to accommodate various tile sizes.

This technique of scoring and breaking is also incorporated into a hand tool, but it is hard to use and has very limited application. Carbide scoring and breaking tools are limited to strait line cuts. Two cuts could be made to a tile to reduce it from a 6” x 6” tile to a 4” X 3” tile, however some cuts are very difficult. To cut a 2” x 2” notch, for example, into a 4” tile is very difficult, if not impossible. Also, to cut a very thin slice off of a tile is very hard with cutting boards. Detail cuts (without the aid of a tile wet saw) are usually made by chipping the tile with a hand tool known as a Tile Nipper.

Tile nippers are shaped like pliers or wire cutters with carbide jaws used for breaking off small bits of tile at a time. This can require some patience and the result can be very rough. However, a tile nipper is an essential tool for tile setting and is many times used in conjunction with other cutting tools.

There are also a variety of carbide edged blades and drill bits with which to cut tiles and stone. Two examples for hand tools are carbide edged coping saw and hacksaw blades which can be used to make saw cuts in tile just like you would in metal or wood.

Also, there are several sizes of abrasive masonry and carbide or diamond edged circular blades, which can be attached to power tools such as circular saws and hand held grinders.

In many applications you may need Masonry Bits for cutting holes or installing fixtures. Common sizes of masonry bits will be useful for piercing the tile for shower door installation or for drilling pilot holes for mounting island cabinets in a floor.

In tub and shower wall applications, a carbide or diamond edge Hole Bit is necessary. The most common size used by professionals is 1-3/8” and is useful for cutting out holes for showerheads and tub spigots.

The primary professional tool for tile cutting is the Wet Saw. Sometimes referred to as a “tub saw”, a tile wet saw has an abrasive industrial diamond edged circular blade (most are 7” or 10”) in conjunction with a water reservoir and pump system. Water is pumped from a tub in the base over the blade. Tiles are placed on a platform (usually sliding) along a right-angle fence and pushed through the blade. The water helps to cool the cutting procedure and traps the substantial quantity of fine dust produced by the cut.

Good tile wet saws range in price from $300 to $1,000, but can also be rented for $30 to $50 a day. These saws are by far the most versatile and efficient tools for tile cutting. If you have a large job these are highly recommended and if you plan to cut natural stone, you’ll need a good tub saw.

Cutting ceramic and stone tiles requires very specialized tools. We hope this summary of cutting tools helps you with your tile project. Good Luck!

Learn Tile Layout