Cutting tile on a wet saw

A wet saw is a power tool that uses a water-cooled diamond blade to make quick work of cutting tile. This is the fun, albeit messy part of installing tile. Wet saws are safe and easy to use. Anyone can use a wet saw successfully with just a little practice. Buy a few extra pieces of tile to practice the cutting techniques and in case breakage occurs. The diamond blade does not have teeth for aggressive cutting, it safely grinds the material away

Although you can cut tile with a snap cutter, a wet saw is the best to use when a job requires numerous or specialty cuts (like openings for drains, AC registers, outlets or beveled edges). Wet saws usually have a sliding table that feeds the tile into an overhead blade. A pump sprays a stream of water over the blade while it is running. Some of the saws available at The Home Depot have exclusive fresh water delivery systems that cannot be found at any other retail store. This feature can be used as an option to a pump so clean water is always sprayed on the blade, resulting in the best possible cut. In either case, do not cut if a small stream of water is not flowing over the blade and tile. Water is essential to keep the blade cool and produce quality cuts. Check to see that all water delivery systems are working correctly before use.

Professional grade wet saws usually cost several hundred dollars, so you may want to rent one instead. For a few dollars more that the rental price of the professional’s saw, you can buy a homeowner’s saw with professional features like the one shown here.

Tools:

Wet Saw

Basin wrench

Materials:

Tile

Rags

Silicone caulk

Available only at your local store:
•Plumber's putty

Follow these steps

Steps 1 - 9 of 9

Step 1: Align the tile on the table

Align the tile on the table. Set the fence so that when the layout line is at the blade, the widest part of the tile is between the blade and the fence. This keeps your hands as far away as possible from the blade during the cut. Put on a pair of safety glasses, back the tile away from the blade, and turn on the saw. If you are unsure how to position the tile, try setting up in both positions and go with the one that supports the largest section of tile on the table during the cut.

Step 2: Cut the tile

Holding the tile with both hands, feed it along the fence and into the blade. Push slowly, letting the saw do the work and keeping your hands away from the blade. Push the piece between the blade and fence until it completely clears the blade.

Step 3: Cutting notches in tile

Lay out and mark the sides and the end of the notch. Make two straight cuts along each side of the notch. Reset the fence after the first cut to make the other cut. Stop each cut when the blade reaches the line marking the end of the notch.

Step 4: Cut away the waste

If the notch is wider than 1 inch, reset the fence to make a series of parallel cuts spaced about one-quarter of an inch (1/4”) apart. Stop each cut when it reaches the line that marks the end of the notch.

Step 5: Remove the waste

Break off the individual pieces between the sides of the notch. To trim the remaining jagged edge, put the tile back on the saw with the blade just touching the end of the notch. With the blade running, slide the tile sideways, keeping pressure on the tip of the blade to smooth the jagged edge (see bottom photo)

Making Diagonal Cuts

Diagonal cuts on a tile are made point to point and are common for diamond tile patterns. Set you miter guide to the appropriate angle that best matches your layout line. Make sure the layout line is directly on the front of the cutting blade. Feed the tile slowly into the blade, especially at the end of the cut, where most breakage occurs. This same technique can also be used to make miter cuts other than point to point that result in triangular pieces.

Making Bevel Cuts

Bevel cuts are used for adjoining two walls where the large gaps from uncut tile become too large and unsightly. Use bevel cuts for inside or outside wrap-around corners or as an alternative to bull-nose tile.

Making L-Shaped Cuts

L-cuts are cuts that remove a piece of tile to fit in a corner, around a cabinet, or a piece of molding and are made by two separate or multiple cuts.

Making Plunge Cuts/Internal Cuts/Cut-Outs/Hole Cuts

Plunge cuts are made by positioning the material directly underneath the cutting wheel and lowering the wheel onto the work piece, allowing the tile to be cut from the center of the material. Tile cut in this manner is finished with the tile upside down leaving the score marks from the blade unseen with the finished job. Applications would include vents, outlets, drains or any other protrusions through the tile surface. Many cuts that require a circular opening, such as a toilet drain cut-out, can be successfully completed with a rectangular or octagonal hole in the tile as the toilet will cover the area and give it the finished look you desire.

Steps 1 - 9 of 9