When performing any finishing work with porcelain stoneware, it usually becomes necessary to give the material the desired shape. This is required if the dimensions of the room and the sheets of material do not match, or if some shaped elements need to be formed. In such cases, it will be useful to know how porcelain stoneware is cut. To perform this task, tools such as a grinder with a diamond blade or a tile cutter are usually used. Consider how porcelain stoneware is cut in more detail.
What is porcelain stoneware
Let's figure out what porcelain stoneware is. It is one of the most durable and hard facing materials. Every year its popularity is gaining momentum. Despite the rather low cost compared to marble and granite, porcelain stoneware significantly outperforms its natural competitors in terms of technical characteristics.
This material was invented relatively recently - in the 70s of the last century. For its manufacturethe method of dry pressing under high pressure of a mixture of quartz sand, clay and feldspar is used. To give the material a different color, various components are added to its composition. Porcelain tile was designed as a replacement for natural stone, and it does the job perfectly.
Material advantages
Many consumers today choose porcelain stoneware due to its excellent technical characteristics and properties. The material also looks great. It is as close as possible to natural stone and will give the room a rich and stylish look. Here are its main advantages:
- High strength and wear resistance: Porcelain tile finish will serve you faithfully for many years without losing its original appearance.
- He is not afraid of exposure to aggressive environments, it does not form stubborn stains.
- This is an eco-friendly material: only natural ingredients are used in its production. Also, bacteria and microbes are reluctant to multiply on its surface.
- When processed correctly, porcelain stoneware will have clear and even edges, allowing you to create a monolithic surface.
Flaws
Before you figure out how porcelain stoneware is cut, it is worth saying a few words about the disadvantages of this material. Here are the main ones:
- According to consumers, the main disadvantage of porcelain stoneware is its high cost.
- When using porcelain stoneware for flooring, it turns outpretty cold cover. However, this problem is easily solved by installing a floor heating system.
- Another disadvantage is the slippery surface. For bathrooms, it is better to choose a material with a rough texture.
Now let's look at how to cut tiles (porcelain stoneware) at home.
Cutting with a grinder
Let's take a closer look at this. A diamond blade for porcelain stoneware allows you to easily and quickly give the material the desired shape. This process can be performed by both a specialist and a person who has never had experience working with the material under discussion. It is best to use the dry cutting method.
A grinder with a diamond blade is well suited for both straight cutting and for forming curly elements. It should be borne in mind that the edge processed by the grinder sometimes turns out to be not very elastic and has notches. Therefore, plates cut in this way are best used in places where such shortcomings will not be noticeable. You can also try to remove the notches yourself and process the edge of the tile. It should be remembered that cutting with a grinder has a number of features.
Let's list the main ones:
- The process is accompanied by the release of a large amount of dust. This should be foreseen in advance when choosing a place for work.
- High RPM diamond blade is a source of serious danger. Careless or inattentive handling of the tool can result in seriousinjuries.
- Personal safety equipment such as goggles, a respirator and ear protection must be worn when performing work.
Action algorithm
Now let's take a closer look at how to cut porcelain stoneware with a grinder. It should be borne in mind that the use of this tool, as already mentioned, is necessarily accompanied by strong noise and a lot of dust. In addition, when using a grinder, chips are necessarily formed. Be prepared for the fact that the surface will have to be finished with a file.
So, the algorithm of actions:
- Draw a line on the tile along which you want to cut, and lay the porcelain tile on a flat, solid surface. Work should be carried out exclusively on the front side of the coating. Otherwise, a large number of chips will form.
- If you are working with an assistant, ask him to stand by with the vacuum cleaner. This will make the job easier and allow you to get rid of excess debris.
- Press the tile firmly or secure with a clamp.
- Draw the disc of the grinder strictly along the line, starting from the farthest edge from you. Smoothly move forward, try not to jerk.
It is very difficult to achieve perfectly even cuts when using a grinder. If you are interested in how to cut porcelain stoneware without chips, then using a tile cutter will solve this issue.
Working with a tile cutter
So, how to cut porcelain tiles with a tile cutter? This tool should be used whenif you are not satisfied with the sloppy edges of the plates. An electric tile cutter cuts in such a way that the finished edges look very neat and have a rounded appearance. In case you need beautifully crafted endings and curly elements, this is the perfect option.
Electric tile cutter can be used to cut tiles from various materials. You can use universal disks for this task. There are also special nozzles designed to work with a specific type of surface. For this purpose, manufacturers produce several options for products. However, it is best to use a diamond blade on porcelain stoneware.
Tile cutter device
Speaking of how to cut porcelain stoneware floor tiles, experienced craftsmen recommend using certain tile cutters for this purpose. Included with the named instrument is a special table. It is pulled out in the process of work under a moving blade. Cutting material with such a tool involves ensuring that the tiles are cooled. On the job site, this condition can only be met with water.
Today there are special models of tile cutters, in which, during operation, part of the cutting blade is immersed in a container of water. At home, it will be enough to periodically moisten the working surface of the blade and the plate itself from the described material.
Cutting porcelain stoneware in an industrial environment requires a special pump to supply water. There is also a special tray that will protect the device itself fromspray. This design involves the cyclic use of liquid. Many builders will improve the device in such a way that water is supplied using a hose. By cooling a simple flowing liquid, the blade life can be increased by 2-3 times. A specially designed canopy can be used for splash protection.
Recommendations
The principle of how porcelain stoneware is cut on this device is quite simple. The craftsman only needs to hold the slab and move it along the cutting blade until it is cut. The material should be pushed gently and smoothly, with slight pressure. The applied force depends on the characteristics of the tile used. Namely:
- When the plate and blade are in contact, do not press hard. With further advancement, you will need to gradually increase the pressure. In the process of approaching the end of the cut, it should be weakened again.
- The tile must be well fixed on the sliding table. This will avoid vibrations and sudden movements that can cause parts to jam.
Expert Tips
Professional craftsmen when carrying out work on cutting porcelain stoneware usually recommend simultaneously pushing the tile from both sides in the process of advancing. Such a measure will prevent the likelihood of falling on one of the sides and avoiding the appearance of fragments. If the advance is uneven, the machine may jam during the cutting process, which will cause the cutting elements to kick back. To protect yourself from suchhazards, safety goggles may be used.
Experts also recommend regularly changing the water used for cooling. During the cutting process, a large amount of dust is released. It settles almost everywhere, including in the pan with liquid. As a result, the blade, when wetted with water, contacts the mixed tile chips. As a result, the quality of work performed is significantly reduced. It may also affect blade life.
Cleaning the blade
After completing the work, the blade must be cleaned, as it can become clogged with ceramic dust or fragments. What does this process represent?
This item can be cleaned in various ways:
- First, you can try to cut some sand mold.
- Secondly, you can try to turn the device over and make several cycles of blade rotation in the opposite direction. This method will not work when using devices that indicate the direction of rotation.
Mechanical tile cutter
What is the best way to cut porcelain stoneware? Expert advice regarding this issue is usually to use an electric tile cutter. However, such equipment is not always available. In this case, you can use a conventional manual mechanical apparatus. Such devices are often found in the arsenal of home craftsmen. This is a useful and handy tool that can be used for cutting tiles. When choosing a toolIt is worth considering what material you are going to work with. Pay special attention to the thickness and size of the cutting element, as well as the length and power of the handle, smoothness and other parameters.
Let's consider how porcelain stoneware is cut using a mechanical tile cutter:
- On the material you need to draw a line along which you want to make an incision.
- The tile is installed in such a way that the tool rollers lie directly on it.
- In the direction away from you, with a simple movement of the lever, make an incision on porcelain stoneware.
- Release the lever sharply, thereby breaking the tile along the cut.
Before you start to work clean, you should do a few experiments. Materials can vary in thickness and density, so it's best to use tiles from the same batch for verification.
Conclusion
In this review, it was considered in detail how porcelain stoneware is cut. When carrying out finishing work, it often becomes necessary to use ceramic tiles of a certain size and shape. To cut tiles, you can use various tools: grinder, electric or manual tile cutter.
The easiest way to do this is, of course, with the help of automatic equipment. Using a grinder can lead to bumps and chips on the cuts, and this is not always acceptable. With experience and skill, it is quite possible to use a manual tile cutter.
Which disc is best for cutting porcelain stoneware? Experts recommenduse products with diamond chips. They are very durable and allow you to achieve the perfect result.
