Best Tile Cutters: Manual vs. Electric
What is the best tile cutter? Manual tile cutter or electric tile cutter? Here are two of the best tile-cutting tools for tile fixers. But which you should choose depends on the specific job at hand, the material you'll be cutting, and your workspace. That's why today, we bring you a guide to choosing the best tile cutter for your project. When it comes to the heated debate between manual vs electric tile cutters, we are here to help. let's start.
What are Tiles?
Tiles come in many different varieties. Ceramic tiles, clay tiles, and porcelain tiles are the common tiles you'll find in stores. Ceramic tiles are made from sand, water, and clay. These materials are molded into squares and then baked in a kiln to remove moisture. Porcelain tiles are made from denser clay than ceramic tiles. Clay tiles are entirely clay. Ceramic tiles, clay tiles, and porcelain tiles are either glazed for interior use or unglazed for roofing.
Tile types such as glass, cork, concrete, and natural stone can be used in many other applications. There are no rules as to which tile you can or cannot use for a project. Although some tiles hold up better in certain environments.
Measure the Area to Be Tiled
Each project presents unique spatial challenges. Sometimes you need more tiles, sometimes you need fewer tiles, and sometimes you need to cut tiles.
Accurately measuring the area to be tiled is critical to choosing the correct number of tiles for your project. Measure the border, diagonal interior, width, and height of the entire area. Next, measure a square of sample tile. Use these numbers to figure out how many tiles you'll need for your entire project.
Don't forget to consider exception boundaries. Order extra tiles to prevent waste from cutting and breakage. An additional 10% is usually recommended for this purpose.
Cutting Tiles
You're almost certainly using a border that's not a multiple of the tile size, but one that's perfectly straight. Cutting tiles is the only way to make most projects work.
Your two best tile cutters are manual tile cutters and electric tile cutters. Manual tile cutters generally take less time to cut tile, are more convenient, and are easier to use, but are limited to straight cuts. Electric tile cutters take more time to cut tile and require more skill to use but can make all the cuts the job needs.
A manual tile cutter should be in everyone's toolbox. The cutter looks a bit like a car jack, with a top-to-bottom crossbar. The tiles are placed inside the cutter and scored. Tiles break along the scribe line.
Tile cutters are inherently easier to install and use than electric tile cutters. You need to put the tiles into the cutter, draw a line on the tile, and use the breaker to break the tile along the line.
- Some harder tiles can be difficult to score and cut, so we recommend using an extreme or endurance scoring wheel, which tends to cut deeper into the tile surface, allowing for easy and accurate cuts.
- For tiles, harder or deeper scratches may damage the delicate glaze on the tiles, so we recommend using a 6mm or 8mm scoring wheel for lighter scratches.
A trick to scratching glass is to use a 6mm scribing wheel to score lightly, as applying too much pressure to the tile while scribing can cause it to crack or have jagged edges. As you can see, it's not always easy to break tiles along the score. Sometimes manual tile cutters don't score deep enough. Other times the tile has a lot of internal tension and doesn't want to break accurately. Expect to battle more tiles.
However, manual tile cutters have some important benefits. They are less expensive, more portable than electric tile cutters, and require no complicated skills to operate.
Manual tile cutters are best for small kitchen backsplashes, projects with a lot of straight cuts, and projects where an electric tile cutter is not a good fit due to space/area constraints.
Our TILER website lists many different manual tile cutters. We offer products in different sizes to suit any type of project.
Electric tile cutters are best for projects that your manual tile cutter can't cut. At first glance, a power cutter looks like a table saw. The rotating diamond blade cuts the tile while the guide keeps your tile straight.
Water is sprayed around the cutting blades to ensure the tiles don't smoke and burn, and the diamond blades stay cool. Some tables are equipped with a water reservoir, while others can be connected to a water source.
Electric tile cutters cut tiles very straight. With a little skill, you can also cut tiles into complex shapes. Manual tile cutters can only cut straight lines, while electric tile cutters can create L- and U-shaped cuts as well as cut inserts (for sockets, etc.).
Electric tile cutters can also cut through harder tile materials with ease. Diamond blades cut through the toughest tiles. If you are cutting natural stone tile or want to bevel the outside corners of tile, an electric tile cutter is a must.
Compared to manual tile cutters, electric tile cutters are best for larger projects. You can cut all types of tiles and cut types with more precision than manual tile cutters. The only price to pay is the setup and preparation of the work area. Due to the water used to cool the diamond blades, there are some limitations on where you can set them.
Technique and size are the main disadvantages of wet sawing. These units are usually large and take time to learn how to set them up properly. We must stress that you need to understand safety procedures before you begin. Practice cutting straight lines with the moving saw and become familiar with the pressure and motion.
Buying an electric tile cutter comes down to understanding your needs. Different saws are equipped for different jobs. Some factors are the size of the tile you are cutting and choosing the correct diamond blade for that material.
Decide What Is the Best Tile Cutter for You
The above guidelines should serve as a good start to the debate. Materials, project size, and skill will all influence your choice. However, the best choice for a project is not always straightforward.
Sometimes money, time frame, tile type, etc. all affect which tool to choose. If you're pressed for time, do you really qualify to order an expensive electric cutter?
That's where we want to help. Our experts are happy to learn about your project and help you choose between electric and manual tile cutters. We take the time to make sure you buy the best tile cutter for the job.
So if you are ready to start your tile project, please contact us. We can help you choose the best tile cutter for your project.
TILER is a quality tile tools manufacturer. With over 28 years of experience, patented technology, and unparalleled production capabilities, TILER has become an industry leader, serving customers in more than 130 countries. We have always been committed to creating a "resource-saving and environment-friendly" living environment for human beings, and at the same time provide a series of innovative solutions for home renovation and engineering improvement.
