# Forum Home Renovation Kitchens  how to cut a thin piece of tilewithout breaking it?

## garfield

Hi all, 
I have to cut a fairly thin piece of tile and I've had a few goes at it now and have broken it every time.  
Just wondering if anyone can tell me the best way or method of cutting a thin piece please. I've broken 5 tiles already trying and I'm really stuck. I have been using a Diamond tip tile blade for my angle grinder to try and achieve it with no luck  
P.S I have attached a picture so that you get an idea of what I'm up against. 
Thanks

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## Gooner

Ohhhh... hard. What are the dimensions we are looking at? Thats looks like a fairly thin piece. Good luck. 
I used a little Ryobi tile saw I bought from Bunnings for around $115. Did the job well for some relatively thin pieces, but the piece you are looking at does seem awfully thin. I assume you may go through some tiles cutting it (or trying to) and then there is always the possibility it will crack when you try and bed it into the tile adhesive, unless you mix the tile adhesive awfully thin so that it doesn't crack. 
You may have to end up cutting the vertical and horizontal piece as two separate sections, leaving grouting space between the two. It may not look that bad or noticable. 
Good luck.

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## garfield

Yeah its 12mm thick on the side and 32mm at the bottom.... Gone through a few tiles already and it was driving me nuts!! Thought I'd post this question on her in the hope someone could help me out with it.

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## Dr Freud

Hi Garfield.  Try making a biscuit with two tiles.  That is place two tiles back to back and tape together along the edges.  Also masking tape along the cut if you need to make sure.  If tile is really thin and/or has high ridges on rear, pack with fine sand to remove air gaps and provide more stability.  Rear tile will act as a brace/splint.  After cutting, remove tape (carefully).  Uses two tiles, but sounds like you have used a few anyway.    :Cool:  
Ideally, these issues are avoided during the setting out phase.  Clearly measuring where grout lines will run and then ensuring no cuts are less then a third of tile ensures easy cutting.   :2thumbsup:  
P.S. Generally cut the "fat" side first, so the thin side is not left "hangin", and hold as firmly in corner as possible to reduce vibrations through tile (careful with fingers).

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## Gooner

I'd probably be attempting to tackle this job with a diamond disk on an angle grinder. But I must say, I think your overall success rate may be about 15 broken tiles to 1....and then you will probably break that one while lifting it or carrying it into the room or laying it or sneezing on it. 
How thick is the tile? What is the length and width of the full tile? Ceramic tile I assume? 
I agree with Dr Dreud that this type of thing is the #1 reason why careful pre-planning is so important. Exact type of scenario you want to avoid.

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## rrobor

how about glueing it to thick card with something like aquadere then after its cut to the card drop the lot in a bucket to soak. Must say never tried this, but sounds OK.

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## garfield

I worked all my tiles out fine, I planned it and thought I looked at everything but missed the neiche and that's where I came unstuck!  
Bunnings has a little (I think it's a wet and dry tile cutter) for $79 which is supposed to give accurate cuts and the like, do you think that this machine might cut the thin pieces without breaking them?

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## rrobor

Sorry no I dont, the thin slices are breaking I suspect due to heat. Ah ok if it uses water, it just may work.

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## Gooner

> Bunnings has a little (I think it's a wet and dry tile cutter) for $79 which is supposed to give accurate cuts and the like, do you think that this machine might cut the thin pieces without breaking them?

  No. I have a little Ryobi one and the problem is that the tile vibrates too much.  
The advantage of using an angle grinder and doing it by hand is that you can reduce the vibration. 
I very much doubt its the heat thats breaking the tile. Its vibration/movement. Tiles are very brittle.

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## arms

> No. I have a little Ryobi one and the problem is that the tile vibrates too much.  
> The advantage of using an angle grinder and doing it by hand is that you can reduce the vibration. 
> I very much doubt its the heat thats breaking the tile. Its vibration/movement. Tiles are very brittle.

  only the cheap ones

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## China

I have the cheap Ryobi you just need to hold both sides of the tile whlie cutting and take it slow I have used it to cut cut 6mm strips

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## q9

> Bunnings has a little (I think it's a wet and dry tile cutter) for $79 which is supposed to give accurate cuts and the like, do you think that this machine might cut the thin pieces without breaking them?

  Yes it works fine.  I bought one and can cut 4mm wide strips if need be.  Just keep the tank full of water, and cut sloooooowly...

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## Terrian

> Yes it works fine.  I bought one and can cut 4mm wide strips if need be.  Just keep the tank full of water, and cut sloooooowly...

  Sounds like the same one I got, I think the success rate might depend on the type of tile, porcelain tiles is what I was cutting, 3 or 4 mm cuts were no problem (bloody hard drilling holes for the taps though!)

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## Gooner

> Sounds like the same one I got, I think the success rate might depend on the type of tile, porcelain tiles is what I was cutting, 3 or 4 mm cuts were no problem (bloody hard drilling holes for the taps though!)

  
3-4mm cuts may easily be possible, but don't tell me you could get cut a porcelain tile and walk away with a 30-40cm long 3-4mm wide piece in tact easily.

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## Terrian

> 3-4mm cuts may easily be possible, but don't tell me you could get cut a porcelain tile and walk away with a 30-40cm long 3-4mm wide piece in tact easily.

  tile saw bench, 400mm x 400mm tiles, out of 6 or 7 only 2 broke, mind you, it was the larger bits I wanted. I did actually use 2 of the slices, here:   
So yes, 3-4mm cuts off  400mm tiles.

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## Gooner

Terrian, your image shows slices that I assume are about 40-50mm wide. Garfield is wanting to achieve 12mm. Quite a difference. Also the geometry of his piece makes it a tad harder as its not simply a straight cut directly through the tile.

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## q9

> Sounds like the same one I got, I think the success rate might depend on the type of tile, porcelain tiles is what I was cutting, 3 or 4 mm cuts were no problem (bloody hard drilling holes for the taps though!)

  Yeah, it can be a trial, but it can be done.  For the tap holes I used the diamond hole saws.  What I did was mark where I wanted the hole, then use a piece of scrap wood I had used a normal hole saw on to create a hole the size of the diamond saw.  Then I'd clamp it to the tile with quick release clamps and use a spray bottle to keep the cut wet.  Used the cordless on slow and had no problems...took about 5-7 minutes per hole.

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## Terrian

> Terrian, your image shows slices that I assume are about 40-50mm wide. Garfield is wanting to achieve 12mm. Quite a difference. .

   :Biggrin:  
no, look to the left of that 50mm wide slice, to the right of the 400mm wide piece, see that 400mm high, couple of mm wide dark bit...   

> Also the geometry of his piece makes it a tad harder as its not simply a straight cut directly through the tile

  Not really, we did have to cut a tile similar to what he is after, yeah, ok, it wasn't 12mm, but the table tile saw still made the 2 cuts with no worries, just need to go slow and let the blade do the work. 
The FIl has the saw at the moment, but when I get it back I will do a few cuts and post pics.

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## Terrian

> Yeah, it can be a trial, but it can be done.  For the tap holes I used the diamond hole saws.  What I did was mark where I wanted the hole, then use a piece of scrap wood I had used a normal hole saw on to create a hole the size of the diamond saw.  Then I'd clamp it to the tile with quick release clamps and use a spray bottle to keep the cut wet.  Used the cordless on slow and had no problems...took about 5-7 minutes per hole.

  Yep, diamond hole saw, with a tungsten pilot drill in the middle, another yep, a good 5 minutes per hole, electric drill only slow slow setting 
The FIL used ceramic tiles, so much easier and quicker for cutting & drilling, but also so much easier to break tiles !

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## cilkorules

try using the "tile cutter" where you scribe a line down the tile vertically down the tile, make sure the line is properly scribbed into the tile all the way from top to bottom...
then tap the tile cutter to allow enough presure to crack the tile and it should cut the tile all the way down the line you scribbed into the tile with the cutting wheel.... 
OH yeah you want to take a few practice shots on some tiles which you won't be using cause occasionally you may break a few and if there is a little extra tile over the scribed line use a tile pliers to break it off not the grinder, the grinder has too many vibrations and can cause small pices of tile to break in your hands....

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## andrewkafp

If it is only 1 tile, you can use one of those hand (hacksaw) types with the round (wire) type blade.
I had good success cutting about 120mm long and left a 20mm section to go around a powerpoint. I broke 1 due to lack of concentration, (twisted the saw while yacking) but but cut 6 tiles all up (hard work though) Alternatively, some tile shops with do custom cuts for you at a price

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## garfield

Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate it. 
I ended up succeeding in getting it cut, I was just about to buy a dremel and got talking with a guy in the tool shop and he suggested I drill a hole right in the corner where the two lines met to take some of the friction - well gotta say I did and it worked a treat  :2thumbsup:  
Thanks for the help

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## andrewkafp

Well we all learnt something in this thread.. Next time I will try the corner hole and save a few hours... :2thumbsup:

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