Cutting porcelain tiles

[dadbif]

Hello,

I have just bought tiles for my bathroom floor, in my ignorance I have got porcelain tiles, I only need to cut about 20, so do not want to purchase and expensive cutter, is there a simple (and cheap) way to cut them? angle grinder for example? I already have a heavy duty wheel cutter but am led to believe this will shatter the tiles. any help appreciated.

 

[protilers]

you can cut porcelain with a grinder, get yourself some (2) continuious rim blades and grind away, the job will look much neater if you remove the skirting boards and replace after tiling!!!!!!!

good luck!

 

[dadbif]

Thanks, just realised I also have one hole to cut for the basin waste....I can get around the shower drain by using different tiles for the floor in there, I fear I shall have to take them back and revert to ceramics, shame, but it isn´t practical

 

[protilers]

you can buy diamond core bits to drill your hole....even the cheap ones will drill 1 hole, but what do you mean round the shower drain.....do you have a tiled shower base or wetroom?

 

[dadbif]

I am in the process of building a walk in shower, it has a raised base with a fall to the drain, so it will need tiles cutting to conform to the circular profile of the wast outlet

 

[Tilestiles]

buy a cheap wet cutter from argos - Only £30. Will cut porcelain no roblem. Then when finishedwith it, sell it on!! Will hardly cost you anything and job will be easier

 

[protilers]

oooooh.....you are in wetroom territory......tanking,shower envelope.....you cant do this with a grinder....and round drain....oooooh......not for the inexperienced i think....
even the inexpensive wet cutters will not cut straight enough to cut an envelope... you will need a overhead wetsaw...£££££££££££££££'s
cutting the round drain you will do with a template and grinder but you will need an expensive diamond blade.... sounds like you need a professional,
the cost of the tools and experience is too great......a tiler can do it cheaper than you can buy it.......even if the tiles are ceramic i think you will run into (serious) problems....... all the best

protilers

 

[dadbif]

Unfortunately I do not have a local Argos anymore, I live in Valencia. However I think that the local Leroy Merlin (Spanish B&Q) have a hire centre so will investigate there b4 returning the tiles.

 

[dadbif]

Sorry, did not mean to mislead you, this will be the third house where I have successfully built a walk in shower, our construction out here does not involve studding, plasterboard etc, my bathroom floor is 9 inch concrete with an existing tiled surface, likewise with the walls except they are thicker, that coupled with all the cement and grouting is designed for swimming pools we do not have an problems with leaks! my problems are solely with the cutting of the porcelain tiles, and, thanks to your excellent advice I have decided to revert to ceramics, I can cut any shape necessary with the tools that I have to hand, just a great pity that I cannot do it with the porcelain ones, so nice and so cheap, but there you go....

 

[Fekin]

oooooh.....you are in wetroom territory......tanking,shower envelope.....you cant do this with a grinder....and round drain....oooooh......not for the inexperienced i think....
even the inexpensive wet cutters will not cut straight enough to cut an envelope... you will need a overhead wetsaw...£££££££££££££££'s
cutting the round drain you will do with a template and grinder but you will need an expensive diamond blade.... sounds like you need a professional,
the cost of the tools and experience is too great......a tiler can do it cheaper than you can buy it.......even if the tiles are ceramic i think you will run into (serious) problems....... all the best

protilers

lol

Not to have a go at you in any way protilers, but your post reminded me of a dodgy car garage mechanic looking under a customers car bonnet and shaking his head while rubbing his chin saying ohhh it's bad and it's going to cost ye :lol:

Made me laugh though