Tile Cutter Selection

Tile Cutter selection is the first step in achieving a professional looking tile job. This is true regardless of whether you are cutting ceramic tile porcelain, marble, granite or any other flooring material. Before you begin, ask yourself a few questions:

What size is my job?
What am I cutting?
What is my budget?

Size Matters - Tile Cutter Size

Tile cutter size really means two things. First, the cutter has to be big enough and robust enough to finish the job. If you are tiling a 1,000 square foot area, the tile cutter will have to produce cuts fast enough to get though lots of tiles in a reasonable amount of time. Second, the cutter itself should be able to cut the tile you are using end to end in on pass. If you have to make two passes to cut the tile, your cutter is too small. The cut size in inches is often called the rip size. "Rip" really just describes a straight, flat cut. So, the "rip size" of the tile cutter tells you how big a tile it can handle.

Tile Cutters: Manual verses Motorized

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the bigger, heavier and more powerful the machine is, the more it is going to cost. Manual or hand operated tile cutters are the smallest lightest and least expensive option on the market. This type of tile cutter will cut tile from 12 inches to 30 inches or more. These tile cutters use a very hard, very sharp tungsten carbide wheel that presses against the tile and scores the tile surface while sliding on a bar or rod that runs the length of the cutter. Since manual cutters don't have electric or gas motors, they tend to be low maintenance and highly portable. The drawback is that they are much slower than a motorized tile saw. This makes hand tile cutters most appropriate for smaller jobs.
Motorized tile cutters or tile saws cut by high speed abrasion. Here, the tile cutter uses a diamond blade to scrape material away, eventually cutting the tile in two. These motorized tile saws are available in smaller, lighter bench type units or larger and heavier saws that require stands and that can make multiple types of cuts like miter and diagonal cuts. All motorized tile cutters require water to cool the blade as it cuts. Generally speaking, a smaller tile cutter will use a 4 to 7 inch blade. These small saws often use a water pan under the blade for cooling(7 inch bench SKU). Larger, 7 inch and 10 inch saws require a water pump. The larger tile saws need a pump because they cut tiles much faster and thus build heat faster, requiring a more efficient cooling mechanism.

Material processed on your Tile Cutter

The harder the material, the tougher it will be to cut. Ceramic tile is not very difficult to cut. Ceramic is soft compared to granite which is extremely hard and usually requires not only a motorized saw, but also a special blade. For the user who needs to cut 12 inch ceramic tile and only needs to cover 100 square feet or so, a manual tile cutter will be more than adequate. For a job with a big surface footprint with large, heavy, hard to cut tiles, the hand tile cutter just won't work. For hard material like porcelain or granite, consider a tile saw with a blade no smaller than 7 inches for the job.

Tile Cutter Budget

Finally, consider the amount you have to spend on your tile cutter. A good quality manual tile cutter is going to run $30 to $40. That is a pretty good bargain for a homeowner tiling a a small bathroom or counter top considering that a professional tile contractor would charge about $40 per hour for his time alone. For bench top style tile cutters with 4 to 7 inch diamond blades, expect to pay $50 to $100. These cutters are still best suited to home owner or DIY users with smaller jobs, but they will cut faster and reduce job time. Larger and heavier motorized tile saws are even faster. These tile cutters usually come with a stand and a high capacity water pump. A 7 inch tile cutter like this should be able to make up to a 13 inch rip cut. This type of saw is intended for experienced homeowners and professional contractors. Expect to pay $200 to $500 for this kind of tile cutter. Contractor who need to cut a lot of tile or who have very big jobs need equipment to match. These saws weight 150 pounds or more have multiple speed, belt drive motors. Their cutting tables are wide and long which enables them to not only cut large tiles, but also to make custom miter or angled cuts. You will pay $400 and up for this kind of professional equipment.

When choosing a tile cutter, don't concentrate just on price. Remember to keep in mind job size, material size and the budget for your job. By taking all these things into consideration, you will find the tile cutter that is best for you.