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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)

Hi all.

I am near completion on my first ever attempt at laying tile. I am using 12
x 12 ceramic glazed tile on my bathroom floor and am at a stand still on
attempting to cut a hold for the toilet flange. I first tried a Dremel with
a tile cutting bit, it failed. Then I tried cutting the tile across the
angle and nipping a semi circle in each half, and that just got me about 4
broken tiles. I am now just considering cutting across the center of the
tile as the length of the base will hide the 5 inches or so missing from the
center (across the entire tile). I just thought I would post here to see if
anyone had a suggestion before I did this.

Thanks


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Colbyt
 
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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)


"Jason" wrote in message
...
Hi all.

I am near completion on my first ever attempt at laying tile. I am using

12
x 12 ceramic glazed tile on my bathroom floor and am at a stand still on
attempting to cut a hold for the toilet flange. I first tried a Dremel

with
a tile cutting bit, it failed. Then I tried cutting the tile across the
angle and nipping a semi circle in each half, and that just got me about 4
broken tiles. I am now just considering cutting across the center of the
tile as the length of the base will hide the 5 inches or so missing from

the
center (across the entire tile). I just thought I would post here to see

if
anyone had a suggestion before I did this.



I can't see your layout or where the tile joints are in relation to your
toilet. Cut your tile so that it looks right where the toilet base will not
cover it or if need be there is an extra joint behind the toilet. Chip out
or even use broken pieces under the base of the bowl where they won't show.
Grout all and go on. A tile saw may help.

Second possibility is to drill small holes using a masonry bit around the
hole before you use the nippers.

The dremel or roto-zip bits are a waste for this type of thing. They just
don't cut it. Pun intended.

Colbyt


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D'Olier
 
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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)


"Jason" wrote in message
...
Hi all.

I am near completion on my first ever attempt at laying tile. I am using

12
x 12 ceramic glazed tile on my bathroom floor and am at a stand still on
attempting to cut a hold for the toilet flange. I first tried a Dremel

with
a tile cutting bit, it failed. Then I tried cutting the tile across the
angle and nipping a semi circle in each half, and that just got me about 4
broken tiles. I am now just considering cutting across the center of the
tile as the length of the base will hide the 5 inches or so missing from

the
center (across the entire tile). I just thought I would post here to see

if
anyone had a suggestion before I did this.

Thanks



I was tiling all day today and was shown a great way to do this recently -
although you need a wet saw. Draw a curved line on the tile where you want
to cut it. Then make several parallel straight cuts with the wet saw, going
from the edge of the tile as far as your curved line. These cuts should be
roughly a quarter-inch apart. Use the nippers then to break these thin
pieces of tile off. I assume you can do the same with any saw that can cut
straight lines in tile but the wet saw for me today made the work quick and
easy. I had to cut four tiles to fit around the toilet flange. If your
tiles are laid out so that one tile fits over the flange, cut it in half
first, then cut two semi circles using the method I mentioned.

Good luck!


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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)


I was tiling all day today and was shown a great way to do this recently -
although you need a wet saw. Draw a curved line on the tile where you

want
to cut it. Then make several parallel straight cuts with the wet saw,

going
from the edge of the tile as far as your curved line. These cuts should

be
roughly a quarter-inch apart. Use the nippers then to break these thin
pieces of tile off. I assume you can do the same with any saw that can

cut
straight lines in tile but the wet saw for me today made the work quick

and
easy. I had to cut four tiles to fit around the toilet flange. If your
tiles are laid out so that one tile fits over the flange, cut it in half
first, then cut two semi circles using the method I mentioned.

Good luck!


I'll try this. I bought a wet saw as the bathroom was the first of three
rooms I plan on tiling. The flange hole is covered by one tile though a bit
off center. If I cut the lines close together on each half inside the
semicircle I can see where I would be able to nip the shards off without
breaking the rest of the tile. Thanks a ton.


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Rudy
 
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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)

I am near completion on my first ever attempt at laying tile. I am using
12
x 12 ceramic glazed tile on my bathroom floor and am at a stand still on
attempting to cut a holed for the toilet flange


This isnt how HOYLE does it but I 've cut various shapes in regular and
porcelain floor tile using an angle grinder with a 4" dry diamond blade in
it. The blades are relatively cheap, about $ 10.00 at HomeDEE. I usually
brace the tile but use the angle grinder "freehand" like a Dremel tool (I
have very large hands). You could start by cutting a square piece out then
the diamond blade will definitely "round out" the remainder. Works well for
me.
R




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John McGaw
 
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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)

"Jason" wrote in message
...
Hi all.

I am near completion on my first ever attempt at laying tile. I am using

12
x 12 ceramic glazed tile on my bathroom floor and am at a stand still on
attempting to cut a hold for the toilet flange. I first tried a Dremel

with
a tile cutting bit, it failed. Then I tried cutting the tile across the
angle and nipping a semi circle in each half, and that just got me about 4
broken tiles. I am now just considering cutting across the center of the
tile as the length of the base will hide the 5 inches or so missing from

the
center (across the entire tile). I just thought I would post here to see

if
anyone had a suggestion before I did this.

Thanks

I've had excellent luck using a dry diamond blade in an angle grinder. Even
managed to cut out openings for double outlet boxes in the middle of 12X12
tiles while doing a backsplash. It is just a bit more difficult cutting
clean curves but once you get the knack of nibbling away the waste it is
almost trivial. Damned dusty operation though and best done outdoors with a
breeze to carry the cloud toward a neighbor you hate. ;-)
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com


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GeekBoy
 
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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)

What if the hole in question in smack in the middle of one big tile?
I have this problem, and the tile is very hard porcelin. A tile guy
taught me this:
Take your wet saw and pull out the sliding tray. Now hold the tile up
to the saw four times, cutting a small square. Now flip the tile and
do it again, from the back. Now give it a whack -- the piece should
pop out.
YMMV

"Jason" wrote in message ...

I was tiling all day today and was shown a great way to do this recently -
although you need a wet saw. Draw a curved line on the tile where you

want
to cut it. Then make several parallel straight cuts with the wet saw,

going
from the edge of the tile as far as your curved line. These cuts should

be
roughly a quarter-inch apart. Use the nippers then to break these thin
pieces of tile off. I assume you can do the same with any saw that can

cut
straight lines in tile but the wet saw for me today made the work quick

and
easy. I had to cut four tiles to fit around the toilet flange. If your
tiles are laid out so that one tile fits over the flange, cut it in half
first, then cut two semi circles using the method I mentioned.

Good luck!


I'll try this. I bought a wet saw as the bathroom was the first of three
rooms I plan on tiling. The flange hole is covered by one tile though a bit
off center. If I cut the lines close together on each half inside the
semicircle I can see where I would be able to nip the shards off without
breaking the rest of the tile. Thanks a ton.

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Charles Spitzer
 
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Default Cutting ceramic tile (?)


"John McGaw" wrote in message
...
"Jason" wrote in message
...
Hi all.

I am near completion on my first ever attempt at laying tile. I am

using
12
x 12 ceramic glazed tile on my bathroom floor and am at a stand still on
attempting to cut a hold for the toilet flange. I first tried a Dremel

with
a tile cutting bit, it failed. Then I tried cutting the tile across the
angle and nipping a semi circle in each half, and that just got me about

4
broken tiles. I am now just considering cutting across the center of

the
tile as the length of the base will hide the 5 inches or so missing from

the
center (across the entire tile). I just thought I would post here to

see
if
anyone had a suggestion before I did this.

Thanks

I've had excellent luck using a dry diamond blade in an angle grinder.

Even
managed to cut out openings for double outlet boxes in the middle of 12X12
tiles while doing a backsplash. It is just a bit more difficult cutting
clean curves but once you get the knack of nibbling away the waste it is
almost trivial. Damned dusty operation though and best done outdoors with

a
breeze to carry the cloud toward a neighbor you hate. ;-)
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com


if you need a clean curved edge, you can dress it up by using either the
side of the wet saw blade, or a wet diamond grinder (available at a stained
glass shop).



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