The Expert's Guide to Tile Saw Tactics

Tile saws are an excellent tool for home DIYers which can come in handy when you are doing a remodel of a bathroom, kitchen or living room. Tile saws are able to cut through cement, stone, ceramic and porcelain tiles seamlessly and easily. It's always best to be armed with a few tips and tricks for the experts before starting out for beginners. 

Even if you are a veteran DIYer, you can always do with a few more tips to make your life easy. Keep reading for the expert's guide to tile saw tactics.

Know your Materials, the Job at Hand and the Right Tools to Use

When you are well informed about what material you will be working with, it is easier to know the specific tile saw for your needs. You will also get to know if you need more tools aside from tile saws. For tiles made from cement, terra cotta, brick, and porcelain, a wet tile saw is most preferred and useful.

However, if you are working with porcelain and ceramic tiles then you will most likely need additional tools such as an oscillating tool and a circular saw with a tile blade.

Another factor to consider aside from materials is whether you will be working on new tiles or old ones. If you are cutting tiles for a room remodel, a plain old wet tile saw will work. However, if you need to remove current tiles, a circular saw will help.

If you only have a few tiles to cut, a snap tile cutter is your best bet as it is low-maintenance and easy to use. Sometimes the task at hand requires only a small snip at a corner. A tile nipper is excellent, especially for the corners. A rotary cutting tool is great for making incision in the middle of a tile to accommodate a sink, for example.

How to Use Tile Saws

Although tiles can be worked with many different tools, the tile saw is probably the most important and only (in some cases) tool you will need for tiling purposes. 

Wet tile saws come in different sizes and make, but the most common one for home DIYs is the tabletop tile saw which is of average size. 

The main parts of a tile saw include the blade, lock and on/off switch. The first thing you need to do is to measure out the size of tile you want using the saw's ruler. Then you will use this measurement to lock the plates. As you place your tile in the measured space, make it tight and well-fitting. Also, remember that as you work dust will cover the measurements and you want to wipe it off. Accurate measurement is the first step to get you a clean professional-looking job.

Once the tile is in place push down the lever for locking. The blade has a blade guard that you can use to lower it down with. Now you can turn on your saw. The on/off switch is usually located at the front of the saw. The best thing to do to ensure your tile cutting session goes well is to push the tile away from you and down towards the table. Do this until your tile is completely cut. 

From here, turn the saw off and wait for the blade to stop spinning before lifting the blade guard and getting your piece of tile out. You will feel very accomplished once you have cut your first piece of tile, for beginners. If you have been cutting and installing tiles on your own for years, challenging yourself with new designs is a great way to bring that spark back.

Of course, just like with any electric tool, take the necessary precautions and work away from children to avoid any accidents. Be sure to wear protective eye and hand gear.