Are you planning on building a house or thinking of renovating your house by fitting tiles for the floor, kitchen counter, or bathroom? Irrespective of the size of the project, tilling is a tricky job.
During the planning, you must consider the best tile cutter tool for achieving precise, accurate, and perfectly level surface for your floor, backsplash, and countertops.
It won’t be a difficult job when you have both tile cutter and wet saw to complete your project with a precise cut. But when it comes down to deciding which one is best, tile cutter or wet saw, you have to encompass the design of the floor, material types, and overall scope of the job under consideration. Our professional expert’s advice is standby to guide you to choose the right tool for your project. So, let’s move on to the technical aspects of the tools being discussed to give you a clear idea for making the right choice.
Table of Contents
Tile Types and Composition
There is a variety of tiles i.e Ceramic tile, clay tile, and porcelain tile are available at the stores. Ceramic tile is made from sand, water, and clay and baked in a squire mold to make it moisture free. Porcelain is composed of a denser type of clay than ceramic tile while clay tiles are solely made of clay. All type of tiles are either glazed for interior use or unglazed for roofing or outer space.
Other types of tiles for instance glass, cork, concrete, and stone are used for any number of other applications. There’s no hard and fast rule to dictate the client which tile she/ he should or should not choose for a project.
Measurements and Preparation
Every project has unique kinds of spatial challenges. It’s essential to take an accurate measurement of the area including boundaries, diagonal interiors, width, and height, and plan out a layout for achieving the highest level of professional-quality performance. Accurate measurement of the total area of flooring including abnormal boundaries and number of cuts helps estimate what amount of tiles in Square feet is required to complete the project.
After the measurement, it needs to prepare the estimate how many tiles are required for the spaces. Make sure that the surface is thoroughly scraped and cleaned of all debris to have the highest longevity of the floor and walls.
Tile Installation
After determining the size of the tile, draw out a layout for the chosen tile which will act as a basic map throughout the installation process . Instead of choosing too many different tile sizes and layouts to choose from, it is wise to find the best one that fits every style of interior décor.
Tile Cutter
Tiles are placed inside the tile cutters and scored in order to break them along the scoreline.
Tile cutters are the less costly and precise way to have accurate cuts. They are the manual machine that offers a simple two way process of scoring and then snapping the tile. This method is appropriate for softer tiles rather than harder ones. It’s not suitable for working on tile flooring materials which have higher PEI rating. Neither it’s good tool to apply on glass tiles.
This manually operated tile cutters can be a right choice for use around the home. The tile cutter is easy to carry directly into the area being tiled for convenient cuts. It’s very effective for straight cuts. It does not apply to achieve curved cuts.
Wet Saw
Wet saw looks like a table saw. It has tile cutting abilities to the advanced level as it is run by electricity. This electric option to a tile cutter allows a rotating diamond blade to slice through a variety of different tile materials. The design of wet saw supports rotating blade to be angled that allows to achieve precise miter cuts.
Wet saws utilize the advantage of consistent spray of water to minimize friction of the cuts. Also the water spray enables the tile not to get smoked or burnt. Some tables incorporate in-built water reservoir while others have the system to connect to an external water source.
The design of the diamond blade gives wet saws the larger scope for the tiles having a higher PEI rating and glass tiles which manual tile cutter does not support. Different saws are equipped for different jobs. Wet saw is a perfect choice for larger tiling projects for its fast and precise cuts into intricate shapes.
The two main drawbacks of wet saw are the mess and the skill needed. The units are large and need skill for operating the unit. The water spray and dust created by a wet saw, it recommends for the outdoor use. It can take more time to walk from the saw to the project so suggest measuring multiple tiles for cutting at a time and working in larger batches. Wet saw requires little practice and care to avoid accidental injuries and hazards. It recommends to read the instructions carefully before operation.
Which is Best for Your Project!
The above discussion, comparative advantage of each tools and differences gave you the understanding to decide which tool, Wet Saw or Tile cutter is best for your project. Major factors like material, project size and skill etc. dominates your choice. However, the best choice for your project isn’t always easy and straightforward. Among other factors, sometimes money, time frame, tile type may influence which tool to choose.
While making decision, the overall scope of the project and prospect for future projects is considerable. If it is a quick project, opt for a tile cutter could be preferable with minimal budget. while for retiling of larger spaces or ground, a wet saw could be the best for your project.
Comparative Features of Wet Saw and Tile Cutter
Wet Saw: Electric run, Skill/ training required, Suitable for glass and hard tile, Precise miter cut, Accelerated service for large project, Designed for heavy duty
Tile Cutter: Manual, Easy for beginner, Ideal for softer tile and straight cut, quick low cost project, minimum mess, Portable
So, if you are ready to initiate your tiling project, don’t forget to knock us for professional advice. Our experts would be happy to hear about your project and guide you to choose between a Tile Cutter and a Wet Saw and ensure the best tool you are going to buy for your project.
