How To Use a Manual Tile Cutter

The process of cutting tile is fundamental to the installation of tiles. If you're a do-it-yourself homeowner who's interested in renovating your home, you might be seeking an alternative to using a wet saw, a tool that can be costly, filthy, and awkward to keep.  

The standard instrument for the job is the manual tile cutter, which is specifically made to score and snap tiles in order to make precise, straight cuts.  

The ideal way to use a manual tile cutter is as described in this article, along with the procedures to follow for the job.

How a Manual Tile Cutter Works

A manual tile cutter has a base to hold the tile in place, a scoring wheel to create a small cut along the line you've marked, and a mechanism to press down and snap the tile along the scored line.  

This design still allows for controlled and accurate breaks in the tile without the need of water or electricity, even though the tile is shattered instead of cut. Both professional tile installers and do-it-yourselfers can benefit from using a manual tile cutter, thanks to its portability and ease of use. This will allow them to perfectly fit the tile's edge within the project space.  

Purpose and Applications

Any type of ceramic or porcelain tile, whether glazed or unglazed, can be cut with a manual tile cutter.  Along with a trowel, masonry hammer, chisel, and concrete mixer, it is an indispensable tool for any do-it-yourself masonry enthusiast's toolbox. Stone tiles, including marble, limestone, and granite, should not be cut with manual tile cutters. Concrete and cement tiles are also not a good fit.  A manual tile cutter lacks the power necessary to cut stone and cement, which are harder materials than porcelain and ceramics. Using a manual tile cutter on tiling composed of these materials might lead to the cutter wearing out too quickly or breaking, which can damage your tiles.  If your tiles are very tough, you may want to consider using a wet tile saw.

Choosing the correct tool is essential for a successful do-it-yourself project. Keeping that in mind, here are several situations in which a manual tile cutter could be the way to go:

Tile projects of varying sizes

Cutting tile by hand is a slow and precise process that requires attention to detail. This means that smaller to medium-sized projects are better suited for hand tile cutting. A wet saw is the better option for large-scale jobs.  

Whenever precise, straight cuts are required

Cuts must be perfectly straight when using a manual tile cutter.  This is still a straight cut, but you may modify the tile's orientation so the cutter cuts diagonally. When cutting extremely hard materials, such as granite or thick porcelain tiles, or tiles with complex curves or patterns, a manual tile cutter will not do the job. A wet saw is ideal for this kind of cutting work, as mentioned before.

Chopping porcelain and ceramic tiles

If you want to avoid using a wet saw when cutting ceramic or porcelain tile, you can use a manual tile cutter, although these won't work for most materials. Glass tiles can be cut using some heavier-duty manual tile cutters, but before you buy, make sure the equipment is suitable for cutting glass tiles.  You should use a wet saw to cut any other material, such metal or real stone.

Parts of a Manual Tile Cutter

• Base (two are standard, though certain versions may just have one)
• Guide rails
• Carriage
• Handle
• Scoring wheel (also referred to as a blade or cutting wheel)
• Breaker (some manufacturers may refer to it as a breaking device, a toggle, a snapping foot, or a snapper)
• Ruler (also called a measuring square)
• Lateral stop
• Backstop

What You'll Need

• Safety glasses
• Work gloves
• Dust mask
• Tile cutter
• Measuring tape
• Straight edge
• A pen or pencil  
• Tile polishing stone

Safety First

There are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you stay safe when using a manual tile cutter, even if it is easy and does not immediately offer any concerns. When it comes to equipment, even the most skilled workers are human and blunders are possible. Follow these easy safety measures to protect yourself.  

Safety glasses

Wear safety glasses at all times when cutting tile, as dust and shards can irritate the eyes.

Work gloves

To avoid injury from the scoring wheel and sharp tiles, wear gloves with cut resistance.

Dust mask

Wearing a dust mask can protect your lungs from any fine particles that may be produced, even though manual tile cutters emit less dust than electric saws.

How to Use a Manual Tile Cutter, Step by Step

Using a method known as "scoring and snapping," a manual tile cutter allows you to cut tiles one by one. There are essentially three steps to this method's operation:

I. Get the Tile Ready

Mark the cutting line on the tile's glazed surface using a pencil and straightedge. Verify your measurements to make sure they are accurate.

When you're satisfied with the markings, set the tile on the cutter's base so that the scoring wheel is directly underneath. Make sure the tile is level and placed flush with the floor.

2. Score the Tile

To make contact between the tile and the scoring wheel, lower the handle. Put the tungsten carbide scoring wheel where your cutting line will begin. Maintain a tight grip on the handle and use moderate, steady pressure to glide the score wheel down the cutting line. A scratching sound should be audible as the wheel scores the tile.

Use the score wheel only once. Avoid slapping the surface or making uneven cuts by going back and forth.

3. Snap the Tile

Hold the carriage still while you raise the handle to place the breaker on top of the scored tile. A little foot known as the breaker dangles from the carriage's underside, just behind the scoring wheel. The force that presses down on the tile will come from this component.

Put your whole force on the handle after you've set the breaker. The tile will be cleanly snapped in half along the scored line as the breaker presses down on it.

Making a Straight Cut

• To help you see where to place your tile, mark it with a pencil.
• After positioning the tile so that one edge is flush with the backstop, set it on the base of the tile cutter.
• Once the scoring wheel is over the tile's edge, you can start scoring it by adjusting the carriage's position over the tile using the handle.
• To move the carriage forward and towards the backstop, press evenly down on the handle and push.  When you move the scoring wheel over the tile, it will leave a mark, and you might hear a scratching or cutting sound.  You should see a perfectly straight score if you've done everything right.
• To turn the breaker, which is a flat toggle-shaped component, so that it faces the tile, raise the handle.
• Retract the carriage by about an inch from the backstop.
• Return the handle to its lower position and use the breaker to press down on the tile until a snapping sound is produced.

Your tile should now be neatly split in half if you've followed the instructions above.  After each tile has been trimmed or altered, take it off its base and continue working your way around.

Making a Diagonal Cut

If you want to cut a tile diagonally, you'll need to follow the same general procedure—the main difference being the orientation of the tile on the base.  To position your tile correctly, ensure that its two opposite corners are perpendicular to the base's center. Then, place one of these corners into the diagonally shaped guidance located in the middle of the backstop plate.  You can use this as a reference to ensure that your tile stays in the right spot and at the right angle.  Following the same steps as when making a straight cut, score and snap the tile into place.

Smoothing Out the Rough Edges

The edges of the tile pieces you cut may still feel slightly sharp or rough, even if you cut them perfectly. This is quite typical while cutting, but if you want them to be less sharp and more visually beautiful, you might want to smooth them out.

A tile file and some sandpaper (either medium or fine grit, 80 or 100 grit, and 200 or 220 grit) are all you need to cut tiles by hand.

• To begin sanding, wear protective goggles and work your way up to medium grit sandpaper, pushing the surface against the tile's rough edges until they are smooth. The next step is to use fine sandpaper to further smooth the edges until they are completely smooth.
• To file a tile, all you have to do is lay the tile flat on a surface, rest it on its non-cut edge, and face the ceiling with the cut, rough edge. Using your non-dominant hand to grip the tile and your dominant hand to hold the tile file flat, smooth off the rough edge by rubbing the surface.

Remember that sandpaper and tile files both wear out with use. This is particularly true if you often work on tiling projects or if you need to smooth out a lot of tiles. In the event that the blades on your manual tile cutter become dull, be sure to have extra sandpaper and tile files on hand.

Top Tips for Manually Cutting Tile

Measure twice, cut once

You should allow about three-quarters of an inch of tile to overlap the cut and the tile's edge when using a manual tile cutter. Therefore, to avoid wasting a tile, double-check that you have drawn the cutting line precisely where the tile has to be cut.

Sharp and steady

The scoring wheel must be crisp before play can start. Uneven scoring and more unpredictable tile breaking can result from a dull wheel. To score and snap with control, hold the cutter's handle firmly at all times.

Mind your fingers

In order to avoid injury, when using the cutter, keep your fingers well away from the snapping mechanism and scoring wheel. Never score or snap a tile while reaching under the handle.

Score once, snap once

Do not give in to the temptation to go over the scoreboard more than once. For a proper break, all that is required is one score that is clean. The tile becomes weaker with each scoring and is more likely to break unexpectedly, which can damage it.

Use the Right Pressure

Keep moving steadily while applying light pressure. If you push down on the tile too firmly, it can crack inside and then snap along the scoreline.

Use Caution When Cutting

Ceramic tiles, stone, and porcelain are tougher materials; therefore, use caution while cutting them with a manual tile cutter if they are thicker than 3/8 inch. Make sure your tile cutter can handle the amount of work you require it to by checking its specifications.

Protect Your Eyes

When utilizing a manual tile cutter, it is imperative that you wear eye protection at all times. Injuries caused by small, sharp pieces of tile that fly into your eye are easily preventable.

As an extra safety measure, wear thick gloves while operating a handheld manual tile cutter.

Smooth the Edges

Use a diamond rubber pad to smooth the edges after snapping the tile along the scoreline. You should also remember to employ the correct rubbing technique, which entails beginning on the top side of the tile and sanding downward. Your tile installation will look better once you do this simple step.

Don't rush into installing new flooring if you're not familiar with using a manual tile cutter.  Prior to starting to cut tiles for your new floor, it is essential to acquire adequate practice using it. If you're new to utilizing a tile cutter by hand, practicing on inexpensive or scrap ceramic tiling is the way to go.  The first is getting the tile in the right place, and the second is getting the action down pat so you can score it evenly and straight.  Get a ton of cheap practice tiles and use them until you figure out the proper motions and pressure levels.  It is common to ruin tiles due to careless scoring or using too much pressure during snapping or scoring. In such cases, you will need to replace the tiles and discard the damaged ones.

How to Choose the Right Manual Tile Cutter

The size of your tiles and the specifics of your tiling project are two of many considerations when deciding on a model.

Size consideration

Standard, medium-sized tiles, with side lengths ranging from 6" to 12", are typically cut by most manual tile cutters.  It is not safe to use a manual tile cutter on tiles that are small (four inches on each side or smaller).  Tile nippers and other specialized small tile tools are ideal for jobs involving tiles of a smaller size.  For industrial floor tiling or other projects involving Large Format Tiles (LFTs) with sides greater than 12", an extra-large tile cutter would be necessary.

It is necessary to use a tile cutter that can accept the diagonal length of the tile if you intend to make diagonal cuts, as this length is more than the side length of square or rectangular tiles.  The dimensions and shape of the tile determine the precise formula.

• To find the diagonal length of a square tile, take its side length (X) and multiply it by the square root of 2.  A 12"x12" tile, for instance, has a diagonal measurement of 16.97".  Consequently, you need a tile cutter with a minimum travel of 17 inches.
• For rectangular tiles, the diagonal length is equal to the square root of W squared + L squared, where L is the length of the tile and W is its width.  The diagonal length, for a 16"x24" tile, is 28.84 ".  A tile cutter with a minimum 29" travel distance is needed for this task.

Push cutters vs. pull cutters

Because you push the handle as you score a tile, traditional manual tile cutters are also known as push cutters.  There are models of tile cutters that are designed to be pulled rather than pushed; these models are known as pull cutters.  Both push and pull cutters are equally capable of scoring and snapping tiles.  As far as cutting tiles is concerned, neither is superior.  Still, there are benefits and drawbacks to each.  Which of these choices appeals to you more will depend on your degree of expertise and your own tastes.

• Push Tile cutters

An ergonomic design is the key benefit of a push cutter.  It feels more natural and fluid to score the tile by moving the handle and pushing.  Push tile cutters have ergonomic benefits that allow beginners more control over the pressure they apply, making them a good choice for beginners.

For extra-large tiles like LVT, a push tile cutter is the way to go. The handle acts like an arm, allowing you to score the tile with a single motion rather than stopping, adjusting, and starting again.  One slight issue with using a push cutter to make precise cuts is the distance between the operator and the ruler.

• Pull tile cutters

The measurement square is closer to the user of a pull tile cutter, allowing for more precise cutting.  In addition to revealing flaws instantly, the pulling motion clears the scoring groove of the handle and carrier, allowing you to see it clearly.  To further secure a pull cutter and avoid it sliding, the user can brace it against their knee.  While tile cutters may be more precise, they sacrifice comfort and ergonomics in the process.  Wearing out your wrists from using a pull cutter for lengthy periods of time could make those tasks more taxing.

Scoring wheels

In most cases, you can swap out the scoring wheels on your tile cutter as needed.  The titanium coating on nearly all current scoring wheels makes them extremely long-lasting and sturdy.  Nevertheless, you will still need to repair them periodically due to their inevitable wear and tear.  Another important consideration is the wheel's diameter; different types of tile have different optimal wheel sizes.  The sizes of the scoring wheels vary from 6 mm to 22 mm.  You can use each one with a variety of tile materials:

• 6 mm: Wall tiles made of ceramic, with a glaze
• 8 mm: ceramic floor tiles, porcelain tiles
• 10mm: Surfaces made of ceramic stoneware or shallowly textured porcelain
• 18 mm: Clay tiles with a rough surface, porcelain tiles with a textured or structured look 
• 22mm: Durable, structural, or textured porcelain tiles

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