Mastering Precision: A Guide on How to Use an Electric Tile Cutter

Tiles aren’t one-size-fits-all. Before you begin a tiling job, you almost always need to cut tiles down to size so they can fit your floor, wall, or ceiling layout. Traditionally, tradies prefer manual tile cutters for their cost-effectiveness, cutting speed, and clean cuts — and we mean ‘clean’ literally, as manuals won’t leave dust in their wake. That said, the dust is far from settled on the tiling world, the market awash with tiles of all textures, widths, shapes, and sizes. 

With tougher tile types and materials — such as stone and porcelain — reigning prevalent, tradies are now turning to electric tile cutters to better sharpen the axe. If you want to take things up a gear and go electric, this blog is for you.

The Electric Cutter Triad

So, you’ve decided to upgrade to a power tool. The next question is — which one will you choose? That’s right: there are different types of electric cutters, and you can more or less boil these down to three. Let’s break down and compare portable, moving-table, and moving-head electric tile cutters.

Portable Cutters

As the name may suggest, portable electric cutters are small, lightweight, and easily transportable. Ideal for small-time repairs or renovations, these machines can cut out squares — and around the corners of windows and doors — like a champ. A major advantage of the portable cutter is that you can use it to cut directly at the site of installation. Safe, user-friendly, and the ultimate complement to a manual cutter, portable cutters are a great choice, slicing with finer precision than grinding tools.

Before you activate a portable cutter, draw a line along your tile denoting where you intend to make the cut (you can use a pencil). Once you have a clear template, it’s time to hold the tile in place — whether it’s resting loose against a surface or already affixed. If you use your hand(s) to secure the tile, be sure to keep it or them well out of the way of the blade and its path. For a safer approach, consider stabilising the tile using a clamp or vice (if possible).

Now you’ve completed the setup, it’s time to make the cut. Ensure the blade is positioned to align with your pencil-drawn line. When you’re ready, turn on the cutter and ensure it’s en route to meet the line. Once you’re finished, turn off the cutter with care and repeat the process for the next tile!

Moving-Table Cutters

Moving-table electric cutters are workstations in their own right. Similar to conveyor belts, they stand upright to support a surface that moves along rails (or sometimes tracks, channels, sliding mechanisms, or rotating systems). When using a moving-table electric cutter, place your tile or building material onto this aforementioned surface — this will transport it towards the blade. This machine’s strengths lie in its speed and ability to cut through thicker materials, while its weakness is a lack of versatility. You can’t use a moving-table electric cutter for ceramic tiles without compromising performance or the precision of its cut.

To use a moving-table electric cutter — assuming you already have it set up on a stable, flat floor — place your tile on its surface so that it aligns with the blade. Before you start cutting, be sure to check the cutter’s settings — will the blade cut to your desired depth? Is everything aligned as you want it? — and adjust them accordingly, if applicable. Once everything’s in place, all you have to do is turn on the machine, which will move the tile towards the blade. Of course, the moving table will eventually transport the tile to the blade’s edge, where the cut is completed. Voilà! 

Moving-Head Cutters

Moving-head cutters are the guillotines of the electric cutter triad. Featuring a sliding head, these machines are highly recommended for cutting ceramic materials, as they give a remarkably precise and high-quality cut. If you’re solely focused on cutting tiles, avoid variants featuring mitre saws. While the mitre saw gives them an edge — literally — this edge is more useful for cutting materials other than ceramic (i.e. the most common tile material). Reserve mitre-sawed cutters for natural stone and building materials, and also for when you need to make a variety of different cuts rather than precise, high-quality ones.

Like their moving-table counterparts, moving-head cutters require a flat, stable surface to perform safely — so set up your machine at a secure, level workstation. Once you’ve stabilised the cutter, make any adjustments you need to — e.g. ensure that the guide or fence is correctly aligned, and that the blade’s height and depth are compatible with the tile’s thickness. Next, place the tile against the machine’s guide and align it with the path of the blade. Before you flick on the machine, be sure to slide the cutting head into position so that it will follow the path you want it to. 

When it’s all systems go, activate the cutter and hold the tile in place as the blade slices through the material. Once you’ve completed the cut, turn off the machine and remove the tile. If you have multiple tiles to cut, repeat this entire process, one tile at a time!

Cut Faster with an Electric Tile Cutter

Like many power tools, electric tile cutters are harder, better, faster, and stronger than their manual counterparts. They’re great for those newer to tiling who want to hit the ground running, and they’re the ultimate upgrade for tilers who’ve been using mostly manual tools.

Whether you want to start off lighter with a portable electric cutter or invest in a robust machine like the moving-table electric cutter, Tilers Online has all your options covered. Browse our range of power tools and diamond blades to get started.