cutting floor tile

Sep 01, 2010 27 Replies

Thanks for the many useful replies. A few responses -

-- re-scoring - I'm a little skeptical about re-scoring. I was taught in stained glass class that a single score is best, re-scoring tends to mess up both the score and the cutter. I don't know if that strictly applies here but I have scored and snapped a lot of glass, and many thinner tiles, without undue problems. In short, I think the scoring is fine, I know how a good score feels, sounds and looks.

-- dowel method - I'll try that and see how it goes. Sounds like it might work well as long as the cut is close to the middle of the tile; might be awkward if the cut is way over to one side.

-- wet saw - sounds like I may need to do that after all. I like the idea of laying the full tiles first, saving all the cuts for the end. I do have an HF and borg stores nearby so I might look around and decide if renting or buying is better. I am, as others have mentioned, learning as I go. That has worked for me before.

-- having the store cut them - I'm not sure the big box offers that kind of service, but I will ask next time I'm in there to pick up some more tile. I'm doing the job a little at a time as time permits (and to spare my back).

-- hardwood clamp jigs - that sounds like fun, I might try that too.

Thanks, -- H

te:

That is cheating! Just wish I could have done the same but new city, old neighborhood and didn't know anyone.

If you can't negotiate a new tool out of any project then you shouldn't be doing it. That is always a condition for any project that I undertake and I do at least one major project every year. (Make that only one major project every year.) This year is gutting and remodeling the kitchen. Building all the cabinets myself so that required a new table saw, dovetail jig, router table and router. Cabinets done, drawers done (14) and about half of the 32 cabinet doors complete. A few more weekends and I will be ready to install. The only thing I am dreading is pulling out the old tile floor and replacing with wood. My knees just don't like all that crawling around anymore. ? Wonder what tool I could negotiate for that?

>

I got a wet saw from HD for around 70 bucks earlier in the year - it's poor construction quality in terms of the plastic-fantastic chassis, but it did the job I needed to do without screwing up any tiles. I've got a couple more floors I want to do with it sometime, so figured it'd be cheaper than renting each time.

cheers

Jules

rote:

re: "My knees just don't like all that crawling around anymore"

I've resigned myself to using knee pads and large sheets of cardboard a long time ago. I have a rubber kneeling pad that hangs out near my toolbox which I often toss in the van.

No vanity issues for me - I ain't proud!

I caught softball for many years and my knees keep reminding me about how much fun I had.

Nipple? (0:

-- Bobby G.

Wait a few years. Then you'll be thinking "if only I could get UP from the floor after I've been down on my knees." I've tried everything - auto maintenance dollies, custom dollies, kneepads, cardboard, old pillows, blocks of foam, etc. I've got a tile repair to make in the kitchen that I have been putting off waiting for a "good knee day" but so far, no luck. What I need is something like an engine hoist to raise and lower me to the ground. Being there isn't any near as hard as getting there!

P.S. - No softball here. Nothing fun I can remember. The knees just blew out, both within six months of each other.

)-:

-- Bobby G.

checkbook?

hiring a tiler would be cheaper than 2 knee replacements.

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