Can I Cut Tiles with a Jigsaw
In the process of laying ceramic tiles, it is often necessary to make a through hole of a non-standard shape. Ceramics is a durable, but at the same time brittle material that can be cut with an ordinary jigsaw, but you cannot use ordinary wood or metal files. After reading the article, you can learn how to cut ceramics with a jigsaw, and what kind of canvas to use.
Can I cut ceramic tiles with a jigsaw?
Ordinary users who do not professionally lay tile materials often ask questions about whether it can be cut using a conventional electric jigsaw. The question is relevant, since every masterful master has this tool.
It is possible to work with ceramics, but for this it is necessary to use special nozzles and devices that allow you to do this as comfortably and efficiently as possible.
Basic principles of work
The principle of working with porcelain stoneware is slightly different from how they saw metal or wood. It is important to consider the following points.
- Tiled ceramics are easily scratched, so when they are sawed, a plastic overlay should be installed on the sole of the tool.
- Before starting work, it is better to soak the tile in water. This will make the material more malleable and reduce the amount of dust generated during the process.
- During the cut, the material must be securely fixed using several clamps with rubber pads.
- When working with any kind of ceramic tile, the function of the swingarm of the jigsaw should be disabled. During the direct cut, the switch can be set to the minimum position.
- When making a closed cut, the material must be drilled using a ceramic drill with a diameter slightly larger than the width of the blade used for cutting.
Can I Cut Tiles with a Jigsaw
Work procedure
Before you start cutting ceramic granite or ceramic tile, it is necessary to install a saw blade in the electric jigsaw.
Then the tile must be soaked for 5-10 minutes.
At the next stage, the marking of the cut line is carried out, after which the material is securely fixed on a special stand of bars. At home, you can use an ordinary kitchen table for fixation. It is important to fix in such a way that the cut is weighted.
If a stand made of bars is used for fastening, then its thickness should be greater than the length of the saw blade. This is necessary so that in the process the file does not stick into the base on which the stand is mounted.
Cloths for ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles
Porcelain tile is a derivative of ceramic tiles, but at its manufacture higher temperature and pressure are applied. For this reason, porcelain stoneware is much denser and cannot be cut with carbide files designed for ceramics. Conversely, porcelain stoneware diamond blades can be used for ordinary materials.
A feature of a jigsaw file for such materials is spraying. The harder the spray, the higher the quality of the cut, and the cutting part will last longer. Spraying has such a parameter as granularity. The quality of the edges and the cutting speed directly depend on the grain size. The higher the indicator, the higher the quality of the edges and the lower the speed of the work.
For a straight cut of ceramics, it is better to use wide blades with carbide brazing, for a curved cut. Blades with a minimum width. This rule applies to any materials that can be cut with an electric jigsaw.
Conclusion
Using an electric jigsaw for cutting porcelain tiles is not the best and fastest way. Cloths for ceramics are necessary in the case when you need to perform curved cuts. When choosing, the main requirement is the presence of carbide coating.