How to Cut Tile Around the Banister

Put the tile that requires cutting on top of a thick piece of paper or a thin piece of cardboard. Cut around the tile with a utility knife to make a template.

Place the template up against the banister or support, abutting the previous tile. Mark the template at the point at which it touches the banister or support, using a pencil. Measure the width of the support or banister. Add half of the width measurement to the mark that indicates the point at which the banister or support meets the template, and draw a line across the template.

Cut the template along the line with scissors or a utility knife.

Abut the template to the previous tile and cut the shape of the banister or support onto half of the template. Place the other half of the template on the opposite side of the support or banister, and cut around it with a utility knife. Both halves of the template will fit around the banister or support smoothly.

Turn the tile over to the unfinished side. Lay the template on top of the tile, and trace around the hole you created to accommodate the banister or support, using a dark marker. Remove half of the template and draw a straight line across the back of the tile, designating the section that meets the banister or support.

Put on eye protection and gloves.

Cut the ceramic tile down the length of the straight line with a wet saw or snap cutter.

Hold the tile in one hand and tile nippers in your free hand. Place the tile nippers at the edge of the tile inside the pencil-drawn shape, and squeeze the tile nippers' handles together to bite off a small section of tile. Continue biting off small bits of tile within the pencil drawn shape until you reach the pencil line. Repeat this step for the other half of the tile.

Sand the rough and uneven edges off the cut sections, using a tile stone.