Homemade Tools to Cut Ceramic Tile

Scorer

• One of the fundamental tools used in tile cutting is the scorer. With this tool a craftsman is able to significantly weaken a ceramic tile in one specific area. When pressure is applied, the tile then breaks cleanly and in the exact place you required it to. A scorer can be made by sanding the corner of a metal strip into a smooth curve; the smoothness of this curve prevents the scorer from sticking when you drag it across the ceramic tile. Drag the scorer repeatedly to make a pronounced groove in the tile's surface and then break along the groove. Use a safety ruler to protect your fingers, Applying to much pressure sometimes makes the scoring tool slip, causing it to nick your hands.

Wheel Cutter

• A sophisticated scoring device can be made by drilling through the end of two metal strips and bolting a cutting disk in between them, with the bolt acting as an axle. This device is used in the same way as a regular scorer but is more versatile and can be used to create angled grooves and cuts. Wrapping polyurethane foam around the handle will make the tool more ergonomic and comfortable to use.

Cutting Board

• A strip of triangular beading or architrave, glued to a plywood board, makes for just as effective a tile cutting board as any you may find in a hardware store. The triangular prism shape of the beading leaves one raised edge which can be aligned with the groove made by the scorer. When pressure is applied on either side of the tile, the raised edge splits the tile cleanly in two. If the cutting board it to be used a lot, hammering tacks through the beading into the board makes the tool more hard-wearing.

Sanding Block

• Sandpaper wrapped around a wooden block creates an effective sanding block for cleaning tiles and removing any rough edges left over from the cutting. Wrap the sandpaper around the block and staple into place, ensuring the paper is pulled tightly across the block and that there is no movement between the block and the paper. Wrap the top half of the block in masking tape to allow you to hold onto the block during usage without abrading your hands. This masking tape can be removed when one side of the block becomes worn down and applied to the other side, prolonging the life of the tool.