Fancy Tile Cuts Using The Wet Saw
If you have tackled the job of tiling your floor, countertops or backsplash and have decided to make some fancy designs, you will need to make use of a wet saw. Stick with the simple tile cutter and diamond wheel for checkerboard patterns, that’s easy. The more intricate cuts will require renting a wet saw, which you can do for a nominal fee at the larger hardware stores. Rent it, don’t buy it. You may only use it this one time.
The wet saw has a shallow pan which you should fill with water. This keeps the blade cool as it cuts through the tile and eliminates a lot of the dust thrown off from the tiles. If you are creating diagonal patterns, a wet saw is the only way to go. It can look intimidating, but once you start using it, the tile work becomes a breeze.
Use a grease pencil to mark the cut you are about to make. Then, using the rip fence, line up the blades with the mark of the cut, adjusting the rip fence at both ends using the scales to insure a straight cut. Triangular cuts can be made with the help of a triangular attachment tool. Remember, measure twice, cut once. Hold the tile against the rip fence and push gently, always turning the saw OFF when you get to the end of the tile. You can then remove the tile. Carefully run the blade along any small chips that remain on the tile to remove them. Take safety precautions when using a wet saw. Particles from the tile and water could hit your eyes, so wear protective goggles.
Before you take left-over tile back to the store, know that this style of tile may only be in stock for a limited time at any store, usually about 2 years, max. After that, if you crack some tiles and need to replace them, good luck matching the pattern and shade from the stock available at that time. Always keep an extra box of tile on hand for replacement needs that may occur in the years ahead.
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