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What’s the best blade to cut porcelain tiles, ceramic and glass?
A common misconception is that all tiles are the same in terms of hardness and composition. Because they are supposed to have the same characteristics, it is thought that the same equipment and the same technique is always used. Wrong. Each material has its own composition and must be treated in a specific way. In this article, we explain how to do it.
Ceramic and porcelain have always been popular in building construction and beautification, and glass is here to stay. Due to this popularity, our experts receive more and more questions about which is the best diamond blade for ceramic tiles, or what blade to use to cut tiles without scratching the material, or in general, what is the best tile saw blade and how to properly use it. If you also have doubts about this, don’t worry, we explain how to proceed:
Best tile cutting tools: Wet tile saws vs masonry saws
The good news is that the same saw will work with all these materials, plus others such as granite tiles or travertine. You can even cut marble with a jigsaw. But as these are fragile materials, your best bet is to use a wet tile saw or a masonry saw. Both are designed to cut through rough and abrasive materials such as granite but are also often used for tiles.
Another option would be to use a tile saw as they are cheaper, lighter and smaller, but consequently not suitable for cutting through harder materials.
Advantages of the masonry saw: cuts ceramic, glass, and porcelain tiles, just like a tile saw. They are also suitable for cutting much harder and more abrasive materials such as stone. They usually have a stationary table, and the user can guide the blade through the material.
Advantages of a tile saw: they will cut tiles professionally, but there is no use for other (rougher and more abrasive) materials. These machines are cheaper, lighter and easier to carry around and store. This saw is a perfect choice for a small and very specific project that does not involve hard materials.
Another option: you might be interested in using a manual tile cutter if your project is actually really small and you are not planning on carrying other projects. However, you need to know your tool and how to properly use it. The tile cutter requires a proper technique and tons of patience to avoid chipping and splitting the tiles.
What blade should I use to cut porcelain tiles, glass and ceramic?
Have you already chosen your saw? Have you considered whether to buy or rent? Great, now let’s move on to the next step: choosing the blade.
What’s the best blade for porcelain tiles, glass tiles and ceramic? You have to consider the hardness and resistance of your material, which will depend on its composition.
The best blade is always the diamond blade. But within this category there are many varieties. Which one to choose? The most important thing to consider is the type of blade, its diameter, and the material you are going to choose. Read the label on the blade or ask our team for help to get a professional opinion.
Best blade for cutting porcelain tiles
Of the three materials, porcelain is the hardest. Therefore, you will need to find a diamond blade for ultra-hard materials or one specifically for porcelain. Using a standard diamond blade would not hold the hardness of the material for very long. The material would not cut properly and the blade would wear out very quickly. You would have to stop constantly to re-sharpen it and probably buy another one.
Best blade for cutting ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles are the second hardest material in this category, which is why you would also use an ultra-hard diamond blade or a blade specifically for ceramic tiles. You may be interested to know that there are some blades specially designed to work with both materials. If you use a softer diamond blade, it will happen like with porcelain, you will have to stop many times to dress the blade and end up with a mediocre result.
Best blade for cutting glass tiles
As you can guess, glass is the softer one of these three materials. Because it is especially sharp, it gets easily chipped and broken. Therefore, you need a diamond blade specifically for glass.
If you don’t know how to cut glass tiles, we offer you two options, depending on the size of your project:
For small projects: use a standard manual tile cutter. This is not the best option, as it is likely to break. You can find on our site our manual glass cutters with lubricated rotary blades that slice through the material without crushing it.
For larger projects: buy or rent a wet tile saw or a masonry saw. Always use a diamond blade labelled for glass. This is the safest option for you and for your equipment. Wet cut, as it prevents the diamond blade from overheating and reduces the friction that causes the glass to chip and break.
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