It was never easy to decide which type of tile cutter to choose as there is a vast range of choices and infinite demands. On a day to day basis, we came across different types of projects and unfortunately or fortunately we have a different range of machine to choose from.
But let’s be assured that in majority of the cases the choices come down to two major types of cutters: wet saws, and typical tile cutters.
Depending on the need and user experience different experts have varied opinion. In this article we are going to scrutinize both types of cutters in details to get a clear idea about our next purchase.
Let us start with a statement with which we can all agree: tiling is a complicated but beautiful. The beauty of it is a blessing and the intricacy is solvable.
The necessity of tiling in vast and widespread starting with building or renovating the tiles of your houses- be it in the kitchen or the bathroom to the front porch of your house, where there is a tile monument.
Depending upon the delicacy of the tiling the task may perceived as trick or trickier. Before your start the actual tiling process in crucial that you know the types of tiles you are going to use and most importantly the types of tile cutter will be at place.
In order to achieve the best cut with the highest degree of accuracy it is pivotal to choose the right tool.
To be honest, if you can afford and money is that of bigger deal, you can just go with buying both types of cutters and depending upon the need you can choose any of those. But if you are a someone who is frugal (something that we all should aspire to be) it is important to know where you wan to put your money.
Depending on the design of your floor or wall, the materials, and the age you should basically make the call. To solve this dilemma we are here, to help you out with expert advice, which is a result of hundreds of days of actual experience.
So, what are we waiting for!
Things you should keep in mind while deciding between the two types of cutters.
Here is a list of factors which you should keep in mind while deciding between the two types of cutters.
- Tile Composition
- Measuring the floor plan
- Cutting the tile
Tile Composition
First and foremost, the composition of your tile is quite essential to consider because there are a great number of tiles: ceramic, stone, porcelain or clay and each require specific types of attention.
In general, you will find ceramic, clay and porcelain to be the most available types of tiles in the marker. The first one ceramic is composed on sand, clay and of course water. On the other hand, clay is made of, as you might have guessed it, clay! And a denser type of clay is used to produce porcelain. (Read this article about the 10 best tile saws review.)
Being aware about this distinction is important because it will help you to determine the type of cutter you need.
Measuring the floor plan
Second of all, having a measurement of the floor plan. By floor plan, I am referring to the way the tiles will be laid down.
For the general purpose, there are different types of spatial needs for individual area or rooms, therefore, knowing the measurement of your floor plan is crucial and will definitely ensure that you do not buy less the required amount or more than the required amount.
It is absolutely imperative to get and know the accurate measurement. You can start by measuring the boundaries of the floors, height, width and diagonal interiors.
After that, you can take the measurement of the the single tile’s one square. You can use these figures to determine the number of tiles you will be needing for the project. At the same time, you should be aware about the abnormal boundaries. ( Learn more about top quality concrete saw.)
Cutting the tile
Third, cutting the tile-evidently most relevant to the topic in hand. In most of the cases, you will not have the luxury to work in a perfectly square room because those are the easiest room to fill in: all you need to do is assemble the tiles together and the just fit it in.
Cutting the tiles is part of the hassle- inherent hassle. To solve that predicament, we have all these different types of tile cutters at hand.
We have to acknowledge at this point that the right tool is subject to numerous factors like the skills-sets you have, budget, tile materials, and the size of the project.
Advantage and disadvantage of the both types of tile cutters.
In this part of the article we are going to discuss the advantage and disadvantage of the both types of tile cutters.
Wet Saws
If you are someone who needs to work with heavy tiles and other naturally sturdy materials every day, wet saw is what you need. As the wet saws operate using electricity it is comparatively pretty easy to handle at the same time the task of cutting tiles become efficient because of the power generated from the electricity.
The usual wet saws operate using diamond blades that is pretty strong and sturdy enough to cut through the thickest of the materials. At he same time, the efficacy of the wet saws is unparallel.
The advantages of a buying Wet Saw
According to experts there are basically six advantages of buying a wet saw.
- The operation is fast
- Superlative for large projects
- Can cut the hardest of the materials
- Can have curve cuts
- Can get intricate cuts
- A guide to get cuts
First of all, as the wet saws are run by electricity it is pretty powerful which comes handy when it comes to the operation. Compared to a typical cutter the wet saws are way faster and as a result of that you can fast operation which eventually leads to more efficacy and most importantly saves a lot of time.
Next, it is great to deal with large projects. The fact is pretty simple, if you want to deal with larger projects, you need a machine that can handle it and wet saws are that beast.
After that, as it is pretty powerful it can cut through the hardest of the materials with great ease. There are some natural materials like stones which are very hard to deal with unless you have a strong machine.
Apart from that, it can give you curve cuts. You never know until you need a curve cut and have a wet saw can come very hand at that time. So, you should definitely consider purchasing one.
Besides, the wet saws are designed to give you delicate cuts. Sometimes to sooth the eyes are based on need you might have to have an intricate cut, and wet saw is your answer.
Last but not least, for a super clean straight cut, you should always consider a wet saw. Use a wet saw when cutting glass tiles.
The disadvantages of a buying Wet Saw
- Not mobile
- Large units
- Difficult to learn the usage
- Quite expensive
- Have comparatively greater safety risk
To begin with, as the machine is pretty heavy, one cannot easily move it. But the caveat is that most of the people do not need to move a wet saw on a regular basis. But if you are someone who has this particular need, think about consequences before investing money on it!
Second, the units in the wet saw are designed for the larger objects as a result working with delicate pieces of tiles is a bit difficult. ( Check this: Different ways to cut tile without a wet saw.)
Third, yes! One needs to have some sort of expertise using this beast. But this should not be a major predicament for you to buy this thing, as you can always learn and people have been using it with efficiency for a while now, so can you!
Fourth, compared to other types of cutters wet saws are quite expensive. So, the idea is “with great power comes great expense” If you know what I mean.
Fifth, one has to be careful using this beast because it is a beast and the consequences of a mistake can be brutal. As always, safety first, so whenever you will be using a wet saw please consider the following: gloves, glasses and masks.
Now that we have discussed about the pros and cons of a wet saw. Let’s have a deeper look into the advantages and disadvantages of buying a tile cutter.
Tile Cutters
Tile cutters are manual powerhouses which can cut majority of the tiles with ease. Since it doesn’t not require electricity one can take it anywhere. But physical pressure is a bit more in using a tile cuter compared to a wet saw. More of that in the following advantage disadvantage section.
The advantages of a buying tile cutter
- Very portable
- Affordable
- One doesn’t have to have profession skills to operate it
- Perfect for small projects
First, as mentioned above the tile cutters are very portable. If you are someone who likes to work the delicate work in the sun, tile cutter is a perfect fit. You can take it anywhere and everywhere. And, if your work requires you to have a cutter which needs to be mobile there is no better fit than this one.
Second, it is quite affordable. If you are not a professional and do not do heavy work on a regular basis, why invest or waste money on an expensive product. At the same time, for occasional work you can always borrow a wet saw.
Third, this type of cutter is pretty easy to use. If you are a novice user, you wouldn’t definitely want to invest a lot of time learning to use a device which is difficult to use.
Fourth, if you do not like hassles and usually are up to small projects tile cutters are the perfect fit. It just gets you what you need.
Since we know the reason why you should purchase a tile cutter, let’s focus on the reasons for why you should not purchase one.
The disadvantages of a buying tile cutter
- Difficult to cut harder tiles
- Difficult to use on glass tiles
- To get the right cut, one has to try multiple times
- Breaking the tiles can be hectic
So, here comes the truth with mobility, affordability comes some challenges.
First, if you deal with the harder tiles on a day to day basis then buying a tile cutter is not feasible because tile cutters are manual machines and it does not the strength to cut the harder tiles.
Maybe you can use your own strength to deal with the harder tiles but it will not be as precise as you would want them to be.
Second, the tile cutters cannot just simply deal with glass tiles, a tile which is becoming progressively popular among the professional. So, if you also need to deal with glass tiles, think about other possible options.
Third, getting a precise cut with a tile cutter is difficult with a manual tile cutter. If you want to get the right cut then you need to try it multiple times.
Fourth, the great deal with a tile cutter is that the deal doesn’t close with the CUT only. One has to physically break the tile, though using the cutter. Therefore, getting the final cut pieced is or can be difficult from time to time.
So, there you go! an advantage disadvantage analysis of the tile cutters.
Frequently Asked Questions and Expert Answers
A general tile cutter is mainly used for straight cuttings. It is not capable of making any angle cuts. On the contrary, a wet tile saw actually makes the straight cuts, and the curve cuts very easily.
Especially when you put a diamond blade in your wet tile saw, it boosts the power level and speed at a massive rate. With the extreme saw blade, the wet tile saw cuts the ceramic tile, porcelain tile, marble tile, granite tile, and stone tile very ideally.
The wet tile saw generally comes with a proper water reservoir system. This unique system actually helps to remove dust and filth from your materials and maintains an eco-friendly working zone.
Moreover, a wet tile saw with a water spraying option offers another advantage in keeping the saw blade heating level lower. When you work in a tidy area with a perfect tool like a wet tile saw, your confidence will go higher, and you can focus more on your work as well.
We all know that a tile saw is a handy and effective power cutting tool that is mainly used on DIY and household projects. If you want to cut wide tiles via your wet tile saw, you must follow our instructions.
First, you have to place your preferred tiles on the cutting surface, then mark the lines on the materials (you can use a marker in this case). Next, set your saw at the correct angle and hold the saw handle tightly. After that, push it on the materials and follow the lines to make accurate wider cuts.
Final Verdict
There is no doubt that both the types of cutters has its own usability, that’s why they have been created at the first place. But your concern should be aligned with your interest and need.
If you are some one who have been in the business for a while, you most probably know what your needs are, so please make the call accordingly.
But if you are someone who needs a bit more guidance, please do the need analysis first and then read the article or vice versa.
Nevertheless, the real deal is to understand your need.
I hope this article has given you a clearer picture about Wet Saw vs Tile Cutter and difference between the two types of tile cutters.
Cheers!
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