How to Use a Manual Tile Cutter?

Purpose and Applications

A manual tile cutter is designed to cut glazed and unglazed ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles. It is an essential piece of masonry equipment that all DIY enthusiasts should have, as well as a trowel, masonry hammer, a chisel, and a concrete mixer. However, you should not use manual tile cutters on stone tiles, such as marble, limestone, or granite. It is also unsuitable for concrete and cement tiling. Stone and cement are harder materials than ceramics or porcelain, requiring more cutting power than a manual tile cutter can provide. If you try to cut tiling made of these materials with a manual tile cutter, you risk prematurely wearing it out or breaking it and damaging your tiles. Wet tile saws are more suitable for tiles made from hard materials.

Parts of a Manual Tile Cutter

The nine essential parts of a manual tile cutter include:

• Base (most use two, but some models may feature a single guide rail)
• Guide rails
• Carriage
• Handle
• Scoring wheel (also called cutting wheel or blade)
• Breaker (some manufacturers may refer to it as a breaking device, a toggle, a snapping foot, or a snapper)
• Ruler (also called measuring square)
• Lateral stop
• Backstop