Cutting a square in a floor tile

[Bon]

Hi all.

It would seem I have been very naive indeed. I wanted to start tiling the floor of my new shower area this evening.

I have come across a stumbling block however. The first tile I wanted to lay needs to have a square cut out of the centre of it to go over the drain (McAlpine jobby with a 150mm square plate).

My question is how do I go about doing this as I have found out that floor tiles are a darn site harder than wall tiles to cut/drill so my original plan of drilling 4 holes and jigsawing the square out has been binned (along with the 3 drill bits I've broken!).

I'm guessing I'll need some sort of diamond drill and special coated angle-grinder disc? Or am I aswell finding a local company who will make the cuts for me (if so can anyone recommend any in the Lancashire area?)

 

[Jasonb]

Several options

1. For the best cut look up your local water jet cutting company this will give a perfect cut but not really needed as I assume you have a grate going over the cutout.

2. Continuous diamond edged disc in a 4.5 inch angle grinder

3. If you have an electric wet cutter it can be done by lowering the tile onto the top of the wheel once the guard has been removed. Nor really reccomended due to the risks but is very quick and easy once you have done it a few times.

Jason

 

[gcol]

I recommend option 2 above. Make as much of the cut as you can from the face side of the tile, then turn it over and complete the cuts. Should take less than a minute.

 

[Softus]

Without wishing to be argumentative, I prefer option 3* on grounds of safety and having more control.

This option is also really easy, but please wear goggles and a breathing mask.

Expect to get slightly wet in the chest area.

____________


*Edit - this used to say "option 2", but I had meant to write "option 3", so have changed it in the hope it will be less misleading. Sorry.

 

[Bon]

Thanks for the help guys (don't want to sound too stalker-like but was hoping one of your three would reply).

I'll probably try option 2 - can you recommend any manufacturers of disc or will the likes of B & Q stock these?

Jase, you're right the tile for the drain sits flush/just below the FFL and I plan to grout the joint between this and the edge of the square cut into the tile so the cut doesn't really need to be perfect.

Thanks again chaps, and don't worry the correct PPE will be worn.

 

[Softus]

I'll probably try option 2...

Guess what - I meant to write option 3.

 

[Bon]

Don't worry Softus, I got what you meant.

Think I'll still go with option 2 however as I only have to make the one cut all the other tiles can be cut using the father-in-laws sliding cutter so I'm guessing option 2 will be cheaper?

 

[Softus]

You can get cheap wet diamond saws, but then you can get even cheaper angle grinders, so "yes" in answer to your question.

However, it comes down to how much tiling you might do in the future. I use a sliding scribe/cutter for almost everything these days, but some jobs need the kind of awkward cut for which a wet saw is essential.

 

[Bon]

That's the thing, I won't be doing much if any tiling in the future that would require a cut like this.

I can borrow a 'grinder and just buy a diamond disc.

Thanks agan for the advice

 

[Jasonb]

As its a one off then the yellow silverline half way down this page will do, if you want a decent blade then the marcrist one under it is good.

Softus, you must have a different technique to me as I always seem to get a wet crotch

Jason

 

[Softus]

Softus, you must have a different technique to me as I always seem to get a wet crotch.

Jason you must be reeeelly tall!

 

[Bon]

As its a one off then the yellow silverline half way down this page will do, if you want a decent blade then the marcrist one under it is good.

Softus, you must have a different technique to me as I always seem to get a wet crotch

Jason

Thanks for that Jase, I'll see if I can get hold of one locally as I'd rather get it done tomorrow night if possible, but if not I'll get that.

 

[PilotPete]

Am I missing something, or am I correct in thinking that if you are tiling around a wet room floor drain as described, don't you need to account for the falls to the drain? Surely just cutting a square out of the middle of a tile is not going to achieve this? Don't you need to cut the tile across the diagonals and then remove the 'square' area from the four bits?

PP

 

[Softus]

Depends how big the tile is - we haven't been told...

 

[Jasonb]

Also depends on how the floor falls, cutting th ediagonals will only be needed if it slopes in four directions. Also not needed if the floor tiles are laid diagonally to the drain and the cutout is at 45deg to the sides

Jason