Milling ceramic tiles - socket cutouts etc

Hi All

I need to make some cutouts in the middle of some kitchen ceramic tiles for electrical sockets/fused spur switches etc.

Can I mill them out (max rpm of mill = 2500)?

With what sort of cutter(s) and how to make the initial cut?

I can see a way of holding the tile down, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Some minor chipping of the glaze on the edge of the cutout is OK - say 1mm damage - as the sockets overlap the holes by some distance.

Thanks in anticipation
Martin

(mill not operational at the moment, so can't go and do any experiments)

Use diamond grit tipped hole cutter and just traverse the tile - worked for me

you can get a good clean hole at reasonable speeds

Edited By Trevorh on 07/02/2014 08:58:39

Thanks Trevor - where can I find a "diamond grit tipped hole cutter"?

If you have a Dremel, they do a tile cutting kit Ebay 360647421911

The cutting bits are available separately if you want to make a mess of your milling machine ! Loads of abrasive dust produced.

It has been a while since I used mine, but IIRC I used a carbide glass drill to make the initial entry hole, then just guided the Dremel manually around the markings on the tile. Chipping of the glaze was minimal.

HTH

Nigel B.

I think I've tried the Dremel kit in the past - bit of a toy IMHO...I didn't get on with it

Maybe one of these - but will it cut laterally I wonder?

http://www.toppstiles.co.uk/tprod1198/section48/TileMate-Pro-Drill-Bit-8mm.html

Edited By Martin Millener on 07/02/2014 10:16:28

Martin

Here, as they say, is one ( or two) that i did earlier!

The first trick is, where possible, to ensure that the cut-out does not come in the centre of a tile. I had 8 lots of sockets etc to work around when I did this job! It does help if you use smaller tiles but exact cutting is not vital as the switch cover plates allow sufficient to cover up any small problems. I strongly recommend that you spend the money and buy yourself a tile saw - something like THIS - It will make your life in tiling so much easier.

If you really need to cut the centre from a tile first mark the cutout with a felt pen and then carefully score along those lines with a glass ( or tile) cutter. This should ensure that any chipping is minimised and the suggestions already offered by others should help.

Good luck ! - I hope that I've finished all the tiling in this house - I find it a bit of chore but, with care, the results can be rewarding.

Norman

<<The first trick is, where possible, to ensure that the cut-out does not come in the centre of a tile.>>

We have specifically designed and put the socket and spur backboxes in so that they are exactly in the middle of where the tiles will be, which are oblong at about 300mm x 80mm Trying to predict where the backboxes need to be so that they are smack in the middle of the tiles, in a kitchen stripped back to just the rising main is pretty tricky but we think we've done it!

It (should) result in a very refined "integrated" look - we're hoping so, anyway.

We've tried a central hole with a handheld angle grinder and a dry diamond cutting wheel
**LINK**
with some success.

The edge is not particularly straight, as it's hand held, but it's good enough. The main problem is that you can't get into the corners as the cut would have to extend past the corner too far to meet the other cut at right angles to it - and the sockets don't cover that extra distance

We then put a round diamond hacksaw blade into the cut to finish off the corners - it worked on 3, but the 4th cracked the tile to the edge (only about 10mm away)

I just though that a whizz round the inside of the tile on the milling table would be less stressful to the tile and give a good edge and corner - maybe the angle grinder and diamond saw plus a bit more care is the best way after all?

Edited By Martin Millener on 07/02/2014 12:01:45

Edited By Martin Millener on 07/02/2014 12:02:56

Do a search for exakt saw, this is a mini circular saw that can do plunch cuts, I borrowed one to do some holes in the middle of some large tiles and it worked well

Hi Martin

Maybe one of these - but will it cut laterally I wonder?

**LINK**

yes it will on a slow feed and you will end up with a neat and smooth cut out

I have used these in the middle of large-ish tiles with no problem

Even used a hand drill and had reasonable results

enjoy

You can make initial hole using standard masonry bit (preferably fairly new). Put a bit of masking tape on the tile face to stop the drill slipping when starting. Don't use hammer action with the drill.

You can cheap what looks like a fret saw with abrasive blade quite cheaply from DIY stores. They work but are slow.

Look for a "Rotozip Diamond Bit" illustrated here:

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/rotozip-diamond-bit/980968

(I am on the other side. Sorry, I don't have a British/European link). This is sourced from Bosch. Cuts not only ceramic tile but also the much harder porcelain tiles. Check that your tools have a collet for the bit shank.

Before this, I would use a circular, continuous rim, diamond grit blade (avoid the segmented type) in an angle grinder. A slightly smaller blade than the grinder's nominal capacity is better since it allows cutting closer to the corners. Lay out the cutout location on the backside (unfinished) side of the tile. Score along these lines as best you can (You can cut through the tile in the central part of the line. You can go beyond the corners on the backside - of course, without cutting completely through. Similarly, make diagonal cuts to the corners (an "X". Turn the tile over and gently tap on the good side of the tile. The segments - usually - break out cleanly.

I've just done our kitchen and my stepson has tiled the bathroom walls.

For the bathroom we followed Norman's strategy as I built a false wall to hide all the pipework and made sure that every hole was on a corner.

In the kitchen it was tiles that looked like they were made of many smaller tiles so it was easy to split them along a joint and tidy up with grout.

Expect a much faster cutting action on wall tiles than floor tiles.

My cheap tile cutter was too small and has started to get flaky and can't do corners so used a big manual cutter (£25 from Topps) and a cheap (£32 from screwfix) circular saw tile cutter with a diamond blade for the profiles and corners.

Just the towel rail & shower screen & floor tile grouting left to do. How can there be so much work in a small room?

Neil

When I did mine many years back just use a simple tile saw and masonry drill quite a cheap way to do it !

Rotozip is the "same" as the Dremel cutter. Works a treat on all except porcelain tiles, if you have these good luck!!

If you have porcelain you really must arrange the "box" on the edges and just cut the squares out with a diamond disc tiling cutting table. Same applies to cutting porcelain floor tiles.

No need to drill a starting hole, the Dremel will cut at an angle to slot your way in then go upright and follow the line, dont force it as with all good cutting. Drill a starting hole if you prefer it that way.

I fit quite a few bathrooms and kitchens.

If they are just ceramic then a diamond disc in a 115mm angle grinder will fly through them. If you have a wet diamond tile cutter you can take the crown gaurd off and just lower the tile onto the top of the blade but that takes a bit more practice to get the hole in the right place and also works for porcelain.

The dremel bits are no different to a carbide burr and work reasonable well in ceramic but won't touch porcelain

I used a rotozip tool in a Dremel.

I made a guide from plywood with a square hole in it (the size of the box plus half the width of the end of the Dremel)

Worked very well.

Edited By herbert punter on 07/02/2014 17:26:43

I would recommend the Screwfix tilesaw over the B&Q one, if only because it has a large drain groove all round and the horrible pasty red mud they make really needs to be kept under control

Make sure you scoop the mud out when you refill it with water - don't be fooled by the shallow liquid layer on top into thinking it is full of dirty water when most of it is near solid mud, like I was.

Neil

Why make life complicated. Use a hand tile saw (similar to a coping saw ) which has a circular cross section blade, coated in abrasive. Drill opposite corners of the required cutout and saw away. Worked for me.

I have put a photo of the saw in my album but for some reason am unable to download it to this site.