The wife and I are on our 2nd of third bathroom Reno. The first floor power room went swimmingly. I've never cut or laid tile, baseboards etc. it looks excellent.

We're doing the second floor and she chose a porcelain wood looking tile, after pulling up 4 layers of laminant. I tried to cut the porcelain with one of those Manual "drag the thing along to score it then push down to break the tile" and it didn't go well. Off to home despot I go. The sales guy talked me into the "end all be all" to, the Dremel brand "Ultra Saw" with their special diamond wheels. I asked about getting a table cutter with water like I've seen online... "no need, this will be perfect for you". Fine, I pony up almost $200 and proceed to ruin three tiles with this god damn dremel. It does cut it fine, but the finish on the edges are absolutely unacceptable.

Do you guys have any suggestions? I'm going to return this POS tomorrow but must admit I liked the versatility of it being able to do wood cuts and flush wood cuts, "tile", metal, surface prep, it has two beds, so you can do standard straight rips, as well as lay it on its side and do flush cuts or prep cuts to recess flooring etc. 7.5 amp motor ain't bad either.

Anyways, I'm fine buying a dedicated tial cutter (renting doesn't make sense for us as we work on these things for a few hours a night). I was thinking of this one, it looks like it'll serve our needs, I'd rather a 10" blade but the 7 should work for the 6"x23" tiles were working with, just work give us enough room to use it for other things in the future thank cutting tile. Is there a more versatile tool that does more?

Here's the one I'm considering. Keep in mind it may get used once yearly other than people borrowing it. https://www.ryobitools.com/pro.../7-tabletop-tile-saw

And a review.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o71VvPHXxr0

What I'm dealing with after pulling 4 layers of laminate. Pretty sure the green Tile is aesptose, So I'll be leaving it alone.




New tiles being laid out



My wonderful new "Fucker up of all tile things"



And the amazing job it does. Highly recommend

Take the Dremal back and get a wet tile saw table.

Slow cuts.

You can sell it and the delta will still be in your favor.

I've DIY'd tile jobs twice:

Helped a friend who was a cheap bastard, and he bought one of those scoring tools for tiles. Worked great on the first tile, and progressively got worse as the scoring wheel became duller and duller. NEVER again.

Did it with a rented wet tile saw. Follow all of the safe cutting practices and it is a breeze.

I have used the score and crack method. But I find my angle grinder does a better job. It is a lot messier though. If you use painters tape on the cut line it helps with the chipping.

I sure hope you are putting backer board down before laying those tiles.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Take the Dremal back and get a wet tile saw table.

Slow cuts.

You can sell it and the delta will still be in your favor.

Depot rents the wet saws.

What Monkey said. I bought a contractor grade wet saw from a local classifieds. My intent was to use it and sell it when I was done. It did the job so well, I decided to keep it instead. Over the years it has facilitated quite a bit of tile work for us and those I rented it to. Parenthetically, the rents alone have paid the initial cost.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Take the Dremal back and get a wet tile saw table.

Slow cuts.

You can sell it and the delta will still be in your favor.

Depot rents the wet saws.

Yup, I've installed a lot of tile over the years - just rent one for that size job. Your install will much easier.

quote:

Originally posted by armedprof:
I have used the score and crack method. But I find my angle grinder does a better job. It is a lot messier though. If you use painters tape on the cut line it helps with the chipping.

I sure hope you are putting backer board down before laying those tiles.

So backerboars over the existing green tile?

Looks like you're putting it over old Armstrong inlaid vinyl. Anyway I think I'd pick up an inexpensive wet saw for $200 then you'll have it for the next project. https://www.harborfreight.com/...-tile-saw-62382.html

I don’t think your old green stuff is asbestos based. If it cuts easy with your utility knife I would take it to be some kind of Vynl (sp?) with a cardboard backing. Given the choice I would take that out too. I did a bath remodel recently for a friend and we went down to original subfloor. Lauan on that. Does your shower area have any slope for water to run to the drain? We did 1/4” to the foot slope. Works fine.

Saw that wood grained tile. Interesting and I would expect very durable.

I'd pull the green tile

Its soft and will lead to the grout cracking

Wet saw with a good blade is like a hot knife through butter! It will want to pull the tile from your hand into the blade. How close to the Lehigh Valley are you?

Pick up a carborundum stone to go over the cut edges. Really smooths the rough cut edges out. Hold it at a 45 degree angle on the cut edge and go over it a few times. Had a buddy who was a pro tile guy and he showed me this trick.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Take the Dremal back and get a wet tile saw table.

Slow cuts.

You can sell it and the delta will still be in your favor.

^^^ this ^^^

Get a good wet saw with a GOOD quality blade and believe me you want one with a decent size surface and a stable base.

I have a 7" (MK170) MK Diamond Tile Saw .
It works very good ~ but kinda wish I got a 10" version.
Other than that no complaints and have used the crap out of it.
Buy once cry once.
Think about the money you save by doing it yourself.?

Wet saw. I bought a wet saw online when I tiled our two baths and then sold it for 75 bucks less than I paid when I was done. A diamond wheel on an angle grinder is very nice to have and almost necessary too. If you get a wet saw put the pump in a bucket of clean water instead of the water trough. You'll have to replenish the water and dump the trough periodically but your pump will be much happier. That's something I was told by an out of state tile friend.

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
If you get a wet saw put the pump in a bucket of clean water instead of the water trough.
You'll have to replenish the water and dump the trough periodically but your pump will be much happier.
That's something I was told by an out of state tile friend.

Exactly how it works.

Remove the laminate and screw down the sub floor. Then install 1/4 durock or hardiboard. Tile on top of this. Otherwise your grout will crack over time and possibly even pop a tile. Also looks like your spacers need to be turned 90 degrees in order to get the desired gap size. Wet tile saw is the way to go.

Also, if you know the approximate age of the beautiful green laminate there's a website you can google that has pics and years of manufacture for tile that is asbestos. If it does turn out to be asbestos leave it in place. Cut durock or hardiboard to size and dry fit it in pace. Pull it up, apply a thin layer of thinset, set it back and screw it in place. then tile over it.

I have the 8" Rigid wet saw.
You will likely be fine with the 7" portable model that is around $200.
Rigid has a lifetime warranty if you register it.

Everyone pretty much covered it. I would pull up laminate, glue and screw plywood in the area to be tiled, get to 1.25" of total plywood over the floor joists. 0.5" of Hardiebacker or Durock, paint with a waterproof membrane, I like Laticrete. Use a modified thinset, never use mastic, I also use a modified grout, again I always use Laticrete. A lot of work but bulletproof.

Porcelain tile is a bitch to cut, it wants to break/chip like glass. Can't do it well without a 10" wet saw even then it can be challenging, I have an old Target wet saw, one if my favorite tools.