How to Cut Porcelain Tile for Flooring, Walls, and Backsplashes

How to Cut Porcelain Tile With a Manual Tile Cutter

Use a manual tile cutter to cut smooth-faced (not textured) porcelain tiles up to 1/2-inch thick. Cuts may not always be perfectly clean, so this works for applications where the cut edge will be hidden, like below a baseboard.

1. Mark the Tile

   Mark a line on the top (finished) side of the porcelain tile where you intend to cut the tile. Use a pencil or an erasable marker.

2. Lay the Tile on the Tray

   Lay the porcelain tile on the manual tile cutter's tray, below the rails and the separator. You may need to slightly raise the lever to fit the tile on the tray. One edge of the tile should rest against the backrest bar.

   Tip

   Wipe off the tray first. Tile debris or other hard items may cause the tile to crack in the wrong place.

3. Position the Tile

   Position the porcelain tile in the manual cutter so that the cutting wheel will run on top of the intended score line. Some cutters display a laser line that shows where the cutting wheel will run. When the cutter does not have a laser feature, use the positioning marks at the front and rear of the tray and line them up with the line you have drawn on the tile.

4. Score the Tile

   Move the scoring wheel back, so that the score will begin at the edge of the tile. Push the lever down to create light pressure on the scoring wheel. Move the wheel forward in one continuous motion until it reaches the backrest bar. At the end, the wheel will ride off of the tile and rest in a cradle.

   Tip

   Score once. Multiple scores may create a ragged cut.

5. Separate the Porcelain Tile

   With the tile still in the same position on the cutter, lift the lever. The separator bar will drop. Rest the separator bar on the porcelain tile. Push firmly on the lever. The tile will snap on the score line.

   Tip

   The separator bar snaps the tile at the end of the score line. Do not move the bar to any other position on the tile.

How to Cut Porcelain Tile With a Wet Tile Saw

Use a wet tile saw to cut any type of porcelain tile, especially when the cut edge needs to be perfect or for partial cuts (like cutting an angle out of a tile).

1. Prepare the Saw

   Plug the wet tile saw into a GFCI outlet. Fill the water reservoir with clean water so that the top of the water covers the pump's intake. Create a drip loop in the electrical cord by dropping one section of the cord lower than the saw and the outlet.

2. Mark the Tile

   With a pencil or erasable marker, draw a cut line on the finished face of the porcelain tile. Use a straightedge.

3. Activate the Pump

   Turn on the pump and let it run for a while to make sure that water is cycling properly and that the stream of water is directed to the cutting area.

4. Position the Tile

   Rest the porcelain tile on the cutting tray. Since the tray will move forward, make sure that the blade will track along the marked line. With your hands safely away from the blade, turn on the saw.

5. Cut the Porcelain Tile

   Push the cutting tray toward the blade. Go slowly and hold the porcelain tile firmly on the tray. Move at a consistent speed.

When to Call a Professional

Porcelain may be harder than other ceramics but as a do-it-yourselfer, it is simple to learn the basics on how to cut porcelain tile for longitudinal cuts across the entire face of the tile. Diagonal tile cuts, curves, and holes are more complex and may require the assistance of a tile professional.