Tiles are great for decorating your household. If you’re about to start your tile project and you are searching for the best tile cutting tool, then you have come to the right place. Here, I will talk about the tile cutter vs wet saw. It will surely help you decide on which tool you want to add to your Arsenal.
Difference Between A Tile Cutter And A Wet Saw
For tile cutting purposes, the most frequently used tools are the manual tile cutter and a wet saw. I am gonna be talking about the basic uses, pros & cons of these two tools so that you get a better idea.
Tile Cutter
The tile cutter is the most popular and versatile tool for tile cutting. You can effortlessly cut through all kinds of tiles and glasses.
Moreover, it’s gonna cost you almost fifty dollars for a cheap one and nearly a thousand dollars for a beast version.
Starting with the cheaper versions, these cutters are best for cutting ceramic tile. However, you will need a robust and expensive version of a manual cutter if you are planning to cut thicker tiles.
Also, if you try to cut a large tile with the cheap version of this cutter, you would have to go through the extra hustle and use a mallet to break the tile after you are done with the cut.
You can rely on a manual tile cutter for cutting glass mosaic tiles. It won’t disappoint you. The major problem with glass cutting is that it tends to break or create chips while cutting. But don’t a manual tile cutter is the perfect tool for this job. So the manual tile cutter is an essential tile installation tool for low-intensity projects.
If you’re cutting granite or marble, try using the robust version of the manual tile cutter. It can smoothly go through hard and thick tiles.
One thing to note here is that the tile’s edge won’t be perfectly smooth after you cut it with a manual tile cutter. If you want a smoother edge, you will need a wet saw.
Wet Saw
Let’s talk about the wet tile saw. This power tool will surely provide you with a smooth and clean cut. You can always rely on a wet saw while cutting multiple saw at the same time. Without a doubt, you will get uniformed shapes. With a wet saw, you can effectively cut any natural stone tile without ruining the piece.
For a household project such as installing subway tiles in the shower, the wet saw will be extremely helpful. It can provide you effective repetitive cuts. If you want your tiles to be very smooth and clean without any rough, jagged edges, then a wet saw will be your best bet.
A manual tile cutter would have worked, but it would have taken longer unless you had one with a fence on it. It would have created a Jagged cut. It would have made your installation look less professional. So again, the wet-table saw is excellent for making smooth cuts as well as when cutting blocks of tiles to the same size.
A wet saw is essential when working with natural stone since a manual tile cutter won’t work on heavy thick tiles. You shouldn’t do a large tile Project without a wet saw.
If you are rarely working with heavy thick tiles, then renting a wet saw will probably be your best option. You can usually rent one for around $200 per week for a small wet table saw.
Which One Should You Buy: Tile Cutter Or Tile Saw
There is a handheld manual tile cutter. You can pick one of these up for about $100. Though it’s cheap, you will find it very difficult to use. You will have to press hard to actually scribe the surface of the tile.
Also, It’s difficult to cut in a straight line with this version. It’s also tricky to follow a straight edge to make a straight cut, and it’s really only good for thinner, softer tiles like ceramic. So go ahead and save your money and skip buying this one.
Let’s get back to the main question, which one do you need for your tile cutting. A manual tile cutter would be cheap and can get the job done. As long as you are using it to cut thin-tile prices, you won’t have to worry about a thing. But if you plan to cut heavy thick tiles, you would have to go through some extra hustle. And with a manual cutter, you will end up with a rough, jagged cut.
Here, a wet saw will provide you with a clean and smooth cut. You can effortlessly cut through thick tiles and mosaic. Additionally, you can easily cut natural stones, pavers with a wet saw. A wet saw won’t trouble you with dust or system overheating problems.
Final verdict
I hope now you have an overall idea about tile cutter vs tile saw. If you want an elegantly smooth finish without spending much time, then you can always rely on a wet saw, but it’s gonna cost you a lot. Nevertheless, if you don’t cut tiles regularly, you can go for a manual tile cutter. Though it will be limited to cutting thin pieces of tiles only.
Therefore, choose the one that suits your requirements and comfort. Have a nice day!
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