Manual Tile Cutters & Nippers
Manual tile cutters score and snap ceramic and porcelain tile without a power saw, and tile nippers bite away small pieces for curves and edges. They make less dust than wet saws, but sharp edges, flying chips and hours of kneeling still hurt tile setters and DIYers.
- Tile Setters
- Flooring Installers
- Remodelers
- Homeowners
Tools
- Score-and-snap cutters: a carbide wheel scores the glaze, and a breaker bar snaps the tile along the line.
- Tile nippers and wheeled nippers: pliers that nibble edges for curves and cutouts.
- Rod saws, tile files, carbide scoring pens and rubbing stones for fine work.
- Notched trowels, grout floats, spacers and sponges for setting and grouting. See Tile Setters.
Main hazards
- Flying chips and sharp shards that can cut the eyes and hands. See Eye Injuries.
- Razor-sharp cut edges on ceramic and porcelain tile.
- Pinched fingers in the cutter's breaker handle and on nippers.
- Silica dust from porcelain, stone and cement board when cutting dry or grinding edges. See Silica.
- Kneeling and back strain. See Knee Protection.
- Skin irritation from thinset, grout and sealers. See Skin Disease & Dermatitis.
- Heavy tile and boxes to lift.
Safe use
- Wear safety glasses, gloves and sturdy shoes, plus a respirator when dust is present.
- Set the cutter on a stable table and keep the base clean and free of chips that can crack the tile.
- Score once, smoothly, from the near edge to the far edge, then snap with firm, even pressure. Keep fingers away from the breaker bar.
- Use nippers in small bites with eyes covered, holding the tile low to catch the chips, and finish edges with a file or rubbing stone.
- For hard porcelain or large tile, use a wet saw with water feed and cutting guard. See Tile Saws.
- Pick up and discard cut waste and shards right away. Wipe up thinset before it hardens.
- Kneel on pads, change position and stretch. Lift boxes of tile with your legs.
Tile cutter checklist
- I wear eye protection, gloves and a respirator if dust is present
- I score once and snap with my fingers clear of the breaker bar
- I nip small bites and file edges smooth
- I clean up shards and wet thinset promptly
- I use knee pads and vary my position
Standards & references
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