Home Improvement

When installing a tile floor, tile on your walls or back splash, one of the vital used tools that you will need is a wet saw. Not all tile jobs require the use of a wet saw. Because of technology advancements, you can now purchase  4 inch angle grinder blades that will dry cut ceramic and porcelain tiles.

If you do not own a wet saw and are going to rent one from your local hardware store such as Home Depot or Lowe’s, it is a good idea to know what you’re doing before you rent one.

First things first, you should know in advance that a full-size wet saw is extremely heavy and requires two people to move. You can however rent a smaller wet saw for small tiles, and in some cases the small wet saws will work on larger tiles as long as they are being cut straight, and not on a 45° angle. Size however is not the main factor of a small wet saw, it is also the size of the motor, therefore the horsepower that you are lacking by using a smaller wet saw.

Ceramic tiles will cut easier on a wet saw than a porcelain tile or granite tile would. Wet saws will also cut glass, marble, saltillo, and many other hard surface flooring products.

So after you have picked up your wet saw from the rental store, set it up on a level secure surface, and fill the tray up with water. Next you will plug it in and turn it on to make sure that the pump is pumping water over the blade, and at the motor and blade are spinning straight without wobble or vibrations. Next, to get yourself acquainted with the piece of machinery you are using, take a scrap piece of tile and practice cutting it through through a line that you have drawn.

Remember to push the tile down against the table platform, and snug against the back of the fence. This will ensure that the saw blade does not rip the tile out of your hands, bind or pull you into the saw. For the most part, a wet saw blade will not cut soft surfaces. So if your finger accidentally touches the saw blade, chances are you will not get cut, however if you push firmly against the blade or if your fingernail touches the blade it will in fact cut you, so use caution.

Most wet saw tables include some kind of measuring marks on the table. Make sure to take advantage of these marks, by using them to set a guide so that you can make similar sized cuts over and over without having to measure and mark each one.