Introduction
If you are a tile setter, you need to go through this Tile cutter vs. wet saw report. These two tools are the best for tile cutting jobs. It would help if you had a comprehensive guide to determine the key differences between the two instruments. Making a choice should depend on the job you want to handle, the working space, and the materials you plan to cut. To know more about briefly tile saw and wet saw check out this blog Thetoolspick .
Let us assume you are replacing tiles on your kitchen counter or the bathroom floor, but the tiles don’t line up. I can guess the next step will be to call a professional setter to fix the issue; it is not right.
This is something that you can do with the help of this guide. It would help if you believed yourself that you could cut tile with the right tile cutter.
What is a tile saw?
A tile saw is a powerful tool that people use specifically for tile cutting jobs. There are requirements that you should meet when working with the equipment for cutting tiles.
Sometimes those people who are unable to buy their machine can rent from hardware for home improvement applications. But if you are a professional tile setter, you will have to buy yours for convenience.
What is a wet saw?
A wet saw is another handy tool for cutting tiles that resemble a miter or table saw with a diamond-edged carbide blade. The blade is responsible for grinding or cutting ceramic, porcelain, or stone tiles to your desires size.
This type of tile cutter features a sliding table in charge of feeding tiles to the overhead blade.
Working with such equipment is exciting as it uses a water reservoir for soaking the blade while cutting. This art does only enable the edge to smoothly but also reduce the chances of wear and dust.
Cooling also prevents the blade from melting under a lot of heat. Moreover, you may decide to set up your model using an electric pump and a reservoir.
Difference between a tile cutter vs. wet saw
Below are some of the critical differences that exist between a tile cutter and a wet saw
Types of tile cuttings
A wet saw can produce a too straight tile cut. More so, its guide enables the tool to make an excellent cut if your hand is steady. With some experience, you can produce intricate tile shapes. On the other hand, tile cutters are only suitable for straight tile cuts. A wet saw can also have curved tile.
Convenience
A tile cutter operates manually, whereas a wet operates with the aid of water and electricity. A manual tile cutter depends on human beings’ energy for making cuts, meaning that getting inaccurate pieces is high if you will not be careful.
On the other hand, a wet saw depends on electricity and water for soaking the blade; without electricity, the machine is useless. Therefore you need to be careful while making a choice.
The size of the tile cutting task
Unlike a tile cutter, a wet saw remains the best tool for dense and large projects. This machine cuts the tile easier, faster, and precise compared to a manual tile cutter.
What you only need to do is to set up the tool and your working area. It is advisable to use a wet saw on large rooms with challenging floor plans.
On the other hand, a tile cutter is useful for small tile projects such as replacing and installing tiles in small rooms. In short, manual tile cutters are suitable for cutting tiles in-home setting applications.
Therefore, it is good to go for a tool based on how large or small the tile cutting job is.
Size and skill
When we talk about the size, wet saws are more giant machines consuming a lot of space. It is a stationary machine to some extends because relocating it can be tiresome.
More so, it needs a lot of space because of its water spray; you have to work with the machine in an open environment or a garage. Besides, you may spend a lot of time learning how to operate the tool.
On the other hand, a tile cutter is a small and handheld tool that you can quickly and comfortably carry and move around with it. Using this tool only needs your attention and a little space; you can even place it on a workbench if available.
Some people prefer putting on a flat surface and do their tile cutting from there. Also, you need a little skill to work this type of tile cutter than using a wet saw.
User-friendliness and injuries
Since wet saws operate under electricity and water, you will have to be more careful than using a manual tile cutter. If you touch an ON/OFF switch of a wet saw with a damp hand, you may experience an electric shock.
Therefore, a tile cutter becomes user-friendly for both amateurs and professional tile setters while a wet saw is only useful for experienced persons.
Tile cutter vs. wet saw comparison table
| THE TILE CUTTER | THE WET SAW |
| Straight tile cutting only | Both straight and curved tile shapes |
| Less convenient | More convenient |
| Small tile cutting applications | Dense and large projects |
| Requires less experience | A lot of experience |
| Less risky | Risky |
| A small and handheld tool | Big and stationary |
Frequently asked question
Can I use a manual tile cutter to make curved tile shapes?
No, the tile cutter is only suitable for straight cuts. If you want to make curved cuts, I would recommend you go for a wet saw.
Is it safe to use a wet saw for cutting tiles?
Yes, though, it depends on the level of your operation skills. This is an equipment that I can only recommend for professionals and not beginners.
Conclusion
To conclude, I have tried as much as possible to provide some information on the Tile cutter vs. wet saw. These two tools have some differences that I thought you should know and choose depending on the type of tile applications you plan to do.
From the above report, it is clear that if you are handling dense and large tiles, a tile saw is necessary, but if you want to do tile cutting right at home, then a tile cutter can perfectly have your job done.