Cutting through ceramic tiled worktop in situ.

[John Brown]

I have a requirement to remove a section of worktop that has large ceramic tiles fixed to it. I have a few spares, but not really enough to make good if I break too many.
I think I need something like a cross between a hand held circular saw and an angle grinder, do that I can follow a straight edge clamped to the top.
I'm sure the whole exercise is a bad idea, but wondered if anyone has any advice or experience of doing such a thing. I was thinking about trying to bolt something on to an angle grinder that could follow a fence, or using a pair of extra long ball bearing drawer slides that I have.

 

[Jamesc]

Makita make a ceramic tile cutter which incorporates a water feed to the cutting disk. I have never used one but they seem to get good reviews. MAybe a little expensive for a one off though,

 

[PerryGunn]

You could try a bit like this in a palm router.
https://www.protilertools.co.uk/product/bosch-diamond-router-bit-2608620217
Easy enough to clamp a guide to the worktop to get a straight cut - might be a bit dusty though

 

[John Brown]

You could try a bit like this in a palm router.
https://www.protilertools.co.uk/product/bosch-diamond-router-bit-2608620217
Easy enough to clamp a guide to the worktop to get a straight cut - might be a bit dusty though

Thanks. Won't get all the way to the back, though...

 

[pe2dave]

Small angle grinder with appropriate disc, up against clamped wood?
Should be easy to tell when through the tile, though 'paint' or something on the disc would help.
Just hope it's not a complex shape to cut out!

 

[John Brown]

It's a straight line. I'm worried that whatever I true to use as a guide rail will just get ground away, and thus not stay straight.

 

[pe2dave]

It's a straight line. I'm worried that whatever I true to use as a guide rail will just get ground away, and thus not stay straight.

Try it? You should be able to rest a part of the grinder on the wood (4x2?), then it's just a case of remaining steady?
Trial (on scrap wood) perhaps, till you're used to moving it?

 

[PerryGunn]

It's a straight line. I'm worried that whatever I true to use as a guide rail will just get ground away, and thus not stay straight.

You could always try the router bit method to get to within a couple of inches or so (router width) of the wall and then an angle grinder for the last bit - or even a dremil with a tile cutting bit should be OK for a short distance

 

[Lazurus]

Little worx circular saw or chopper is ideal for this I have both and they are really good, also possibly a multi tool with the relevant cutter

 

[Dee J]

It's a straight line. I'm worried that whatever I true to use as a guide rail will just get ground away, and thus not stay straight.

Really not a problem. Either with a diamond disk or a grit one, a piece of 12mm ply will keep you on track well enough. It's a guide, you shouldn't need to press that hard against it.

 

[John Brown]

OK, I guess I can practice in the middle of the piece I want to remove.

 

[bobblezard]

Depending on the adhesion of the tile cement, could you try to remove the tiles from the centre of the area you are going to cut away? If you get enough whole ones to make good you could then remove from the whole area allowing you to cut the worktop only and re-tile / make good at the edges?
Might not work in your circumstance

 

[John Brown]

That was my original plan. I'm still cogitating...

 

[Sideways]

Oscillator / Multimaster type tool with one of the carbide grit edged blades ?
I'd use a simple wooden straightedge of enough thickness that it bears on the plain steel of the blade above the carbide coated cutting edge.
Once you are through the tiles, switch to a bimetal wood blade or even a handsaw to cut through the wood below.

If I remember, those rotozip machines that were popular a decade or two ago would make a very clean cut in ceramic tile if you need to make a clean finished edge once you have cut away what you need. You can do similar with the right cutter in a dremel but they lack a base to help you get a straight / square edge.

 

[baldkev]

Ive got a diamond blade for my circular saw ( makita 680z )
https://www.atsdiamondtools.co.uk/product/diamond-blades-to-fit-165mm-x-20mm-plunge-saws/Ive used it on granit / composite tops and it was great. No idea how it'll do with tiles though. I have a dna style 1mm diamond tile disc for my grinder which is great

 

[Sandyn]

Angle grinder and diamond blade will easily cut ceramic tiles. You could use a wooden baton as a guide, or your suggestion of making something to fix to the grinder. I would put some tape on the cut line to reduce the ceramic surface splintering. It helps a bit. A lot of dust, so have someone way of dealing with it.

 

[baldkev]

Mostly my query about the tiles was about the glaze.... sometimes heavily glazed tiles can 'shell' even with a good disc

 

[Renoman]

Mostly my query about the tiles was about the glaze.... sometimes heavily glazed tiles can 'shell' even with a good disc

Scribe down the line first with a hand held diamond point tile cutter.

 

[MikeJhn]

Multitool to take out the grout, then under the edge of the tiles to remove them, worked for me, one one occasion had to sacrifice one tile to get to the others, after removing the gout hit the tile in the middle with a punch then dig the bits out and Multitool under the adjacent tiles to remove them for re-use, soak the tiles in a basin or similar to soften the adhesive before scrapping off.

 

[HamsterJam]

You can do similar with the right cutter in a dremel but they lack a base to help you get a straight / square edge.

There is a router base available for the Dremel.

I’d be tempted to use an angle grinder and run the disc guard along a straight edge. Likely to be messy though.
Are you going to cut the tiles flush to the edge or have you considered cutting a few mm back from the edge and grouting the gap?