How to cut tiles at home. Everything about how to cut tiles at home. Using an electric tile cutter

13.11.2019

If you are tiling the surface, and there is no necessary tool it will certainly be interesting to learn about cutting tiles without a tile cutter. It is not at all necessary to spend money on the purchase of special equipment during the event. repair work, many tools are quite interchangeable. Therefore, they cut the tile with practically improvised means, without the use of a special tile cutter.

In cutting tiles, not only a tile cutter is used

Alternative tools and their features

There are some of the most popular tricks that are sure to come in handy. So, cut ceramic tiles with the following tools:

Bulgarian. This is a manual grinder, which, when changing the nozzle, is used in cutting metal, wood, tiles and other materials. She copes even with porcelain stoneware. The work uses a diamond-coated disc.
glass cutter. This hand tool is a device comparable in size to an ordinary pencil. Despite its miniature size, it copes well with tiles, in particular, glazed ones. However, it requires clarity and confidence in actions.
Drill. This tool is used in making holes and creating rounds. A conventional drill or special nozzles such as crowns or ballerinas are used.
Pliers. The sharpened edges of the tool are able to cut through the top layer of the tile and create a break line. True, this will take a lot of time and effort.

Basic tile cutting tools

They also use a jigsaw, a circular saw with a special disk, and even a simple sharp nail.

Only diamond tool bits are suitable for processing tiles. Serrated saws and weak drills will not do the job and damage the material.

Bulgarian

Since they cut floor tiles without using a tile cutter with a strong and powerful tool, better fit Bulgarian. Such a device is available from most home craftsmen. If you use it in cutting ceramic tiles change to a diamond-tipped blade for dry cutting, but leave it for wet cutting if you work on a wet basis with water.

The tile is cut with a grinder, but the method requires certain skills, otherwise there is a high risk of spoiling the material

Work on the front. The direction of the tool should be towards you. First, mark the cut line and firmly fix the tile so that it does not move during operation and nothing prevents the passage of the cutting element. Hold the grinder straight for a straight cut. If you are cutting at 45 degrees, lock the tool on its side in the desired position.

A special cap will protect you from injury, which, in the event of a convergence of the disk, will take the blow. However, additional care needs to be taken personal protection. A respirator or mask will cover you from dust, and construction goggles from small fragments.

glass cutter

This is the easiest and most affordable way. It works on the same principle as a mechanical tool, but all operations are performed by hand.

It is better to use a diamond tip or a roller made of an alloy of tungsten and cobalt.

Application of manual glass cutter:

To do the job, you must first draw a line on the front side.
Attach a ruler and place a glass cutter on the edge farthest from you.
Apply pressure and draw a line with one confident movement. There will be no more attempts. Do not press the cutter too hard.
Tap wooden handle fracture formed.
Position the tile so that one part of it is overhanging.
Press on the edge of the tile and break it along the drawn line.

If you managed to make a deep enough incision, the edge will turn out to be even and neat, without chips on the front side.

Glass cutter - the easiest and most affordable way to separate tiles at home

Such a tool is not advisable to use with large amounts of work.

How to make a round

Sometimes they prepare tiles for laying around pipes or plumbing. Then the question arises - how to figurely cut the tile without a tile cutter.

Processing is carried out in several ways:

using a drill;
pliers;
grinder;
jigsaw;
glass cutter.

How do you get by with pliers? For this purpose, a line is drawn. Facilitate the task by scratching it with a nail. Then take the tool and start breaking off unnecessary material in small parts. The best way to do this is with carbide clips.

Inconvenient areas and curly cuts are made with pliers

As for the drill, they use ordinary drills to outline the contour, and then break off the excess with the same wire cutters. More effective method making holes of any diameter - the use of special nozzles: feather, ballerina, crown, etc.

Waterjet cutting

If there is a lot of work to be done and you need to cut hard ceramic floor tiles, but there is neither a grinder nor a tile cutter, it is better to use the services of cutting companies. building materials. The best option is waterjet cutting.

Using this method, even the most complex curly elements are created. The bottom line is that on front side tiles are fed under high pressure with a thin jet of water mixed with the smallest hard abrasive particles, such as sand. Computerized process control allows even the most complex templates to be processed.

Each method is good in its own way. The choice of a specific alternative method depends on the scope of work and the skills of the master. With the help of these tools, you do not need to purchase a special tile cutter.

With the independent performance of facing work in the bathroom, kitchen or hallway, sooner or later the question arises - how to cut floor tiles at home. There are a huge number of acceptable options from a specialized tool to improvised means.

Due to the higher strength of the tiles on the floor, it is better to use special tools

What tools are used

Before you buy a tile for the floor at home, pay attention to its properties in order to choose best option and by external characteristics, and technical indicators.

Strength. According to this parameter, as well as resistance to mechanical stress, floor tiles are selected of a higher class than wall tiles, so it will be more difficult to cut.
Thickness. For floor tiles, it is larger, since a considerable load is expected.
Structure. Important, that flooring should not slip. When cutting material, this will play into your hands.
Relief. It is much more difficult to accurately process a product with voluminous details or a complex convex pattern than a simple one with a smooth surface.

Now consider how and how to cut tiles directly at home. For this purpose, tools that are completely different in appearance, design and intended purpose are used.

The following options should be noted:

tile cutter;
Bulgarian;
glass cutter;
drill;
jigsaw.

Tiling Tools

The principle of their use is different, so we will consider each method in more detail.

If there is a large amount of work to be done, it is better to use the services of specialized companies that have professional equipment available.

tile cutter

The easiest way to cut tiles is with this special tool. There are two options: manual and electric. Despite the same name, they are different.

Special tool for tiles

Any kind of tile cutter is like a large glass cutter with a working surface and a lever. The tile is installed below on the stand, and the handle is retracted to a position closer to itself. Then the blade on rollers is installed at the beginning of the intended line. With a confident movement, the pressed handle is retracted forward and pressed. In this way, the cutting roller will make a recess in the tile, and then it will break under pressure into even pieces exactly along the line.

The electric tool is arranged according to a different principle. It looks like a mini version circular saw. The work is done using a diamond disc and water. The material is fixed on the base and then brought to the rotating element. A few seconds - and the tile is cut into the necessary fragments at the right angle. A huge plus is the absence of dust.

Bulgarian

it Alternative option for durable floor tiles. The tool allows you to quickly process a large number of material. Like an electric tile cutter, a diamond blade is used, however, a dry cutting attachment is needed here.

The use of grinders

Fix the tile on the work surface. Draw a line and take the machine to cut the tile towards you. Use a protective mask to prevent dust from entering the respiratory system and eyes. Due to the increased risk of injury, do not use the tool if you do not have sufficient skills, in addition, there is a risk of damaging the tile.

This hand tool is suitable for fragile tiles. The work will require a flat surface and a ruler. First, place the tile on a table or directly on the floor, measure the desired distance and attach a ruler. In order not to get lost in the process, it is recommended to first draw the area to be treated.

Next, install the glass cutter on the front of the tile and, pressing on it, draw a clear line in one motion. The cutter must go deep into the structure of the material in order to form a basting for the fracture. Then tap the tiles along this line. Press with your hand or grab part of the tile with a special holder. The fault must pass clearly along the cut line.

This option is suitable when processing a small amount of tiles of a standard strength class. With porcelain stoneware and materials similar in properties, a manual glass cutter will not cope.

The main difference from a mechanical tile cutter is that its wheel leaves a smaller recess, and therefore the risk of performing a poor-quality break is much greater, especially when working with floor tiles.

The tool is suitable for tiles of a standard strength class.

Drill with nozzle

When tiling a bathroom or toilet, you will be faced with the need to make a figured cut in order to lay tiles near plumbing and communications. Therefore, consider how to do it at home. Here they use a specific method - a drill with a nozzle. With its help, a rounding or even hole is made.

One of the following tools is used as a drill:

Ballerina. Nozzle with locking position in the center and a rotating leg with a cutting element.
Crown. Round fixtures of various diameters with a straight or serrated edge and diamond coating.
Tubular drill. A straight, pointed tool of relatively small diameter, made of tungsten carbide or diamond-coated.
Ordinary drill. Should be strong and sharp enough.

To trim the cut, cutters are used. Work carefully and with concentration to get a normal rounding.

Most often, tiles are used to cover the walls and floor in the bathroom. The difference between the types of floor and wall covering gives reason to think about how to cut tiles. For this, it is not necessary to have professional tool- tile cutter. At home, you can use improvised means.

Advantages and disadvantages of tiles

Despite the great complexity of processing and installation, ceramic tiles have not left the list of the most popular for many decades. finishing materials. If earlier with its help only rooms with high humidity and unfavorable atmosphere, now many varieties are suitable for exterior finish buildings, floors, walls and ceilings in factories. This means that the advantages of such a finish are enough:

The disadvantage of tiling is the temperature of the surface on which the material lies. However modern technologies allow you to place under its layer a system of water or electric heating. If the surface is ribbed or rough, then in some areas (for example, in the kitchen) it may be difficult to clean. Removing dirt on an uneven surface is quite difficult. And it can also be difficult to cut tiles at home.

Tile cutting methods

There are special tools for cutting tiles. However, at home, you can cut tiles without a tile cutter. You can use devices for one-time work, others will cope with the cladding in industrial scale. And also I distinguish devices depending on the types of tiles.

Cutting ceramics with a grinder

This angle grinder can cut through both ceramics and tiles at home. The tool in skillful hands will make not only a straight line, but also a curly one. First you need to prepare:

Tiles.
Angle grinder or grinder.
Cutting and grinding discs.
Remedies. A mask or goggles is essential, and a respirator and overalls are worn as needed.
Vice or clamps.

A pointed object needs to be pre-marked. You can use an indelible marker. Lines drawn with a simple felt-tip pen will be erased from the mirror surface.

On the table where it is planned to cut the tiles, you need to lay a piece of plywood or other material so as not to spoil the surface.

For shallow cuts, the tile can not be held. Its mass and the force of friction of the lower side with the table is enough for it to stay in place. With a more serious deepening, the help of a partner may be required if you cannot fix the tile with your foot.

Curvilinear cuts will require fixing the tile in a vise, it must be shifted on both sides soft cloth or cardboard to avoid scratches.

For a good fit you need:

Deepening should be done gradually, cutting 2-3 millimeters deep in one pass.
Small incisions should be made to the full thickness at once.
In order to prevent accidental contact of the disk with the front surface, it is recommended to apply markings on both sides. Then make one continuous cut along the glossy part, and bring it to the end from the inside.

With the help of a grinder, it is better to make curly edges, and straight ones - with another, simpler tool. This will avoid the cost of purchasing diamond blades, as well as the dust that rises when working in this way.

Cut with an electric jigsaw

If there is no grinder at hand, then another electric tool may be nearby. When speed is not important, then you can use a regular jigsaw with a blade for working on stone. Cutting tiles with such a device is no different from processing any other material. It will only take a special file and pre-soaking the tiles.

For thick tiles, a jigsaw is not effective. It is suitable for wall covering and sawing out pieces with a large radius of curvature.

Glass cutter or any pointed object

This is another way to cut tiles without a tile cutter. Such a tool only works on tiles and in a straight line. There is also a limitation on the width of the cut off part - at least 20 millimeters. This will require the tool itself or a similar device. As it is used diamond or pobedite drills. Sometimes you can use a good utility knife.

The ruler along which the incision will be made is needed metal, since the wooden one can be damaged when the knife is torn off the cutting line.

The cut must be applied slowly, carefully. Particular attention should be paid to the initial and final pressure on the tool. Usually at such times it is not enough. If you do not cut the edges well, the scrapping in these places will be uneven.

In order to cut ceramic tiles at home, you can use improvised tools. A drill or a knife must be drawn along the path several times until the top layer of the tile is cut through. The number of passes depends on the hardness of the tool.

There are several ways to split a cut tile:

Hole drilling technique

The process begins with the selection of drills or crowns of arbitrary diameter. Drilling tool is suitable for any, electric or manual. For drills, it is desirable to have speed control. This is important for the safety of cutting accessories, as the tips quickly sit down at high speeds. And also in this case, the likelihood of chipping the enamel increases.

Holes are made using special sharp-angled drills. However, they have a high cost. But you can drill a surface of any hardness, and the period of use of such a tool is long. The use of inexpensive spear-shaped tile drills is suitable for periodic, small-scale work. One tool, subject to application on a tile, is enough for two dozen holes. Pobedite drills are recommended to be used only as a last resort.

For the production of large round openings, you can use a crown with a coating or a ballerina.

Manual tile cutter

This tool allows you to cut tiles in a straight line or diagonally with a cut web width of 5 millimeters. With it, you can cut floor tiles and porcelain tiles. Its design consists of a base and a carriage with a diamond knife - a wheel sliding along the skids. For a greater depth of cut, its diameter is larger than that of a glass cutter. When worn, the knife can be replaced. When choosing a tool, it is desirable to purchase a mechanism with bearings, which will ensure smooth sliding of the cutting mechanism.

To break off the incised strip, a flat metal strip is fixed on the base along the edge, and a small T-shaped lever is fixed behind the cutting knife. It is he who presses on the tile after the incision.

The cut of the tile begins with the alignment of the material on the base along the marked line. Then tightly fix. The carriage is driven by hands, making a single cut. Then, by pressing on the handle, the tile splits into pieces. With this method, small chips are sometimes obtained, which are masked with grout.

Using an electric tile cutter

This is an expensive professional tool that will cut any tile equally quickly, smoothly and accurately. With it, cutting in a straight line and at an angle of 45 degrees, drilling holes and recesses, as well as curly cutting is available. Cut strips are obtained with a width of less than 5 millimeters. The edges of the cut are smooth, slightly rounded.

Some models work with tiles with one side submerged in water, others require only regular wetting along the cut. This method prevents the formation of dust.

The tool consists of a base, a knife and an electric motor, and the cutting process is as follows:

Water is drawn into the pan according to the level cutting disc so that it is lowered into it by 2-3 centimeters (for submersible models).
The tile is clamped and slowly moves under the cutter along the marking. The force must be uniform to avoid chipping and jamming of the motor.
To cut the corner, repeat the procedure twice along the segments with the desired angle.

Like any similar tool, an electric tile cutter requires compliance with safety requirements and the use of protective equipment.

For high-quality work, it is necessary to change worn-out disks and water in time.

To bypass pipes, sinks, toilets and door frames, it is necessary to cut out semicircular cutouts. At home, this can be done like this:

With the help of a ballerina and a tripod for a drill. The diameter is limited by the rod and set manually. The resource of one device is enough for 20-30 holes in the tile.
For bends of small diameters, you can use wire cutters. This method allows you to make not only semicircular cutouts. The cut should start from the very edge with a minimum step. Both of these methods require certain skills in working with the tool, but even in this case, it will not be possible to achieve smooth edges, additional processing will be required.

The use of any method of working with tiles is due to the need to purchase an expensive tool. In the case of performing work that is small in volume and does not require cutting out particularly complex patterns, you can use the available fixtures.

or on the floor, then this is an operation without which it is impossible to do.

Obtaining glazed ceramic tiles

Glazed ceramic tiles are known to be made from fired clay topped with a glaze. Clay is molded into a certain shape, dried to fix the volume. A layer of glaze is applied and fired in a kiln. As a result of firing, the tile acquires greater strength, becomes durable and has a beautiful aesthetic appearance. AT ready-made it is not subject to deformation and bending, although it is very fragile and easily pricked.

Based on all these properties, and apply various ways her cutting. Let's consider each of the methods briefly separately, and dwell in detail on how to cut tiles with your own hands at home with small amounts of work.

How to cut tiles with your own hands at home

Cutting tiles with a portable electric tile cutter

This is the highest quality and most productive cutting method. If we cut with this tool using a diamond cutting wheel and water supply to the cut point, we get a very clean and high-quality cut. Another advantage of this method is the fact that no dust is formed and no physical effort is required at all.

It is advisable to use this cutting mechanism with a very large work front. Along with a huge number of pluses, there is one minus - this is the price of the electric tile cutter itself. The cost of professional-class models starts from $700.

We cut tiles with a manual stationary tile cutter

This is the next tool than cutting ceramic tiles - the most common, both among professionals and among people who make repairs with their own hands.

The cutting technology is very simple: mark the tiles, cut in the direction away from you. At lung care pressing, we divide the tile into two parts.

It is advisable to use this tool for medium-sized work and when cutting thick and durable ceramics (for example, floor). Due to the large diameter of the cutting wheel, the groove in the glaze is larger and the tile breaks more easily.

At the moment, prices for this type of tool vary greatly depending on the quality. Good qualities manual tile cutters, with a rigid frame and supporting part, cost from $40 to $300.

With roller glass cutter

This is the most primitive and not very convenient way. It can only be used when cutting not very hard and not very thick ceramics. It is very problematic for them to cut floor tiles in general. But still, this method has a place to be and when laying wall tiles it may well be used.

We cut the tile with a tile cutter - tongs: instructions

I want to dwell on this cutting method in more detail. I used this particular tool, because. my volume was very small and the budget price of the instrument of $8-15 suited me perfectly.

mark the place of the cut;

When marking, it is necessary to take into account the size of the gap between the wall and the tiles to be cut and the size of the seams between the rows. Reduce the length by the sum of these dimensions. For example: if you have a distance between tiled and the wall is 150 mm., the gap in the seams is 2 mm. and 3 mm. the gap between the cut tile and the wall, then 150-2-3=145 mm. We make markings with a width of 145 mm.

make a cut with a cutter;

In the marked places, we make a single cut with a cutter with medium pressure in the direction from the far edge towards ourselves. As a result of the cut, a visible strip should form, cutting through the outer glazed layer, as in the photo below.

separate the cut off part;

We place the tongs along the cut line with the capture of the tile, as shown in the photo above. We start the sponge with the support from above on the glazed layer, we start the rectilinear sponge from below. The fault line should clearly pass through the center of the upper support jaw.

Gently squeeze the forceps until it breaks completely, while the section to be cut should not be very high from the surface so that after separation and falling it does not break.

When cutting very strong or thick (eg floor) ceramics, I use the following technique.

After cutting through the front glazed layer with a cutter, I mark the fault on the reverse side, as in the photo below.

On the marked line on the reverse side, I cut a groove with a depth of 2-3 mm with a grinder.

The fault site is greatly relaxed and the direction of the fault is obtained.

And then I separate the cut off part. This technique makes it possible to cut even narrow strips 1-2 cm wide.

There is a need to cut the tile not in a straight line, but, for example, along the radius in case of adjoining the riser, or to select a specific segment. In this case, I make a preliminary markup and slowly select the tile to the desired size with pliers or wire cutters.

Then the place can be sanded with an emery stone or coarse sanding paper and make a neat smooth surface.

Advice: if you are trying to cut tiles for the first time, buy 4-5 more pieces. After acquiring certain skills, making beautiful even cuts is not difficult.

For many, the question of how to cut tiles may seem complicated and is the lot of very, very cool specialists. In fact, knowing how to cut ceramic tiles and how to cut them, all the difficulties disappear, and the whole process can be done independently, without the involvement of third-party specialists. After a little practice, you'll find that it's easier than you think.

Video: how to cut tiles with your own hands

Given that not everyone can afford the services of a professional tiler, many have to lay tiles on their own. And if you still decide to do the repair of the kitchen or bathroom with your own hands, sooner or later you will have to face the question: "How to cut tiles."

For amateur builders, this undertaking usually ends only with a pile of damaged tiles and a bad mood, and subsequently with a call to a specialist to complete the work begun with high quality. But if you fundamentally want to master this skill, we will teach you useful tricks and share technical secrets that will greatly simplify and speed up the work.

“When laying tile in the bathroom - what is the most convenient way to cut it?” - forum users ask each other on many popular construction sites.

In fact, cutting tools tiles quite a lot, but they can be easily sorted out.

The most common tools are shown in the figure.

A - electric tile cutter (in other words, a water saw).
B - a hole saw mounted on a drill.
C - hand saw for cutting tiles with a diamond blade (grinder).
D - tile cutter (manual tile cutter).
E - tongs (tile cutters).
F - glass cutter.
G - ordinary hacksaw for ceramics.

Tools and preparation

First you need to decide on the tool. If the area of work is insignificant, then a standard glass cutter will be enough for you.
If you plan to cut tiles regularly, it is better to buy a mechanical tile cutter. And an electric tile cutter will come in handy if you cut tiles very often and in large quantities.
The next step is to prepare the workplace where you will cut the tiles.. We advise you to put a wooden lining under the cut tile, for example, a piece of plywood.

Before cutting, dip the tile in water for at least 1 hour, and if you plan to use a glass cutter, then for 2-3 hours.

After measuring with a marker or soft pencil, draw a cut line on the tile. To do this, use a ruler or a template.

Please note that the width of the broken off part of the tile should not be less than 8 mm, otherwise the tile may be damaged when broken. If you need to break off a very narrow strip, do it with an emery stone.

For making holes, you will need the so-called "ballerina".

glass cutter

How to cut tiles with a glass cutter? - this question is quite common on construction forums.

Typically, experienced builders are advised to do the following:

Place the soaked and already marked marking on a flat surface and, pressing on the glass cutter, draw a line once.
Now boldly break the tile along the cut line.
When breaking off narrow strips, use pliers, and irregularities can be broken with carpentry tongs.
Treat the fracture area on the tile with sandpaper or an emery stone.

There are two ways to break tiles:

The first way is to align the notch on the tile with the edge of the table and press on the part of the tile that protrudes beyond the edge of the countertop - the tile will be broken exactly along the notch line.

The second way is to put a match or a small carnation under the groove (cut) on the tile and lightly press on the tile on both sides of the cut line.

Mechanical tile cutter

This tool greatly simplifies the cutting of tiles, however, there are restrictions on the width of the cut surface.

"Where to cut tiles with a mechanical tile cutter?" - even such questions are found on construction forums. A prerequisite for working on this tile cutter is a flat, stable surface. Usually it's the floor.

“How to cut tiles with such a tile cutter?” - you ask.

So, the procedure is as follows:

Place the soaked and marked tile on the tabletop of the tile cutter.
Draw a cutter along the drawn line. A bent bar, fixed on a rod together with a cutting roller, serves to break the tile.
Already after the cutter has been drawn along the cut line, the planochka itself will fall on the tile, and pressing on it, the tile will burst.

To prevent the tile from breaking or cracking out of line, press firmly on the cutter handle while cutting.

Bulgarian

The grinder has much more opportunities than a mechanical tile cutter, because it is able to cut tiles not only in straight lines, but also to make curly cuts along the edges of the tile.

With a strong desire, with the help of a grinder, you can even cut round hole with a minimum diameter of 70 mm. And in order to have as few scratches and chips as possible on the glossy surface of the tile, it is necessary to use a new diamond wheel and cut only from the back of the tile.

The Bulgarian, equipped with a diamond disc, is a universal tile cutter, the only drawback of which is the occurrence of chips along the edges of the cut.

Unfortunately, they cannot be avoided - both the new and the old diamond wheels leave small chips, so this method of cutting tiles can only be used if the cut edge is blocked by another tile with a “normal” end or if the cutouts are closed with something.

Electric tile cutter

With this tile cutter, you can cut tiles fairly evenly and accurately.

Before you get started, remember a few things:

Cutting tiles is carried out according to the mark, combined with the pointer located on the table top of the tile cutter.
The tile must be carefully brought to the cutting disc.
Watch the feed rate of the tile - too fast feed can lead to cracking of the tile.

Note!

When using an electric tile cutter, you will need ear and eye protection. But it is forbidden to work with this tile cutter with gloves.

Electric tile cutters can be:

With upper device engine,
with lower motor unit.

The tile cutter, in which the engine is located at the bottom, is very compact, so it is convenient for them to work even in small spaces and, in addition, it is able to cut tiles of almost all shapes and sizes, but for more accurate and figured cutting, craftsmen use tile cutters with an upper engine device.

If you need to cut a curly pattern on a tile, remember a few simple rules:

Using the template, mark the cut line and, using an electric tile cutter, make cuts in the direction of the break lines. The more cuts you make, the more precise outlines you will get.
Then cut the contour with a glass cutter, and gradually break off each strip from the tile.
Irregularities on the tile can be sharpened with sandpaper or a stone.

How to make a hole in a tile

If you need to make a neat hole in the tile, while maintaining its integrity, use this simple and popular method:

First, remove the glaze from the surface of the tile - just in the place where you plan to make a hole. This is easy to do with a hammer or chisel. Now, using an electric drill, carefully drill through the tile in the desired location.

Drilling is one of the most complex and responsible processes when cutting tiles..

Professionals advise to remember a few rules for drilling tiles with an electric drill:

First, adjust the "ballerina" to the radius you need and clamp the drill in the chuck.
, place in a container with water - the depth should be no more than 1 cm.
Drill the hole at low speed to avoid getting water into the electric drill.
If you need to bypass pipes or other rounded obstacles, first drill a hole of the desired diameter, and then break the tile in the center of the hole.

This method is ideal for making holes in tiles that are mounted on the wall, while tiles that you plan to place not on the wall are desirable, as an electric drill can leave unaesthetic cracks on the tile, because it rotates too quickly.