Cut in place ceramic tile?

[Michael J Evans]

Wife bought a new oven. We have a very unique oven install requirements as I've come to find out. Our current & replacement oven are both dual fuel downdrafts, set into a island. My counter tops are what I believe to be ceramic tile. She / we had measured the existing oven and got the same dimensions as the new one before she ordered. We got the installer here, only to realize we had measured the trim And the new oven is just very slightly wider (like 3/8") and about 2" deeper. Because of our unique install conditions there are only two brands and models to choose from. Jenn air & kitchen aid. Both are owned / made by same company and have same dimensions, so I can't really return this and just get one that fits.
I am going to need to cut through the tile and whatever it is under it. I am really afraid of the tile edges chipping / cracking and ruining the whole island. Basically all I've been able to gather so far on how to do this is use a angle grinder with a diamond wheel / spritz water and shop vac.

Anyone tackled something like this or can offer and insight on how to get a nice clean cut with a angle grinder without chipping or anything like that?

[Bill Dufour]

around $40. at HF for a 4"diamond skill saw with a hose. i have used it to cut loose tile. I do not remeber any chipping. Make multiple shallow passes use a guide. Flood will go everywhere. If it chips install some stainless trim.
Bil lD.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-4-...C401/205654302

[Jim Barkelew]

Check out the John Bridge tile forum. Wealth of tile info and experts. I suspect the answer is there in the archives. I have cut tile with a angle grinder and it is difficult to get a good edge. Glazed tile is just like glass. I have cut and polished granite tiles using diamond polishing discs to get a smooth rounded edge. Maybe remove the tiles around the stove opening and replace them with contrasting tiles. The grout is relatively weak so a tile usually comes up clean. One way to look at it is give it a try to cut the tiles with the angle grinder and if it doesn't work , replace the tile on the island. It's not that hard to do and not that expensive.

Jim

[Brian Elfert]

My father used a masonry grinding wheel on a handheld grinder to cut a tile floor back in the 1990s. It turned out nice.

[Alex Zeller]

I have a Roto-Zip that came with an angle attachment and a diamond wheel. I've used it to cut floor tiles. For something like what you are talking about I think you would want to cut and then grind it smooth. A 4 1/2" grinder is going to be like using a framing hammer to do finish work. Dremel makes a small circular saw for cutting tile. With it you should be able to use a straight edge as a guide to run the saw against.

[Jim Matthews]

Is there any spare tile from the original installation?

Rather than cut tile, I recommend removing the periphery - fitting the insert and trimming in with fresh grout afterwards. Not only will there be time savings, but also lest dust, risk to fingers, etc.

[Tom M King]

Dremel makes small diamond disks for rotary tools. You need the quick change arbor for them too. I can tell you from experience, that they will cut about 4 to 5 feet of hard ceramic tile before wearing out. They cost about 25 dollars each, and can be found in the box stores where the Dremel stuff is.

For a finished edge, you can cut a much cleaner line with them than the 4-1/2" disks, and all the dust can be caught, as it's cut, with a Shop Vac.

I cut the old tile where I wanted it to meet the new, when I redid this green fiberglass bathub into a handicap shower. You can cut a clean line, if you're careful, and rub it smooth with a carborundum stone found in the tile section. You may be able to see the cut line on the floor in the last picture. I could have done it faster, and cheaper with a bigger grinder, but I didn't want a mess to clean up.

edited to add: because of the diameters of the wheel, and motor, you can't cut a square down cut. You have to undercut the edge, which doesn't really hurt anything, but you have to cut from only one side of the cut. I used a hundred bucks of the wheels for this shower, because I left vertical sections of the old tile.

[Al Launier]

1. So, if using a "circular" cutting disc, what is the best way to cut to a corner or wall - chip last 2"-3" with a chisel?
2. If so, risk of breakage?
3. Tape first?
4. Use double-back tape to hold a straight edge to guide the saw for a long cut?

[Tom M King]

You can get into a corner with the little Dremel disk, but the undercutting is of course deeper near the corner. There were two inside corners on that shower. The only tool I used was the Dremel.

[Steve Demuth]

Anyone tackled something like this or can offer and insight on how to get a nice clean cut with a angle grinder without chipping or anything like that?

I've cut tile in place with diamond saws in a dremel tool, a 4" angle grinder, and a 7" circular saw. Where I've needed to be as chip-free as possible, I've generally used the dremel cutting through a taped line to establish the line by cutting through the glaze, and then gone back to finish with a bigger saw. Care is required, but you can get good results.

[Keith Westfall]

One of the oscillating tools with a diamond cutter?

[Tom M King]

Oscillating tool will chip the edge. Any glazing is pretty fragile stuff, and easily chipped. With the little disk, once a steady hand has it down in the cut, it's easy to advance it slowly without any chipping. It just wears all the diamond dust off of it, and it will get to a point where it won't cut.

[Michael J Evans]

A 4 1/2" grinder is going to be like using a framing hammer to do finish work.

That's what I was afraid of.

[Michael J Evans]

Is there any spare tile from the original installation?

Rather than cut tile, I recommend removing the periphery - fitting the insert and trimming in with fresh grout afterwards. Not only will there be time savings, but also lest dust, risk to fingers, etc.

There are left overs tiles in the attic from the kitchen flooring, which are the same design as the counter tiles. The flooring tiles are 12" and the counter 6".

But at the rear of the oven, I think I will just cut to the grout line like you suggested. It is basically where I need to cut anyways. On the sides, I cannot do that as the grout lines are running the wrong direction

[Michael J Evans]

Dremel makes small diamond disks for rotary tools. You need the quick change arbor for them too. I can tell you from experience, that they will cut about 4 to 5 feet of hard ceramic tile before wearing out. They cost about 25 dollars each, and can be found in the box stores where the Dremel stuff is.

For a finished edge, you can cut a much cleaner line with them than the 4-1/2" disks, and all the dust can be caught, as it's cut, with a Shop Vac.

I cut the old tile where I wanted it to meet the new, when I redid this green fiberglass bathub into a handicap shower. You can cut a clean line, if you're careful, and rub it smooth with a carborundum stone found in the tile section. You may be able to see the cut line on the floor in the last picture. I could have done it faster, and cheaper with a bigger grinder, but I didn't want a mess to clean up.

edited to add: because of the diameters of the wheel, and motor, you can't cut a square down cut. You have to undercut the edge, which doesn't really hurt anything, but you have to cut from only one side of the cut. I used a hundred bucks of the wheels for this shower, because I left vertical sections of the old tile.

Tom
Are you talking about like a actual Dremel or one of their bigger rotozip like tools? I see they offer disks for both.