Angle grinder instead of a tile cutter: clean cutting of ceramic tile and porcelain stoneware

Many people know that a tile cutter allows you to get a perfectly straight and clean cut of ceramic tile and porcelain stoneware without chipping. At the same time, cutting tile with an angle grinder in dry mode is often associated by craftsmen with rough processing, loss of geometry, and uneven edges. However, this is not entirely so. Modern manufacturers of diamond tools have advanced significantly — they produce specialized tile discs — diamond blades for tiles — that allow precise and delicate cuts.
In addition, if you do not perform tiling work at a professional level, purchasing an expensive tile cutter is not always justified. For a small repair or replacement of old covering, an inexpensive and universal angle grinder, which most people already have in the garage, is quite sufficient.
To learn to cut tile straight and without chips, you need to choose the disc correctly, observe the rules of its operation, and master the basic cutting techniques.

How to choose a disc for cutting tile
The choice depends on where the cut edge will be used.
If the cut edge will later be hidden under a baseboard or decorative elements, you can limit yourself to an inexpensive diamond disc and make a rough cut.
If the edge will remain visible, you will need a disc that ensures the cleanest possible finish, and such a consumable can cost several times more, since more advanced technologies and specialized fine synthetic diamonds are used to manufacture it.
When selecting a diamond disc, it is also important to consider not only its characteristics but also the expected volume of work. Before ordering the consumable, it is recommended to estimate in advance how many linear meters of cut will have to be made. If the volume is small (for example, for a bathroom or kitchen renovation), one high-quality finishing disc will be sufficient.
However, in large projects — cladding large rooms, laying porcelain stoneware on a facade, or working with hard materials — the load on the tool increases significantly. In such cases, it is better to:
— Choose long-life disc models designed for prolonged operation;
— Purchase several discs as a reserve so as not to face an unpleasant situation where the tool is completely worn out in the middle of the job.
A properly calculated volume and a pre-prepared set of consumables allow you to work without downtime and ensure stable cut quality throughout the project.

Main characteristics of a disc for clean cutting:
Thickness. Ideal models are up to 1.5–1.6 mm. Heavier discs leave coarse chips. One of the best options is Esthete by Distar with a thickness of only 1.1 mm.
Diamond grit size. Large diamonds at high RPM provoke chipping. The finer the fraction, the cleaner the cut. You can determine the diamond size visually.
Flanges. These are reinforcing metal pads that prevent deformation of a thin disc under load. They increase the body’s strength and stabilize the disc during cutting.
Cooling holes. Since cutting with an angle grinder is performed without water (due to the low degree of electrical safety of angle grinders), the holes help to reduce overheating of the diamond disc.
Type of diamond layer. For finishing work, continuous-rim discs (crown) are best. Turbo and segmented models more often leave additional chips and are used for cutting materials such as concrete, brick, asphalt, etc.

The correctly chosen disc is half the battle. Beginners should consult experienced craftsmen or a seller. In addition to cutting at 90 degrees, craftsmen often cut the edge at 45 degrees to create corners from ceramic tile.

Cutting tile at 45 degrees
Processing tile at an angle of 45° is noticeably more difficult than a standard 90° cut. The cutting depth increases here, and the load on the disc’s side surface, which constantly rubs against the tile’s face, also increases. As a result, the disc overheats faster, and the probability of chips and microcracks becomes higher. Therefore, special thickened discs with a reinforced turbo diamond layer designed for increased loads are used for such work.
Popular disc options for cutting at 45 degrees:
Pro Gres.
A universal disc suitable for both straight cuts and bevel cuts. It can also be used for light edge grinding. When cutting at 90°, the result has noticeable chips; therefore, the optimal area of application is precisely cutting at 45°.
Edge Dry.
A more universal solution than Pro Gres. At a right angle, the cut is a bit cleaner, but still far from perfect. However, at 45°, the disc shows its best side: it confidently copes even with hard porcelain stoneware and complex facing materials. It is produced in three arbor-hole variants:
— 22.23 mm — for standard angle grinders;
— 30 mm — for Slider Pro systems;
— With an M14 flange — for installation on angle grinders without a clamping nut.
When working at 45°, it is especially important to:
— Make a smooth pass without strong pressure;
— Secure the tile reliably;
— Monitor disc heating and let it cool if necessary;
— For large volumes, it is advisable to use special fixtures for cutting at 45 degrees (Slider 45 or Slider Pro).
This will extend the disc’s service life and achieve the cleanest possible profiled cut without deep chips.

Tile cutting technique
Simply sawing a tile and making a perfectly straight cut are different tasks. To make the result as neat as possible, it is useful to practice on scrap pieces that will go to waste.
Basic techniques:
Marking. Make accurate lines and leave a 1–2 mm allowance for subsequent finishing with polishing diamond discs.
Running-in a new disc. New discs have edges of the diamonds that are too sharp; they need to be slightly “dulled” on a rough material. Often it is enough to cut 2–3 linear meters of tile so that the sharp edges become more rounded.
Secure clamping. Fix the workpiece with clamps on a flat and stable surface.
Angle grinder grip. Hold the machine with two hands and try to guide the disc strictly perpendicular to the tile. Sometimes the tool is slightly tilted toward the offcut to preserve a clean edge.
Full-depth cut. It is better to cut at once than to make several passes — this reduces the risk of provoking additional chips.
Painter’s tape. Stuck along the cut line, it reduces chipping.
Dressing the disc. If the disc sparks, melts the tile, or loses speed, it means it has dulled. You can restore it by making several cuts on an abrasive stone or old ceramic. There are also special abrasive sticks and cups for dressing diamond discs.

Result
Today it is quite realistic to cut tile neatly with an angle grinder. There are many specialized discs — diamond blades for tiles — that allow even a beginner to achieve a clean cut. It is enough to choose the tool correctly and master the basic techniques.
A large selection of diamond tile discs — from finishing models to specialized solutions for porcelain stoneware and 45° cuts — can be found on the Distar website. Auxiliary fixtures are also available there to simplify the tiler’s work when performing the most complex tasks.