New Cutter For 600x600 Porcelain?

[Robert19306]

Hi everyone, I'm about to start tiling my new build home with some 600x600 porcelain tiles its quite a big job (around 80m2) onto a hemihydrite screed which is dead level. The job consists of a kitchen, sunroom where tiles will be running through a set of double doors to link them and a front hall also joining to the kitchen which I think I'm going to break up with a mosaic of the same tile under the door. I'm after recommendations for a suitable cutter for the job. I have read that a wet saw may chip porcelain and maybe a bit slow for the amount of cuts I will have. I have also looked at score/break cutters but some seem to cope with porcelain better than others.
Anyone have any recommendations for a cutter that will do my job?

Cheers
James.

 

[J Sid]

Ok, I will start it..... Got to be a Rubi 😉
And a good dry blade for your grinder 🙂

 

[Dave]

Best cutter option has to be a Sigma.

Now I'm more concerned about your screed , have you read up on commissioning before and after tiling and the procedures for screed preparation .
Then there is the RH% of the screed before tiling can commence.

 

[Robert19306]

Thanks for the replies please don't let this turn into a sigma vs Rubi thread. I have however noticed a decent amount of people say they have had trouble using the rubi for large porcelain? Anyone shed any light on it?? As to the screed preparation it has been down for 10 weeks with heating on for 4 now, it has been professionally moisture tested by someone from bal with a set on floor type tester (can't remember the name) and the Calcium carbide test both were showing the same results and it is ok for tiling. He recommend using two coats of Ardex p51 primer brushed on in opposing directions and possibly give the floor a slight sand to rough it up first. think his advice is pretty in line with what I have read up although I am always open to suggestions from the pros. As for underfloor heating i will try and have it commissioned for a couple of weeks after tiling as he also recommended no heating for 2weeks if not we will bring it on very slowly and monitor the water temperature bringing it up 5 degrees per week to operating temperature.

 

[Bill]

Almost any score and snap 600mm sized tile cutter will cut 600mm porcelain tiles. There is no right and wrong, it is preference to what most fixers are used to using. If the tiles are riven faced then you may need a different sized cutting wheel but the emphasis for a cut is the wheel itself. Make sure it is in good nick, you can tell if it is any good by the sound it makes when scoring.

 

[One Day]

The problem Rubi face at 600mm and upwards is simple design inadequacy.
Rubi design is excellent up to that size but at 600+ they just don't have the solidity of Sigma.
Hence the reason for either multiple rails to add strength (which imo doesn't work well) or the copy-cat design we see now in some of the Rubis.

My suggestion would be a 3C3M max from Sigma - kept clean and sold on after you've used it and you'll have done a job using great tools and will probably get back £250 out of £300 easily.

 

[Just Rizzle]

hi Robert any will do sigma or rubi but have you though about which method your going to use to stick down your floor.
you have anhydrite screed nice and flat have you removed the latence yet?
are you using a decoupling method or are you sticking straight to the screed?
picking a cutter is the least of your problems.

 

[Robert19306]

Hi Ray, as I said in my above post moisture tested and ok. Plan is to put on 2 coats of Ardex p51 in opposing directions. I have not decided whether to sand it or not but probably will as I've had paint sprayed on and have some overspray at edges I am led to believe the hemihydrite screed has no laitance

 

[Spare Tool]

Just out of interest what's the drying times for this type of screed?

 

[Robert19306]

• 1mm per day for first 40mm then 1/2mm per day for each mm of additional depth. For example 50mm screed will dry in 60 days.

Can be force dried much faster depending on depth.

 

[Dave]

Drying times naturally depend on site conditions , ideal is 20dg C (outside ) with windows open. 🙂. Try that in the winter lol.

As above force drying is the best option when it's piped.

 

[Robert19306]

Just thought I would add to this, there seems to be some confusion about the screeds and I am having trouble getting good advice.
Basically my screed is hemihydrate and not the seemingly more popular anhydrite, where the confusion seems to come from for me anyway is the laitance. I have been told by my screed manufacturer that their particular hemihydrate screed has no laitance the top of my screed is smooth and hard with no dust at all. I am also led to believe andydrite screeds have a more dusty loose surface finish when they are fully set which obviously means they have to be sanded and hoovered prior to priming however my screed already has a smooth solid surface as I said above which the manufacturer assures me won't need sanding prior to priming. In fact he has told me about instances where tiles have had to be for whatever reason removed and the Un sanded screed has put up very great resistance to tile removal. So to summarise the above I have Ardex telling me that I need to sand my smooth screed therefore creating dust that I don't have now and a screed manufacturer telling me that I don't need to and just prime with Ardex p51 straight on top. Has anyone come across an hemihydrate screed before? I'm tempted to put some pictures up to show what it is like. What I should do now is anybody's guess. obviously Ardex and screed manufacturer aren't willing to put in writing that either of their opposing directions are correct?????

 

[Bill]

Here you go Robert........ let the doubters read

Ecoscreed

 

[Robert19306]

Thanks for that Tom, it does seem to prove the point about hemi having no laitance. Even states one one is a stronger bond when not sanded. What to do now lol

 

[neal.o]

I wont get involved with the screed as far as a cutter goes i use rubi
I have a tr and tx and both are very good with porcelain

 

[dynamictiling]

Robert the sigma is best, end of that discussion. Robert I don't know what kind of tiling experience you have as I haven't seen it mentioned but I will mention a couple of things that may catch you out (apologies if you have been tiling for hundreds of years lol)

1. I wouldn't use a wet machine to cut them because
.it's very time consuming
.pending what machine it is, it is hard to get straight lines
.which brings me onto my other point. Rake cuttings I.e a wall is 'straight'. I find with wet cutters as soon as you start cutting, your 'lines' dissappear with the water which makes rake cuts very difficult.

For that problem I would use an angle grinder. Get a good blade!!! Can't stress that point enough especially with 80m2 to cut.

Door frames- going multi room your going to get them. Use a multi tool and cut the bottom of the frame out, enough to slip a tile under. It makes cutting round doors a lot easier and allows some room for error.

Lastly another point I haven't seen anyone mention- setting out!!! This will make the job 'easy' or turn it into a complete disaster. Spend at least an hour setting the floor out. Only start it once your confident you have set it out right.

As mentioned before apologies if you have been tiling for years and years, I have just shared some reasonable pointers for you to consider

 

[dynamictiling]

Robert now I am finally on the laptop. Multi room always results in some almighty cuttings. Pictures speak a thousand words. Please find attached, pics of how the pros do it, lets separate the men from the boys! The tile in question is Provenza fully vitrified porcelain 600x600 imported directly from Italy. In excess of 15 grand, tiles alone!!! anyhow best of luck Robert 🙂

http://www.dynamictiling.com/

 

[dynamictiling]

I am sure more tilers will put up more examples of work previously completed but all examples are of 600x600 tiles. the 1st few are of a "perfectionist customer". Straight coming in the door but at a 45 degree angle at the livingroom/ kitchen. This was a nightmare barrage of cuttings at a 45 degree angle BUT set out right it is do-able 😉

 

[White Room]

I'd like to know how you fitted that cut tile into position @dynamictiling from your first post ????

 

[dynamictiling]

I'd like to know how you fitted that cut tile into position @dynamictiling from your first post ????

With rapid set flexible adhesive?????

haha I had to take the second door frame off, fix tile. trim door frame, refix door frame. I charged the customer a top dollar price which requires a top dollar finish.

 

[dynamictiling]

I'd like to know how you fitted that cut tile into position @dynamictiling from your first post ????

My joiner took the second door frame off, cut, refitted. unfortunately it doesn't always work out full tiles

 

[AliGage]

I'd like to know how you fitted that cut tile into position @dynamictiling from your first post ????

Its been posted before Mark. He had to split the tile.

 

[White Room]

Fair play, I thought there was no way that was going in that shape🙂

 

[White Room]

Its been posted before Mark. He had to split the tile.

That's what I wondered but he did explain.....didn't see a previous post.

 

[AliGage]

His explanation above differs from previous in the "cuts of the day - show us yours" thread.....

To directly quote.

Am I the only one who uses rubber tiles? Haha after much persistence and patience... it didn't fit and I had to (grudgingly) split the small 'c' section of the tile at the part that ran under the cupboard door and piece it in. Good spot Lee ;-)

 

[dynamictiling]

hahaha I love messing with people, how did he make they tiles bend round a corner?.. anyhow all kidding aside hope your weekend has been as good as mine 🙂

 

[AliGage]

Oh right........thats what youre doing.

 

[dynamictiling]

Oh right........thats what youre doing.

Sorry Ali, I really need to stop going on this at silly o'clock at night steaming...