Problems with porcelain tiles cracking - TilersForums.com

[jonnyc]

Doing a master bathroom with 600 x600 porcelain tiles.
having a problem with tiles cracking either during process of doing a rectangular cut out for push flush or even days after fixed.
this has happened before with others tiles but not all porcelain.
cutting with a good quality blade .
maybe it is heat or vibration but there's must be fault with some of these tiles as I have seen tiles crack 8 months down the line when just being cut and stuck round an external corner.
any advice on how to cut without cracking appreciated.

 

[Peter]

Some are very highly stressed. Might be a case of drilling 4 pilot holes in each corner before cutting the centre out.

 

[J Sid]

Peter is correct. Drilling holes in the corners will put a radius there and not give the crack a starting point as it would have with a clean 90 degree internal.

 

[widler]

Ive had some porca snap in more or less the same place when on a hand cutter, usually out of the same box, does your head in, and it always seems to be when the customer is stood next to you

 

[andyb1]

I had spme porcelain tiles earlier this year and could not get them to cut with anything, put a stop to the job as they were quite expensive customer went back to where they got them from, turns out they were a problem tile had the whole lot refunded.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Well this is a new one on me !
Mind you out of 40 years of tiling it's only the last 12 years that porcelain has been in vogue and unless I've upset the customer ( which is possible) no one has come back to ask me to replace a tile! As for cutting there has been some tough ones but never given up yet!

 

[DHTiling]

Having read some of the replies , I have lost faith in the tiling fraternity ..

 

[widler]

To be fair dave,some tiles are crap,and won't cut with owt, have a look at Phil hobsons thread on it as well.
As fair as I'm aware Phil is a fairly good tiler and they couldn't cut them tiles even a sigma

 

[Diggy]

Keep the faith Dave! You know it makes sense mannnnnnnn.

Diggy