How to Cut Stone Tile

In this video, This Old House host Kevin O'Connor and tile installer Chuck Ferrante explain how to cut stone tile.


Steps:

1 Place duct tape strip along the tile edge that will be cut.
2 Put two short tape strips on the floor tile closest to where the cut tile will be installed.
3 Set tile in place on top of the nearest floor tile, and butted tight to the baseboard.
4 Mark where the top tile overlaps the floor tile below; draw the lines on the short tape strips stuck to the floor tile.
5 Move the top tile off to one side.
6 Set the pencil compass to the equal the distance from the floor tile edge to the pencil lines, plus the width of the grout joint.
7 Set the top tile back in position, then slide the compass along the baseboard so that it draws a line along the tile.
8 Place the marked tile on a wetsaw and slowly cut along the line.
9 Use nippers, if necessary, to snap off small tile pieces.
10 Test-fit the tile before applying the mortar.