Which tile cutter to use for commercial flooring tiles

amakarevic · 01-29-2013, 04:10 PM

I am putting (vinyl?) commercial flooring tiles in one of my hallways. The product I've seen one guy (pro) use at a supermarket once was this:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/to...or-tile-cutter

Now, that baby is $200+. I was wondering whether the following, much cheaper variant that to me (non-flooring-pro) seems like it does a similar job:

http://www.mansiontools.com/Contract...FQSf4AodQU0A1A

The tiles are relatively soft and I have cut them with a utility knife before (for under my washer where precision was not important) but I want a more precise tool for my hallway as they will be more exposed.

Any suggestion? Is paying $170 extra worth it. The speed is not an issue as I have time and will not be doing this very much in the future.

JazMan · 01-29-2013, 04:19 PM

The first is a vinyl tile cutter. The second cutter is for ceramic tiles. (Which would be a better choice for the floor, but besides the point).

You should be able to do a job like that without a cutter. use a square and a utility knife, just score and snap. There should not be any cuts that are exposed. What do you mean by that?

Jaz

DannyT · 01-29-2013, 04:24 PM

i was thinking the same thing about the cuts Jaz. any cuts should be covered by the base or shoe molding and transition strips at the doorways.
like Jaz said score and snap. i have used tin snips to cut around pipes before and worked pretty good.

amakarevic · 01-29-2013, 04:28 PM

I guess you are right, cuts will go only against the wall and will later be covered with baseboard.

JazMan · 01-29-2013, 04:44 PM

Square and straight edge, utility knife, torch for "hot-cuts".

Jaz

amakarevic · 01-29-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazMan

Square and straight edge, utility knife, torch for "hot-cuts".

what's a "hot cut"?

**oh'mike** · 01-29-2013, 06:58 PM

On occasion a cut out for a pipe is made in the center of a vinyl tile---when this happens---heating the tile will make it soft enough to bend around the pipe without snapping--

This is also handy when getting the tile to conform to the floor as it goes into a drain --

We used to have an old fashioned electric cooking stove for that purpose when we got into a bad area---

rusty baker · 01-29-2013, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazMan

Square and straight edge, utility knife, torch for "hot-cuts".

Jaz

Exactly. Did thousands of feet of VCT, never owned a tile cutter. Did have a set of shears, made by Craftsman that would cut them when they were hot.

JazMan · 01-29-2013, 09:56 PM

I've never used shear to cut tiles. I mark by scribing then razor knife away.

Jaz

rusty baker · 01-29-2013, 10:03 PM

I only used it to cut circles and odd angles.

amakarevic · 01-29-2013, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oh'mike

On occasion a cut out for a pipe is made in the center of a vinyl tile---when this happens---heating the tile will make it soft enough to bend around the pipe without snapping--

This is also handy when getting the tile to conform to the floor as it goes into a drain --

We used to have an old fashioned electric cooking stove for that purpose when we got into a bad area---

why not just use a jigsaw?

JazMan · 01-29-2013, 10:38 PM

No Jigsaw for vinyl tiles. That would be something to see.

Look Ma, no fingers.

Jaz

**oh'mike** · 01-30-2013, 07:24 PM

You should be able to work all day with little more than a utility knife---aviator snips--straight edge and a propane torch or heat gun---a snap line and a ruler.

JazMan · 01-31-2013, 09:11 PM

Mishka,

Apparently you didn't bother to read this thread.

BTW, welcome. Strike one.

Jaz

**oh'mike** · 01-31-2013, 09:19 PM

That was a spammer---