Best Tools for Cutting Tile Backsplashes

Adding a tile backsplash is a great way to dress up your kitchen. Often when making a simple tile backsplash, some cutting is required to get the tile around the switches and outlets. There are options and ways to make these small cuts that don't necessarily involve expensive or fancy equipment. Chances are you have at least one tool you need to cut tile.

Before we get started, it's important to note that we have our favorite method. We'll start with these and cover other ways you can get work done. Also, we make certain assumptions when reducing the tailgate. The first is that you only need to cross-cut the tiles at the corners and at the end of the run. The second assumption is that any longer rips should be against the bottom of the wall cabinet. This gives you some "elegance" in cuts that may not be straight edged.

We've also come up with some tips at the end of the article that we think can be compromised to ensure you look good overall, no matter your budget.

Manual tile cutter or spring cutter

For professionals, we look to a straightedge. However, as a homeowner, we understand that you may need to use everything you have to get the job done. A good compromise is a manual tile cutter or spring cutter. These tools prove to be an easy way to cut directly on tile. You can even make diagonal cuts. In fact, the size of the tool determines the maximum cutting length.

Cutting a Tile Backsplash with a Wet Tile Saw

The pro way is to use a diamond wheel wet saw like the Ridgid wet tile saw. Or you could opt for a tool like the iQ Power Tools Dry-Cut Tile Saw. This is the more expensive method, but also produces the cleanest and dust-free cut. Wet sawing is the preferred method if you have a lot of cutting to do. If one of these saws is out of your budget, you can usually rent one from a local equipment rental store.

Diamond Wheel Angle Grinder

The next option is to purchase a diamond cut-off wheel for a small angle grinder. These blades cut dry, so a little bit of dust will be generated. They can be cut quickly and easily. This is one of my favorite ways to get things done quickly. It's also a great way to make quick curve cuts or corner cuts when needed.

dry cutting tile saw

Dry-cut tile saws are quickly rising to the top of our "favorite tool" list for cutting any kind of tile. Price is still the only real downside, as there is only one company making this saw, IQ Power Tools. For professionals, we feel it's worth every penny. For more casual use, a dry-cut tile saw can be a bit cost-prohibitive—especially when cutting tile backsplashes.

Interestingly, for smaller jobs, the IQ Power Tools 7-Inch Tile Saw offers similar dry cutting performance. It does this in a smaller capacity and at a lower price, which makes it even more appealing to those on a tight budget.

Diamond Blade Puzzle

Probably the oddest way to cut tile is with a jigsaw with a diamond blade. This type of jigsaw blade can make fairly quick straight and curved cuts in tile. Make sure to put some masking tape on the bottom of the puzzle board so the metal doesn't scratch the delicate tile surface. Set the puzzle to medium speed, and if your puzzle has orbital motion, be sure to turn off orbital motion.

Probably the biggest problem with this method is protecting the tiles. You need to make sure you have enough room and leverage to make the cut. In the end, however, this can be useful in a pinch and saves you the trouble of buying specialized tools if you only need to do a few cuts.

hand scissors

Hand-held quick cutters use small diamond blades to score the tile, then snap it off for a relatively clean cut. You really only want to use them with tile, as porcelain usually doesn't work well with simple hand-held score-and-snap. Advantages of this tool include a small footprint, ease of use, and low price.

We have definite favorites—such as dry-cut tile saws—but, budgets and needs vary. If you only need to make a few straight cuts or just have one job, hand scissors should do wonders. We prefer the rail model to the handheld because you can use it on tiles too. Larger versions even allow cutting of large tiles up to 18 inches or larger. You can also make diagonal cuts, although these can be cumbersome in larger tile sizes.

Remember, too, that you can use a rock to clean up tile edges—especially sharp edges. You can buy these at your local hardware store or home improvement warehouse, or even online from Amazon.