Once we finally got to the tiling it was fun, but took a lot longer than expected. We worked one full day then got as far as we could working for a couple hours each night we had free during the week.
We got to a point where we knew we would have to rent a wet saw to make some cuts. With one inch tiles there's some give you can take in the spacing by dividing the 12" sheet into smaller strips and spreading - say a 1/2 inch space over a number of strips. So we used that technique along the wall edge but when it came to the inset shelves that just wasn't going to work. So we bit the bullet and rented a wet saw for a day. And Im sure glad we did. I made a few attempts at cutting the tiles by hand, but it was not boding well. With the we saw, I got some cracked tiles but by the end I was making pretty clean cuts.
I found a couple of suggestions on the internet for cutting one inch tiles, the post with the images on this thread made the most sense. http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=59810
With a little trial and error we got a system that worked.
The most important part is finding a way to keep your tiles in place as you run them through the saw. Carpet tape was key. But also breaking tiles is inevitable so hopefully you have enough to spare a few.
We used an old large tile as a base that we could hold on to as we pulled the saw through. This one was a scrap that we had lying around. Cut a line through the large tile but not all the way through. This will be your base tile that you will use with every cut.- Place a strip of carpet tape (double sided, really sticky tape) over the line you've made.
Place the tiles you want to cut on the tape. Align the cut you want to make over the previously made cut in the base tile. (We had a little room to play with so we did not need to be precise. I just eyeballed for cutting the tiles in half. If you need precision remember to account for the width of the blade and then some.) For traction, you will need to have at least one full tile on either side of the tiles you are cutting.
Some net backings are better than others. As the netting gets wet some types get really flexible. If you find a lot of movement with your tile sheets, especially as you get to the end you may try cutting a shorter length of tile at a time.
Make the cut. Move the blade slowly and steadily to avoid chipping the edges.
When you are done you can peel the tiles off of the tape. You will need to replace the tape with each cut. If you have two people, it helps to have two base tiles. One person can dry and place the tape on the tile while the other is making the cuts.
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