Anyone own a wet saw for tile?

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Going to be doing some tiling projects, a couple of bathrooms and eventually my kitchen.

Looking at some of the 7" under $100 wet saws and theres quite a variety at many stores.

Anyone try one out and have a +/- opinion of it?

 

[Martha]

We had a borrowed, ancient wet saw we used for our bathroom project. Worked fabulous.

When we were done we used it to cut some small rocks in half. We were going to make some artsy stuff out of them but never followed through. Anyone want any half rocks?

 

[HFWR]

Bought one at Lowes for ~$70; cuts through tile like butter. I believe they also had one for $40, but I decided to move up a notch...

Qep?, model 60087, 4A motor

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Thanks...the Lowes QEP was one of the ones I was looking for.

 

[sgeeeee]

. . . Anyone want any half rocks? 

Is this question related to the vasectomy thread in some way?

 

[tryan]

I picked up a Workforce Tile Cutter at the Depot for $80 a couple years ago. Cuts slate, marble and tile (of course) no problem.

 

[laurence]

The only thing I can tell you is don't use the manual, "scratch and break" thing my friend loaned me when I tiled my bathroom.  I wasted enough tiles to make buying the saw worth it and then some!  And forget about working around the toilet with that, or any curved line!

Another lesson to learn from me, don't buy the 1/4 inch spacers, no matter how thin the 1/8 spacers look, 1/4 grout lines are freaking huge.  I'm telling you, my tile project was a master's thesis on what not to do.

 

[HFWR]

Yes, 1/4" spacers are for 12" tiles... 

No jokes about "so that's 12"..."

 

[Gpax7]

Another great tip! I had great luck with a rotozip tool for cuting curves and irregular shapes in tile. I had seen the infomercial on TV in the middle of the night and when we went to the Depot in Jax, they had one set up to experiment with. I used it and managed to sell three during lthe demo and I don't even work for HD.

 

[Mountain_Mike]

I am another owner of the Lowes $80 saw. It has paid for itself many times over. I have tiled the entry way, fireplace, bathroom vanity, shower, kitchen floor, and stove backsplash. I'm still on the original blade and it is going strong.

If a tool is within reason, I prefer buying to renting. This is one of those, for me at least.

 

[BUM]

I am another owner of the Lowes $80 saw. It has paid for itself many times over. I have tiled the entry way, fireplace, bathroom vanity, shower, kitchen floor, and stove backsplash. I'm still on the original blade and it is going strong.

If a tool is within reason, I prefer buying to renting. This is one of those, for me at least.

I'm with Mike. Renting is ok for those once-in-a-blue-moon projects (carpet shampooers, jackhammers, drum sanders, etc.). I own both types of tile cutters. With a little practice the score and break cutters are fine for small jobs. The wet saws are a must have for "production work". If possible use the wet saw outside. It can get messy. Have fun!

 

[riskadverse]

I own a MK that cost about $150, although I bought it reconditioned for cheaper. I'm not exactly happy with it, but I've done a couple of thousand cuts (on half as many tiles), and I know all the querks on getting it to produce good output. Work outside, be prepared to get wet and wear some minimum ear protection. Also, if you live near any neighbors, give them a break and don't start before 9am and end before 5pm.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Reviews on the MK are iffy, a lot of guys say they have to be readjusted a bit more than they like to maintain straight cuts. The QEP's at all price levels seems to get positive reviews.

I might end up doing linoleum instead of tile though. One of the areas I want to do is the kitchen and I have a huge crack in the slab that of course runs right up the middle of the floor. Probably could get my little finger into it. I'd have to dress and level the whole floor to do tile and it'd probably just crack again along a grout line.

I dont know if I'd use them vs sheet linoleum or how they'd look en masse but I was pretty impressed with the appearance and quality of the newer vinyl tiles. Without touching them they look a lot like ceramic.

I also saw a new product in one of the department stores that my dad saw at Lowes (apparently not at home depot yet). Its a vinyl product that comes in long pieces, sort of like the wood laminate flooring, except its all vinyl. I asked one of the guys that was putting the stuff down in the store and he said it was really easy to install. I liked the look of it...even more wood-like in appearance than the laminate, and if it can take store traffic it'd probably work out ok in my bathroom.

 

[riskadverse]

I've laid vinyl tiles before (to cover an asbestos linoleum tile floor still in good enough condition as an underlayment). They were a cinch. They looked like ceramic tile, cleaned up easily, and looked like new after 10 years of use. The only trick was to not put down too much adhesive. If there is too much adhesive it takes forever to dry and will squeeze out between the seams.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Anyone with any experience with the self-stick ones, particularly in a bathroom? Do they unstick or curl after a while? Any problems with moisture? Anyone stick them directly to a concrete slab, since i'm taking up carpet to lay these down? Yes, someone installed carpet in the bathroom...swell idea...

 

[laurence]

Well, you know I put down that linolium tile that looks like wood in my daughter's bedroom and have recieved rave reviews from family/friends.  I highly recommend the stuff with the self adhesive back, they are slow to set which is a good thing, since I found I was slightly off at one point as was able to slide/push the tile over a tenth of an inch to correct.  Now they are good and set.  Took me about 8 hours from start to finish to do the room.

EDIT: whoa, I think we are supposed to yell "jinx" or something. Close to a month now, right? No curling, but it's not in a bathroom.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Did you set them directly to concrete or to wood?

 

[WanderALot]

Anyone with any experience with the self-stick ones, particularly in a bathroom? Do they unstick or curl after a while? Any problems with moisture? Anyone stick them directly to a concrete slab, since i'm taking up carpet to lay these down? Yes, someone installed carpet in the bathroom...swell idea...

Our house already had the self-stick kind in two of our bathrooms, one wood and other concrete. We absolutely hated the way they looked. We've since replaced both with tile and are very happy with the results. If you do decide to do the self-stick, make sure you'll like it because it was an absolute bitch to get the floor(s) cleaned up before we could lay the tile down.

We used these 2-inch octagon shaped tiles that were glued together into 12" square "formations" that were already spaced apart. So we didn't have to mess with use spacers everywhere, just between the places were the 12" tiles came together. Worked out real well. http://www.daltileproducts.com/series.cfm?cat=4&series=85

 

[laurence]

It was a surface called....superboard?  Second floor room, I guess if you have regular fiberboard/plywood for your second floor underlayer, that's not good for tile.  Fortunately, they built my house up to spec for tile floor.  I don't know if that type of underlayment is neccessary for the vinyl tile.  I put real tile down in the bathroom that is most used (tearing up the dang carpet, just like you) with the superboard(?) underneath, and after almost a year of two showers a day, no problems with shifting/cracking....

 

[laurence]

Our house already had the self-stick kind in two of our bathrooms, one wood and other concrete.  We absolutely hated the way they looked.  We've since replaced both with tile and are very happy with the results.  If you do decide to do the self-stick, make sure you'll like it because it was an absolute bitch to get the floor(s) cleaned up before we could lay the tile down.

really? There didn't seem to be enough substance to the self stick side of the tile to leave that much gunk? The self stick is just for a few years until we decide what we really want to do, any tips for getting the gunk up? Did you try any solvents etc.?

 

[WanderALot]

really? There didn't seem to be enough substance to the self stick side of the tile to leave that much gunk? The self stick is just for a few years until we decide what we really want to do, any tips for getting the gunk up? Did you try any solvents etc.?

We did try a solvent, but I can't remember the name of it, I'll ask my wife about it tonight. IIRC, there wasn't a whole mess of gunk left, but removing the self-stick tile caused some of the backing of the tile to be left on the concrete so we had to keep scraping it to get it clean. Since we were going to use smaller size tile, the floor has to be pretty flat or the level between adjoining tiles will be noticeably off.

One thing that might have affected it is that it had been for at least 10 years, if not more.

EDIT: To answer CFB's original question, the self-stick tile didn't curl up or unstick over the years. It also managed to maintain it's factory fresh uglyness.

 

[Martha]

I am not fond of the look of vinyl or laminate. I am not too thrilled with tile either, because of the grout maintenance. Other than wood, which many don't like for kitchen and baths, I like cork.

Cork is easy to install, similar to laminate. It is mold resistant. Good for those with allergies. Works fine in damp areas. A friend put it in his kitchen and it has held up beautifully. Dogs don't slip on it. It gives underfoot so if you are standing in your kitchen a lot it is easier on you. And it looks cool.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

How well does it work out if cats piss on it?

We've just landed on the other reason I have to pull up the carpet. One of our dogs decides every now and then that it might be fun to chase our oldest cat. He doesnt mean anything by it and wouldnt hurt her, but she doesnt like it.

Every time he does it, which is about once a week, she registers her discontent by taking a big pee on the same spot in the master bathroom

So it has to be relatively impermeable and waterproof...

I had wood floors in my mcmansion kitchen. Everything that had a water supply to it leaked on that floor at one time or another. Dogs scratched it and slid on it. I slid on it. Never again.

 

[KB]

Martha

Do you have the cork squares or one big piece cut to the space? Do you mop it like linolium or ceramic tile?

 

[Martha]

The cork I have seen comes in sizes similar to plastic laminate. I have seen it in strips, maybe 4 to 6 inches wide and 24 long, and also in squares.

The cork I have seen in attached to a backing much like plastic laminate is attached and the sections "click" together when you are laying them. No glue needed.