How to cut 3/4” Porcelain pavers

[Oldcaliforniakid]

I’ve done a lot of tiling in my years and just finished using a bridge saw on 13”x 39” porcelain for my bathroom walls. All went smoothly.

My son would like me to lay 2cm porcelain pavers (rectified) on his cement slab in a covered patio. Only worry I have is cutting these 24”x 24” porcelain pavers. Do I need to get a special blade or will the 10” blade on a HD rental wet saw be fine with making a couple of passes? I’m also very proficient with my angle grinder and have done a large format tile job with those 3/8” tiles.

Thank you for your insight.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Welcome to the forum, Scott.

Some blades will cut faster than others. I’d definitely want a porcelain blade on the saw. But I wouldn’t make two passes. I’d make one slow pass and listen to the sound of the saw to make sure it wasn’t squawking in protest from pushing the motor too hard.

Do you have a porcelain blade already? Or is the plan to obtain a new blade to use with the rental saw?

[jadnashua]

If the saw has an adjustable water jet, make sure it is at maximum volume and pointed properly at the blade to flush away the debris and make sure to watch the water level and flush it out and replace if the supply and reservoir gets really nasty.

[cx]

Welcome, Scott.

I have no idea what you get in a rental saw from Homer's, nor what blade you have available.

I have cut many 2 1/4" thick pave stones, the kind that are harder than Chinese algebra, and certainly as dense as some porcelains, using the original equipment blade that came on my DeWalt D24000. I've never used the blade for tile work as I have never had any confidence in DeWalt's wood-cutting blades. But the diamond blade cuts the thick pavers just fine. It's slow, of course, and I generally do cut in two passes, but I'd expect to be able to cut your 2cm porcelain with it.

I haven't seen your porcelain, though.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Oldcaliforniakid]

Thank you guys. Sorry for the late response. I didn't check the email notification box for the thread and thought I didn't get any responses.

The last bridge saw I rented from HD had a new continuous porcelain blade on it and it was very accurate and chip free on the 39" x 13" x 3/8" porcelain tiles. I figured that this was still the way to go in cutting 3/4" porcelain pavers but needed some reassurance before I bit off more than I could chew.

My biggest worry now is humping those 37 lb. pavers and lowering them over the thinset without pulling my back out. Probably would be a good idea to have another set of hands for the job.

Thanks again.

I attached a photo of the porcelain paver.

[jadnashua]

You might want to buy or rent some suction cup devices to carry the tiles. Carrying them by their edges and then trying to set them down without jamming your fingers can be tough, or letting it fall, and maybe chipping. The larger the tile, the harder it is to rock it back and forth to properly embed it and smush the trowel ridges, so a slant-notch trowel can be useful, and, on a tile like that, you want to burn some thinset into the back, so grabbing it means getting thinset on your hands would be messy, too.

[Oldcaliforniakid]

Thanks, Jim. I have looked into the suction cup handles. I haven’t seen the pavers in person as my son lives in Dallas where I will go in July to do this job. I was hoping the pavers are smooth enough to be held with the suction cups. Would hate to drop a paver or two.

Also wondering if a leveling spacer system would work on this heavy of a tile…

[smifwal]

I have a set of these, I tried to find a link but couldn't

[Oldcaliforniakid]

Thanks! Those were in my radar.

Any thoughts if a leveling system will work or be needed with these thick pavers?
I laid 2500 sq. ft. Of 20” x 20’ porcelain at my mom’s home back before these leveling systems came out. Those 3/8” tiles might have been easier with those but I’ve never thinset pavers before, just set them in a sand bed in a pathway.

[Oldcaliforniakid]

I haven't used a leveling system on any jobs. All have been done by levels, straight edges and rubber mallet.

I would like to use one on 300 sq. ft. of 24" x 24" porcelain tiles that are 3/4" thick and weigh 30 lbs. each. My concern is that I hear complaints that the clips snap when tightening them. With a heavy tile, it seems that there would be more tension on the clips and more breakage. I will be using some very good suction cup handles to position the tiles, and was thinking I could pull up a little on the low tile while tightening the clips?

[cx]

Scott, it'll help if you'll keep all the project questions on one thread so folks can see what you're working on and what's been previously asked and answered. Duplicate threads with the same questions results in confusion and duplication of effort on the part of our all-volunteer army of helpers.

If you don't think you're getting timely response, make another post to your thread to bump it to the top of the queue for attention.

I trust you're talking about one of the lippage control systems on the market (none of them do any leveling, despite the name or advertising). I know at least one brand has different "feet" for different types of tiles, including un-gauged or poorly gauged stone tiles. I do not recall the maxim thickness of tiles for which they'd be effective. I think you'd want to contact the manufacturer of whatever system you're considering to determine their limitations.

Whatever you choose to do, I recommend you do not try lifting all or part of a set tile to bring it flush with its neighbor. You could end up with loss of proper contact with the bonding mortar, which is not a good thing.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Oldcaliforniakid]

Thanks, CX. I was asking about whether a lippage system would snap while tightening on heavy porcelain and thought it needed a new thread because of the different question posed. But you are right, it is the same project and that I should keep it all together... I'm a little new to this and getting the hang of it.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

I think most of the leveling systems on the market won't work for what you want to do and it's the thickness of the material that is the issue.

I'm measuring one of the MLT straps and I think these would work. The wedge systems I don't think will. Spin Doctor's say up to 3/4 inch thick so they might work.

This thing will grab those tiles and other heavily textured surfaces.
https://www.tiletools.com/products/g...53a78a98&_ss=r

Also, make sure you put in movement joints. For outdoors, you should have a movement joint every 4 tiles.

[Oldcaliforniakid]

Originally Posted by Tiger Mountain Tile

Also, make sure you put in movement joints. For outdoors, you should have a movement joint every 4 tiles.

Thanks TMT. Appreciate your input.

[Oldcaliforniakid]

Originally Posted by Tiger Mountain Tile

I think most of the leveling systems on the market won't work for what you want to do and it's the thickness of the material that is the issue.

I contacted Rick Zasada at RTC Products and he said that the 3/16” Spin Doctor would work. He said that anything thinner (1/16”-1/8”) would probably snap with the weight.