Bathroom tiling project. As an accent tile, we have selected penny round tiles in sapphire blue, like this. As you can see, the tiles are offset so they fit together more closely. We are doing a horizontal row of four tiles, plus the back of the soap niche.
My problem is at the end of the run, where the tile comes up against a solid surface like a door casing. I can’t figure out how to cut these little tiles in half to make a straight line. I have tried dealing with the tiles individually but they are too small to saw; nippers and grinding I have not been able to make work. If I try to saw a sheet the tiles just come off the backer material.
I have thought about attaching one sheet of tiles to a cement backer board with mastic, letting it dry, and then using that to slice a couple rows of half rounds that I could stick in where needed (I don’t need all that many). I have severe doubts that this will work.
Any other ideas? Any professionals out there who might have had to deal with this before?
If I understand what you mean, I’m afraid you’ll have to stop the penny tiles at their straightest line and then fill to the door w/ grout (that’s only a few mm, right?). It will look good and be far less frustrating.
I tried it already, it looks bad and unprofessional to me. There is no “straightest line” really, you have to choose between running the straight line horizontally or vertically. Horizontally is better, but it leaves this problem at the end.
I tried grinding, it took a very long time for one piece and the result did not look good. These things are very hard and also hard to hang onto.
Yes! This looks like the kind of thing I’m looking for. I had never seen this, don’t know how I missed it. Thanks both arseNAL and Dewey Finn.
That actually occurred to me while composing the OP, but it is now too late. It would probably have been far the cleanest approach. Unfortunately, I was coordinating with a somewhat stubborn and uncooperative contractor, who was doing all the carpentry, so it would have been difficult anyway.
