Waterjet Cutting Tile

There are several items to pay close attention to when waterjet cutting tile: support, pierce, and pressure. Tile is a brittle material; so care must be taken during the entire job to minimize any breakage. First of all, entire piece must be on the proper supportive material. Before the final cutting of the piece, pressure tests must be conducted to ensure the optimal pressure for that particular material.

The material in this piece, done for Martin’s Flooring, was a ¼”X 2” X 2” porcelain tile with a mesh backing 12” X 24”. This tile was supported by a waterjet brick bed which provided an ideal cutting surface. Several test cuts were done prior to cutting the piece which allowed Nick to select the optimal cutting pressure. It was then pierced and cut at 18000 psi, deviating from our standard 60,000 psi, to ensure no chipping during the final cut.

“A person’s accomplishments in life are the cumulative effects of his attention to detail.”
John Foster Dulles