Cutting A Plug Box In Ceramic Tiles

Many a times you need to change the pattern of the walls or install a plug box in the tile in our bathroom, living room or other parts of the house. However, you don’t need the services of a subcontractor to carry this simple work for you. Rather, you can use a set of proper and suitable equipment to carry the work yourself.  

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Step 1 - Measure

Firstly measure the distance between the edge of the outlet where the installation needs to be done and the outside edge of the last piece of tile.  Remember that the cut needs to be made on the outlet box and not the faceplate (the front plate on which the bolts or screws are mounted). This faceplate rests upon the tile’s surface. Remember to cut the edges of the tile in a manner that they remain concealed beneath the faceplate or they would obstruct the view. This is the trickiest part of cutting a plug box in a ceramic tile. You have to be constantly careful about not chipping the tile away.

Step 2 - Mark Measurements on Surface

Next use the grease pencil to lay marking on the tile’s surface. The grease pencil, which is made of colored and hardened wax is used for markings on surfaces that are hard, glossy and nonporous, such as ceramics, plastic, porcelain or glass. It is also important to remember that the type of cut, whether an L-shaped cut or a U-shaped cut depends on the placement of the appliance box.

Step 3 - Cut Tiles

In the next step, you need to use your wet saw on the marking of the title surface. Remember, you just used grease pencils to make these markings. You need to use the blade at a particular angle. Not only this, don’t forget to flip the tile over and cut it from the backside also. For this purpose, use the same marks that you used for making the initial cuts.

Step 4  - Let the Tile Dry

Lastly, don’t forget to dry the tile completely. This will make the bonding agent stick both to the wall and the tile.  

When performing the job of cutting a plug box in ceramic tiles, don’t forget to wear proper eye and ear protection devices. This will protect you from any accident that can take place while working on the wet saw. Protective wear might look cumbersome to begin with but it can be a real blessing in case there is an accident; which are quite common when it comes to masonry work. Also, it is not advisable to invest your hard earned money in purchasing a wet saw when it needs to be used only occasionally.