How to cut glass tile

This article is a short little bit about how to cut glass tile. I believe I will be doing a few projects this year that will utilize these tools, and I wanted to write an article you could refer back to.

Cutting glass tile is not as hard as it seems. I purchased a pair of Glass cutter nippers to do a project with. I also have a single edge glass cutter and a pair of bull nose nippers to help snip if needed.

I thought these pictures would help you to find what you are looking for.

You do not actually cut glass.

You score it to weaken its properties so that it will break perfectly along your score. My mother used to cut glass and when she taught me that one of the rules was “Once you begin to score your glass you cannot stop midway. No matter what, continue from one edge to the other.” Good advice that hasn’t failed me yet.

I use a Chinese marker to mark the cut I want to make, then I simply roll my glass cutter from one edge to the other. If it is a little tiny corner I want to remove I found it easier to just put pressure on the glass and snip it away. I just keep snipping the glass away in small pieces till I have the shape I need.

You do not have to be exact if you plan on grouting. In this picture I am just laying out my tiles. In reality I am cutting little edges out of the glass to be able to accommodate a circular area. I am a bit of a perfectionist and sometimes go through pain staking steps to only find out that it sometimes does not matter much in final product. So any inconsistencies in my cuts did not stick out once I grouted the project. If you are cutting glass to be used in a stained glass piece you definitely have to be more precise. Using a (fine grit grinding wheel to clean up the edges is helpful in this application.

Be careful that you do not cut yourself on the sharp edges of glass!

May God Bless your next project, and give you confidence in achieving your dreams. It is what he wants for you!

Mischele