How to cut marble mosaic tiles
Mosaic tips and instructions from Xinamarie
There is a very definite aesthetic difference between handcut and machine cut marble. Machine cut marble actually saws through the stone for an even and precise and smooth cut line. This is the norm for generic mosaic flooring and such. When marble is handcut, it is broken into pieces rather than actually sawn through. The result is a rougher cut, slightly irregular. In my opinion, this is best for artistic work and hand made artistic decorations – machine cut marble makes for mosaics that look like they were made by machines, less warm and less personal and, I think, less precious.
Handcut marble can also be used on its inner “cut” side, for an earthy rough texture to the mosaic. This is perfect for art mosaics – for mosaics that are mounted on the wall to show a scene or a decoration.
Machine cut: I machine cut marble with a giant wet saw made specifically for marble with a diamond disc -- costs about $3000, so generally bulk quantity machine cutting is left to the "pros"!! But you can cut marble with a regular wetsaw or with a special hobby wet-saw like the Taurus or the Revolution – it is very very slow to cut marble with a wet saw, especially a non-industrial home use saw – so best to keep for special shapes cuts rather than actually cutting the tessere themselves.
Hand cut: The old ways are the best ways. In thousands of years of technological development, the best way to cut marble by hand is still a Hammer and hardie, the same tool the ancients used. This a specially made hammer with tempered steel blade tip (the carbide tipped hammer is best for glass, steel for marble), and hardie which is a blade pin that gets embedded in a hunk of wood. The marble is rested on the hardie blade, and when the hammer comes down (thoonk!) on top, the marble is sliced between the 2 blades. See my tip sheet on cutting with a hammer and hardie
Chopper cut: This is hand cut marble too, and the solution for large quantities. The tiles are same as when cut with a hammer and hardie, and a chopper has the same “double blade” mechanism, but mounted in a machine with a fly wheel for greater speed, ease and precision.
Nipping: Once in tesserae size (or in rods), marble can be cut with regular nippers -- it does take a lot more force than cutting glass, and wheeled mosaic nippers will be easily worn down and damaged, so traditional sidebiter nippers are best. See my video on cutting mosaic tiles with nippers
MOSAIC TIPS FROM XINAMARIE
mosaic tiles and tools for mosaic art and hobby