How Do I Miter Cut Countertop Tile Molding?

A wet saw with a diamond blade makes cutting miters in tile much easier.

Cutting miters for tile molding is not much different from cutting wood molding. The setup is the same, it's just the tools that are different. A wet saw with a diamond cutting blade makes quick, accurate work for cutting angles and miters. Wet saws can be rented at most home centers, and they come with a miter gauge that makes positioning the tile to the blade an easier task.

Things You'll Need

• Carpenter's square
• Two scrap boards of equal width
• Pencil
• Combination square
• Wet saw with diamond cutting blade
• Safety glasses
• Tile molding

Instructions

1. Examine the angle where two countertop edges meet and check whether a 90-degree angle exists. A carpenter's square set on top of the two edges will give an indication of how close to 90 degrees the miter is. Not all edges meet at exactly 90 degrees. Some countertops may be cut at different angles for aesthetic reasons, and even those that are meant to be 90-degree angles may have slight variations.

2. Get two scrap boards of equal width. Place one against an edge of the counter and place the other along the adjoining edge directly under the first board. Overlap the first board by about a half inch or so. For inside corners, you won't be able to overlap the boards, so just put them in place without overlapping.

3. Mark the edges of the second board onto the first with a pencil. Hold a combination square on the diagonal that connects two opposing corners of the pencil marks you just made. This line is the exact bisection of the corner angle. The scrap board can be used as a gauge block to set the miter saw angle.

4. Set the wet saw's miter gauge at the angle shown on the gauge block. With the saw off and unplugged, loosen the miter gauge and adjust the angle until the pencil line is lined up with the diamond blade.

5. Make a pencil line on the tile molding to show which direction the cut will be made. This quick step will save some aggravation and recuts because the line represents how the molding will join up at the corner.

6. Put on your safety glasses. Position the tile molding on the wet-saw table. Hold it upright and snug against the miter gauge. Push the tile slowly into the blade to make the cut, being careful to keep your hands and fingers away from the spinning diamond blade.

References

• This Old House: How to Cut Miters
• Extreme How-To: DIY Crown Molding & Trim
• The Family Handyman: Installing Tile Countertops