How to Cut Tile Around Door Frame in 7 Easy Steps

When tiling the floor of your house, one of the hardest tasks is to install the tiles around the frame of the front doors of the house. Because unlike the other parts of the floor of the house, you can not just put one tile after another and be done with it. There is a certain level of expertise that you need to have while accomplishing this task.

For cutting the tiles around the frame of doors, one needs to be patient and has to have steady hands. With these two qualities and a couple of other tools, it can easily be done.

To know how to cut tile around the door frame, let us take a look down below. While at it, we will also take a look at the tools you are going to require for doing this.

How To Cut Tile Around Door Frame in 7 Simple Steps

It is mandatory to work in a professional manner while fitting tiles, even more so if you want to fit tiles around the frame of the doors. For this task, you will need the following tools :

• Mortar, preferably thinset. If the mortar is unavailable at the moment, you can also use premixed mastic.
• Ceramic Tile
• Safety goggles and gloves
• Drilling Machine
• Rubber Hammer
• Bucket
• Wet Saw/Grinder/ Manual Tile Cutter / Tile nipper 
• Level square
• Pen

There are a couple of methods you can use to fit tiles around door frames. First, mark the tile to fit around the wooden frame, and then cut the marked part out. Second, you cut the frame itself and slide the tiles under it. 

Experts suggest that you follow the second route. It takes a lot less effort and is way more efficient. Also, this process ensures that the tile is cut cleanly and the result will be pretty awesome.

If you do decide to follow the second method, which is the best way, you have to follow the following steps.

1. Cut The Frame 

Use a pull saw to flush-cut the bottom part of the door frame. But you can not cut the frame randomly.  Before cutting the frame, put cardboard on the floor, of about the same height as the gap under the frame. Then put a tile on top of it and mark the frame along the top of the tile. Then take the pull saw and flush-cut the part of the frame under the marking. Make sure to keep the tile fixed in place, or things will go awry.

2. Mark The Part of Tile To Be Cut 

After cutting the frame off, slide the tile into the now empty space of the frame. Mark the part of the tile that goes under the frame and then take it out. You need steady hands here as well because wrong markings will result in wasting a piece of tile and you have to repeat the whole process with a new one.

3. Align The Tile To The Wall 

Now, put the tile against the wall and mark it. To the inexperienced eye, it may seem like a complicated process, but it is a very simple one.

4. Draw The Cut Lines 

At this point, use a level square for drawing the cut lines. You must have steady hands as even the slight movement of the hand will force you to start anew.

5. Hatch The Area To Be Cut 

Although not necessary, hatching the area of the tile that will be cut off is a great idea. It helps you visualize the area to be cut, which in turn makes things easier.

6. Cutting The Tile 

Now, it is time to cut the tile. In order to do that, it is best to use a wet saw. Sometimes the need may arise to put some notches in tiles. To do this, a wet saw is a must. If you don’t have one, you can rent one too. If even that is impossible, you can use either a grinder, manual tile cutter, or tile nipper to cut the tiles. When cutting with a wet saw, the placement of tile is the key. 

After putting it on the support, the guidance fence should be adjusted in such a way that the blade goes along the cut lines. Any deviation from those lines, and all of your hard work up to this point will be for nothing. While cutting, do not put too much force on the tile. Putting more force than necessary will result in the breaking of the tile or the edges being cut poorly.

Installing The Tile Around The Door Frame

Now that the tile is cut, it is time to fit it around the frame.  Before doing anything with the cut tile, it is recommended to wash the tile properly, as it is more or less the last time you will have access to it. An unwashed tile will not properly fit, as the dirt and waste materials will prevent the mortar from doing its job properly. You should also check the tile for any sort of scratches or other damages before installing it. 

Use a notched float to mix tile adhesive and apply it on the frame before you install the tile. It is mandatory for the thinset mortar to be spread uniformly in the whole area. If the mortar is spread unevenly, the tile has to be adjusted by you for it to be level with the floor. 

Finally, to fit tiles professionally, install tile spacers. After you have done all that, take a mallet and tap the tile gently. This will help the tile to be on the same level as the floor of the rest of the house. To make sure that the tile is horizontal and its alignment is perfect with the floor, a spirit level can be used.

Related Guide You May Check,

• How To Measure Front Door
• How Wide is a Front Door
• How to Replace a Front Door

Conclusion 

Fitting tiles properly is one of the most important jobs when it comes to decorating the interior of the house. They should be handled carefully as they are brittle and susceptible to break. Fitting them around the door frame is even more delicate of work. To do this, one has to know how to cut tile around a door frame and be very meticulous about it.