There are hundreds of different types of blades on the market today. It can be confusing when you’re trying to find the best blades for cutting tile with so many different options. Choosing the right tile blades for your project depends on the type of material you will be cutting.

The Best Blades for Cutting Tile

There are three main types of diamond blades available including segmented, continuous, and turbo blades. They come in various rim configurations designed for different materials impacting how the blades cut. To identify the best blades for cutting tile on your next project, we broke down the differences. The below descriptions should give you a better idea of which works best in various applications.

Segmented Blades

Segmented blades work in both wet and dry applications. They feature a medium to hard bond and provide a fast cutting speed. They provide a generally smooth cut, though chipping can occur on harder materials. Segmented blades are ideal for cutting porous materials and natural stone, including marble, granite, concrete, brick, and building materials.

Segmented blades featured small gullets around the edges of the blades. These gullets are small spaces that create a gap between segments. In addition to improving airflow and dissipating heat, they also remove excess material while cutting. Overall, gullets help to improve performance and cutting speed.

Continuous Rim Blades

Continuous rim blades feature a softer bond and are perfect for wet cutting harder materials that are prone to chipping. These materials include tile, porcelain, granite, stone, and glass. Rather than segments, continuous rim blades are solid. They feature a continuous rim and can be used on tile-cutting saws or hand saws.

Turbo Blades

Turbo blades work for a wide range of general-purpose cutting applications. They feature a soft to medium bond, with a continuous rim and serrated edge. The serrated edge helps speed up cutting while still providing a smooth cut. Turbo blades work in a variety of different tools including grinders and circular saws. They can wet or dry cut tile, stone, marble, granite, and masonry.

Choosing a Bond Hardness

Each type of blade features a bond hardness ranging from soft, medium, and hard. The bond hardness determines how quickly the diamonds are exposed when the blade is used. The softer the bond, the more rapidly the diamonds will be exposed through use.

Soft Bonded Blades

Soft-bonded blades are used primarily on hard or dense materials. The soft bond exposes new diamonds at a faster pace allowing for better cutting performance on these harder materials. This is especially important when cutting materials that are prone to cracking, as a softer bond will expose new diamonds more rapidly. This process results in a smoother cut.

Hard Bonded Blades

Hard-bonded blades work best on softer stones and porous materials such as asphalt or concrete. The harder bond is able to better withstand the abrasion from softer materials, helping the blade last longer.

Which Tile Blade Should I Choose?

When you’re getting ready for your next project, make sure to prepare in advance by knowing what types of materials you’ll be working with. When you know in advance which types of tile you’ll be cutting, you can choose the best blade for the job.

Looking for the best blades for cutting tile? Check out our great selection of tile blades as well as our other top quality diamond cutting blades in our online store.