How to Choose a Tile Saw for Large-Format Porcelain: 24, 40 and 60 Inch Cuts

Large-format porcelain has changed which tile saw a setter needs. A 24 x 48 in panel won't fit through a basic 24 in saw, and long rip cuts across slabs need a cutting head that travels the full length of the tile. This guide covers the three numbers that decide which saw fits your work: cut length, cut depth and blade size. It uses IMER's Combicut and Masonry saws as the examples. Shop the full range in our tile and masonry saws collection.

1. Cut length: match it to your longest tile

Cut length is the longest straight cut the saw makes in one pass. Overhead-rail saws such as the IMER Combicut list two figures: the standard cut and a slightly longer cut using the plunge feature. Choose a saw whose cut length is longer than the longest tile edge you'll rip, including diagonal cuts across a square tile. A diagonal across a 24 x 24 in tile is about 34 in.

Cutting 4 ft-long panels? The 250/1000 VA's 37 in standard cut is shorter than 48 in, so rips the full length of a 48 in panel need the 250/1500 VA.

2. Cut depth: tile vs stone and pavers

Porcelain and ceramic tile is thin, so the 2.75–3.75 in depth of a 8–10 in tile saw is plenty. Thick stone, pavers, brick and block need a 14 in blade or larger:

• Combicut 350 iPower: 14 in blade, 4.75 in depth, 41.5 in cut (47.25 in with plunge). A 4 HP 240V motor handles both thick stone and long tile cuts.
• Masonry 350 Smart Cut: 14 in blade, 4.75 in depth, 26 in cut (30 in with plunge) on 120V power for brick, block and pavers.
• Masonry 750 Plus: 30 in blade, 18 in depth (27 in with plunge) for block, stone and precast.

3. Power and portability

• 120V saws (Combicut 200/250 VA series, Masonry 350 Smart Cut) run on a standard 15 A circuit. They suit remodels and occupied homes.
• 240V saws (Combicut 350 iPower, Masonry 750 Plus) have more power for thick and hard material but need a 240V supply on site. The Masonry 750 Plus also comes in a 3-phase version.
• Weight: the Combicut 200 VA is 48 lb and the 250/1500 VA is 125 lb. The longer the rail, the more the saw weighs and the more room it takes in the truck.

Blades and accessories

Every Combicut VA saw ships with a blade: a continuous-rim porcelain blade on the 200 VA, 250/1000 VA and 250/1500 VA, and a general-purpose blade on the 250 VA. Use continuous-rim blades for chip-free porcelain edges and segmented or turbo blades for masonry. IMER also offers side tables and a tile clamping system for the Combicut VA saws, and 45° miter guides for the Masonry saws. Find them in our IMER collection.

IMER tile and masonry saws compared

Specs are from IMER USA's published data.