Tile contractors: what wet saw do you recommend?

Rent one , with a sliding base

leave 1/8 inch spacing for grout

use treated lumber to frame in

M K and Felker are the 2 top rated saws that I ve used in the last 20+ years. Both are top of the line and have a good price . And thats not referring to a cheap price either. But you get what you pay for.

Q E P makes a decent saw ( mines going on 8+ years and the price isn t all bad.

Get nothing less than a 10 ' blade and check the cut length, very few saws cut a 24" stroke all at once.

Compare the engine HP to get a good judge on the power it ll have..

The studs can be a normal wood, just need the treated as you normally do on slab for the sill plate..

I can t comment ( good or bad) on the product your using for the base. I ve always mix my own cement to form the pitch in a shower base. ( Just sand and Portland cement)

Any questions you can e mail me through my avatar and check my qualifications there.. GL

I personally like to use a Felker brand wet saw. They are typically priced in the mid range and have been a popular saw for many tile contractors. I have used them for years and no hang ups. In all actuality though for what you have going on any decent saw would be good. Really the important thing is the blade you use. Invest in a quality blade and you will be good to go. Also, you never want to use treated lumber in your surrounds. Over time treated lumber tends to warp and your tile will move right along with it. Whenever setting tiles outside you want to look into thin-set mortar made for outdoor use because of extreme temp changes and moisture for your porches. Using a quick pitch system for your basement means you will have to use a dry mixed mortar bed between the pitch joints, waterproofing membrane, then go over it with your thin-set. Waterproof your seams on your backer board!!! Make sure you have good transfer on your mud mix. Use spacers for your tiles and you should be good to go. Good Luck!! Plus the smaller your tile spacer the better the grout holds up. It looks better to.

Not familiar with that saw, but if you can set the depth, set it so the blade cuts no more than an 1/8" or so through the tile. If it is set too deep it can bind easily if the torque of the blade starts to twist the tile as it cuts. And to be honest, I wouldn't use a guide. Mark the 45 degree, line the cut by sighting down the line and go for it. The guides usually mess me up more than just free handing it. Maybe that's just me. And start and end slowly, if you go to fast on a 45 the ends can chip.

MK Diamond makes high quality tile saws. I'm not a tile contractor and if I were, I'd have a high end MK Diamond. When I built my home I bought a MK 170 7" saw as I did all the tile work myself. I paid right at $150 for it. When I finished 3 months later, I sold the saw on Craigslist for $120. It's a very nice saw that worked well for me. All MK Diamond saws hold their resell valve very well. If you want cheap junk go to Harbor Freight but I wouldn't recommend that.

This is the saw I bought:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MK-Diamond-MK-170-7-Wet-Cu...