Essential Tools You Need When Cutting And Working With Bullnose Tile

Whether you're working with traditional tile in a bathroom or using the large format that promises to be the kitchen trend for 2025, bullnose tile is one of the most popular ways to add a neat and stylish finish to tile edges. Apparently, bullnose tile got its name because someone thought the rounded profile on one of their edges resembled the nose of a bull. The other three edges are usually not rounded, and the tiles themselves can be square or rectangular. However, some people are worried that bullnose tile is difficult to cut and work with because of the rounded edge, so let's address that issue and look at the essential tools that can simplify the job.

In truth, there's little to fear when working with bullnose tile, and installation is straightforward. In terms of material, size, and finish, bullnose tiles will match the other tiles being used, so you'd cut and install them the same way. Even if you've never laid tile before, the principles are the same whether you are giving your shower a makeover or taking on the whole room. The most essential tools for laying bullnose tiles are a toothed trowel, tile spacers, a bucket of water, and a sponge. You have several different options for cutting these tiles, including the wet saw, circular saw, and angle grinder. We'll walk you through these below. 

For cutting bullnose tiles, probably the best tool to use is a wet tile saw. Wet saws give you more precision, which is often important when cutting smaller bits of bullnose tile to use as trim. The one from Skil 7-Inch Wet Tile Saw, for example, is a great value DIY model that can handle tiles up to 18 square inches. Particularly useful is the guide that can be set to the desired width to help keep the cut line straight. Tile saws like this are faster and easier to use than manual tile cutters, so they're well worth the investment if you're taking on a project of any size. You can buy hand-held wet tile saws like the high-quality DeWalt Wet Tile Saw, but they are a little more challenging to master if you're a beginner.

However, if you own a circular saw — also widely known as one of the best saws for cutting any wood — with a quick change to a diamond saw blade, like this EDiamond Tools 7-Inch Saw Blade, you could also cut bullnose tile. Be sure to check the arbor (hole) size and blade diameter match your saw. The same type of blade can also be bought for multi-tools like the Dremel, but while they're great for detail work, the diameter may be too small for some tiles and, once again, straight lines may be difficult. An angle grinder is another option, although they are very noisy, and the aggressive nature of these tools means you may struggle with control if you're a novice user.