Bridge Tile Saw vs Sliding Table Tile Saw

Bridge tile saw or the sliding table tile saw, which one is better? This is a question I often see and let me explain the pros and cons of each.

Accuracy:

If you compare a brand new bridge tile saw and a sliding table tile saw you will find that they are both precise and cuts smooth. In fact, the sliding action is slightly more stable since the guideways are farther apart.

However, if you do not clean and maintain the tool in good condition, the sliding table will lose its accuracy. This is because the fine dust that is produced while cutting tiles gets mixed with water and forms a paste. If you let this gum up the table guideways or rollers, soon it will erode the guides and eventually will end up with a lot of play.

The bridge tile saw is less prone to this since less amount of contaminated water reaches the bridge. In either case, it is important that you use sufficient amount of water and clean the power saw immediately after use.

Tile Size

The bridge type works best for large size tiles whereas the sliding type is best suitable for smaller tiles.

In the case of a heavy granite or marble blocks, you can imagine that it is easy to move the blade over the work that sliding the table.

In addition to this, the bridge saw is the best option for extra wide tiles. Imagine am extra-wide tile that is protruding from the side of the table. You can easily cut through the center of a wide tile using a bridge tile saw. However, this is often not possible on a rolling table type, because most of these saws have their blade head fixed on a pole that is attached on the side of the table. The tile will clash with the side pole preventing any further movement of the table.

Type of Cuts

Bridge type is the best option for long rip cuts while the sliding kind has the advantage of plunge cuts. A simple technique that tiling contractors often use on a sliding table saw is to cut the long tiles until half the way. Then rotate the work-piece 180 degree and carefully align to cut the other half to achieve a long rip-cut that is otherwise not possible.

Here is a comparison table that shows the difference between a bridge tile saw versus sliding table tile saw.

Conclusion:

Personally, I would recommend sliding tile saw for most small jobs and the bridge type for professional contractors who are working on large projects.

Here at Forestwest, we supply 3 models of the Bridge Wet Tile Saw at different sizes to suit all your professional needs - you can check for more information and testing videos. Or contact us at 1-800-868-8997 to talk to our friendly staff member for any questions.