5 Must-Have Tools & Products for Glass Tile

To install glass tiles, you need to have special tools and use specific products that are designed especially for glass.

This post covers 5 categories of tools and products that are specifically for cutting and installing glass tiles.

Keep in mind that some categories have more than one option so there are more than 5 tools listed. For example, I’m counting the glass diamond blades as one tool.

Let’s get to it!

Glass Tile Diamond Blades for Wet Saws

If you want to install glass then you are going to have to figure out how to cut glass tiles. It starts with a glass tile blade for a wet saw.

Premium 10-inch glass tile blade

My personal go-to diamond blade for glass tile is the Alpha Vetro WG1000. I run it on a 10-inch Dewalt D36000 tile saw.

It cuts nice and clean with minimal chipping.

In the price/quality scale, it leans more towards the quality end but still is affordable if you are going to have a lot of use for it.

Budget 10-inch glass tile blade

For those looking for a less expensive option, this EDiamond Tools 10-inch glass tile blade has good feedback.

Premium 7-inch glass tile blade

Pearl Abrasive P5 DTL07G 7-inch is another glass blade that I’ve used a like a lot.

It’s a top-of-the-line blade from a premium manufacturer that cuts smoothly and predictably.

It’s not cheap but the price tag is easier to stomach in the 7-inch version. You can’t go wrong buying this blade.

Budget 7-inch glass tile blade

Bosch DB769 7-inch diamond blade for glass tile is inexpensive and has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon with well over 100 reviews.

Premium 4-inch glass tile cutting blade

Delta Diamond Piranha 4-inch glass tile diamond blade has a 4+ star rating with nearly 200 reviews. Further, Delta has a good reputation as a tool and accessory manufacturer.

This blade is for wet cutting only so you probably don’t want to attach it to your grinder. Rather, this is for the small handheld saws with water feeds.

Budget 4-inch glass tile diamond blade

QEP 6-4006GLQ 4-inch glass blade

This little blade impresses in the review department.

The listing says that you can cut wet or dry with it.

Diamond Hand Pads

To smooth the cut edge of your glass tile you’re going to need a diamond hand-polishing pad. These are not expensive and I find almost no difference from one brand to another. so just buy whatever one is cheap and available.

A lot of sellers sell a kit with every grit available. For smoothing cuts, I think you’re only going to need one: either a 100-ish or a 200-ish.

Right now, this seller is selling individual pads and I’d get the 120 grit. You can also order these through Home Depot but I’ve never seen them in my local store.

Glass Tile Thinset Mortar

Three good glass tile mortars are widely available from Custom, Laticrete, and Mapei.

Mapei Adesilex P10 Mosaic and Glass Tile Mortar is a good choice for installing glass tiles. It has a smooth consistency and a good open time.

Custom Glass Tile Premium Thin-set Mortar is another option. It’s not super white but it may be more available for some of you.

Laticrete Glass Tile Adhesive Lite is my personal favorite of the bunch. It’s white is WHITE and it’s great to work with.

Glass Tile Nippers

You may not need a set of glass tile nippers for your project. Especially, if you have a wet saw.

However, if you are installing glass mosaics you may find them useful. In particular, if they are the colored glass variety instead of the kind that has the colored backing.

If so, I’ve found this style of tile nippers works especially well for glass tiles including mosaics.

Translucent Grout for Glass Tiles

Some companies make translucent grout that is specifically for glass and it looks great.

However, you aren’t required to use grout made specifically for glass tiles. Standard cement grouts will do just fine.

Here are a couple of options if you are interested in translucent grout. These options are going to be single component or epoxy grout and have good stain resistance.

Mapei Flexcolor 3D

Flexcolor 3D is the translucent version of Mapei’s popular Flexcolor CQ grout. It’s a popular product made by a reputable brand.

Bostik Dimension

Bostik makes true urethane grouts and this particular one is translucent so it goes great with glass tile installations.

Laticrete Spectralock Pro Premium Translucent Grout

This is the one epoxy choice in the group which means it will be very durable. Check with the glass tile manufacturer to see if this grout is compatible with their product.

Conclusion

I hope this list helps you get prepared for your glass tile installation. Be sure to check out my post on how to install glass tiles successfully.