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I'd like to install this (Manufc. Page) 20A GFCI pop-up electrical box in the kitchen floor to allow cookware (microwave, blender, air fryer) to be plugged in. I will build a kitchen island cart to house the microwave and store the other cookware.

I need to make a plunge cut for a hole through a 12"x12" 5/16"-thick ceramic tile and through the subfloor underneath to house the outlet and run a 20A line to the breaker box.

I have a wired Fein Multimaster oscillating tool but there isn't any literature on what blade to use to cut ceramic tile. I have an angle grinder, which I know could do the job, but the circular blade means I can't make a complete cut at a corner.

Minh Tran
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    Kitchen floors often get wet. Wet electrical outlets can be hazardous. A pendant cord hanging from the ceiling might be a better way to have an outlet available at your cart location. – Ecnerwal Aug 17 '22 at 01:02
  • There should be no plugs in kitchen floor. What if someone mops the floor ? – Ruskes Aug 17 '22 at 01:20
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    As for cutting, use diamond blade on slow speed with lots of water. The more cutting teeth on the blade the better. – Ruskes Aug 17 '22 at 01:22
  • A carbide blade _might_ cut through the tile, depending on the hardness. A diamond blade will certainly work. A [segment blade](https://fein.com/en_us/accessories/segment-blade-63903196013/) gives you a fair bit of cutting length, but still allows you to work into corners. – HABO Aug 17 '22 at 18:20
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    @Ruskes your concerns are valid. For these reasons, I opted for a box design where the plug interface is raised above ground, tilted upwards at an angle and not recessed into the floor. It is GFCI protected and there is a gasket where the outlet shuts (the outlet itself is IP44 rated). – Minh Tran Aug 17 '22 at 19:22
  • Unless code forbids putting a pop-up outlet on a kitchen floor, I will regard this as doable (because the risk of water ingress from mopping/splashing can happen *anywhere* e.g., a person spilling water onto a floor outlet in the living room). In addition, these are marketed as installable on countertops, where there is *surely* a higher risk of spills. – Minh Tran Aug 17 '22 at 19:26
  • Google “tile blade for fein”. If you’ve got porcelain tiles, buy a spare blade. – Aloysius Defenestrate Aug 18 '22 at 00:58

1 Answers1

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Drill the corners, Score & Break the sides

With a handheld "tile scoring tool" you can also score a rectangle after drilling the corners, and tap with a hammer to break up the tile within the rectangle.

Select a bit that is small enough so that the face plate covers the curve. Carefully tap away anything that remains, using a hammer and a mason chisel or maybe an old wood chisel.

Angle Grinder, Drill the corners

Or you can use the angle grinder for round or rectangular holes, as you stated. Since you don't have access to both faces of the tile, you will have over/under cut. As with the score & tap approach, the trick is to drill the corners.

Hole Saw for wire only

For a round hole you can use a "Tile Hole Saw" for this:

enter image description here

This would allow passage of the wire. The outlet could then be on a raised box, with a cover or faced sideways, to prevent liquids from flowing in. This is especially important if it is located in the "wet area" of the kitchen: near sinks, stove, and dishwasher, within reasonable flooding area. If it is not in a tripping area you could raise it even just by 0.5 inch.

P2000
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