How to Cut a Hole in a PVC Panel

How to drill plastic panels?

Holes of small diameters (up to 10 mm) can be drilled with regular metal drill bits at low speed (up to 500 rpm). It is advisable to “nail” the place of drilling with a red-hot nail. The drill needs to be taken out quite often and cooled in water.

Holes in PVC must be drilled with a metal drill, at low RPM of the drill, without applying pressure to the drill. In the case where you need a large diameter hole, you can start drilling with a small-diameter drill, then drill with a thicker drill. PVC linings are quite fragile material.

How to make a hole for the socket in the plastic panel?

A box cutter or an electric jigsaw can be used to drill holes in plastic panels and drywall. For plastic or gypsum plasterboard on sale are special nozzles for sawing holes in it of large diameter. You also need to buy a special mounting box.

Spiral (screw) drill bits are used for drilling in metals, ceramics and plastics. Simple drills of this type are made of rolled steel (chrome-vanadium or high-speed steel), high-quality drills have coatings that make them more wear-resistant and impervious to corrosion.

Specialty of the material

PVC panels. a simple finishing material, which uses a method of extrusion based on the raw material. polyvinyl chloride. Due to its merits, the material (plastic) has taken a strong place in the market. It is waterproof, easy to care for, not expensive, has a wide range of colors.

Plastic panels are convenient and easy material for finishing surfaces.

For the manufacture of plastic panels use the method of casting into molds. To give the desired coloring in one tone additional dry mixes, and for drawing. thermal printing, using an auxiliary roller, heated to a high temperature.

Plastic panels are used not only for finishing walls, but also for the ceiling.

Important! If the application of different types of patterns used offset printing. the cost of PVC panels will be much more expensive.

In the manufacture of these panels is used PVC.

How to cut a PVC panel

When using this material the main question is how to cut and saw the PVC panel in the home? At first glance it seems simple, because the material is quite durable. But there are many pitfalls with this procedure: the panel may crack, the plastic will not withstand the load, the cuts will be crooked, resulting in spoiled material and unnecessary waste.

PVC-panels are easy to cut and install themselves without special equipment.

Cutter

A universal cutter is not a bad option for cutting PVC-tape: not expensive, easy to handle, easy to lift, does not take much space (for storage). It is made by many manufacturers and is always available in specialized stores. If you buy a quality cutter, it will be simple and easy to work, the cuts will be jagged.

The cutter can be purchased at any construction store. If the cutter is good quality, it is easy and comfortable to work with.

Also for cutting PVC sheets at home you can use the modern “lyfak”. make a cutter at home. You will need a metal strip (width. 1 cm, thickness. 2 mm), grinding stone, masking tape. On one side of the workpiece is cut at an angle of 45 degrees and sharpened, on the other side make a handle from duct tape for easy holding and safe use.

Make your own cutter is not so difficult.

Note! Universal cutter is not your choice for cutting plastic panels, if you need shaped cutouts. The cutter cuts in a straight line.

To cut such panels, you can use a ready-made cutter, bought in a construction store, as well as made by yourself.

Hacksaw

Hacksaw. a well-known tool, an inhabitant of every home. Thinking about: “What to saw the plastic,” you can think of a hacksaw, whether it is wood or metal.

You can easily cut plastic panels with a hacksaw.

When choosing, you need to know a couple of patterns:

• The blade should not be with jagged edges, bred to the side, there is a chance of formation of cracks when sawing the plastic panel;
• Teeth on a hacksaw should be small in size (used for cross cutting) so as not to spoil the panel with uneven cut.

It is also worth noting that a hacksaw makes it possible to cut plastic panels in several pieces. The main thing is to stack them face up and hold them all at the same time. Regardless of the advantages, there are also disadvantages. repairs will be delayed in time.

For convenience and quick results, the sheets can be stacked and cut several at a time.

Important! When choosing such a tool as a hacksaw, you should not overdo the physical strain on the plastic panels. High force can damage the PVC sheets.

Jigsaw

The jigsaw speeds up the sawing process, whether it’s a crosscut or a longitudinal cut. Handles shaped cuts well, delicately cutting out the desired curves. In a straight line after sawing there are no nicks and jagged edges.

Electric jigsaw is universal, is in great demand and is represented by a large number of models.

When working with an electric jigsaw, it’s important to consider some tips from the experts:

• Work only at low speed. Plastic panels will begin to melt when the tool is hot, the cut will not be straight, the PVC sheet will be ruined, and the toxic fumes themselves are dangerous and unpleasant.
• Turn the pendulum motion off. It’s easier and more comfortable to work.
• Do not apply unnecessary stress on the panels. Material is practical, but delicate enough. One wrong, sharp movement. the plastic panels are not suitable for repair.
• Use the jigsaw blade with the smallest jigsaw teeth. Better quality cuts.

information. The jigsaw can be used to cut several panels at the same time, and the length of the tool blade must match the height of the folded sheets.

The jigsaw has proven to be great for cutting plastic panels. The result is a quality cut flat surface.

Getting to the building store, thinking about repairs and the question “How to cut a plastic panel?”The first thing that comes to mind is a knife.

Yes, a knife. a handy home tool can also help in the sawing of plastic panels, if there are not many of them and there are no other options.

If you do not have other construction tools for cutting at hand, you can use a simple kitchen knife. The main thing is that it is well sharpened.

It is also clear that when using a knife for cutting, the repair process will be delayed. And your work will be hard and most likely thankless (nicks, uneven cuts, broken plastic panels in the end).

How to cut a PVC panel

When using this material the main question. How to cut and saw PVC panel at home? At first glance it seems simple, because the material is quite durable. But there are many pitfalls with this procedure: the panel may crack, the plastic may not withstand the load, the cuts will be crooked, resulting in damaged material and unnecessary waste.

PVC-panels are easy to cut and install themselves without special equipment.

Cutter

Universal cutter is not a bad option for cutting PVC foils: not expensive, easy to handle, easy to lift, does not take up much space (because of storage). Produced by many manufacturers, always available in specialty stores. If you buy a quality cutter, it will be simple and easy to work, the cuts will be jagged-free.

The cutter can be purchased at any construction store. If your cutter is good quality, it is easy and comfortable to work with.

Also for cutting PVC sheets at home you can use the modern “lyfak”. make a cutter at home. We will need a metal strip (width. 1 cm, thickness. 2 mm), sharpening stone, duct tape. On one side of the workpiece is cut at an angle of 45 degrees and ground, on the other side is made a handle of duct tape for easy handling and safe use.

Make the cutter yourself is not too difficult.

Please note! Universal cutter is not your choice for cutting plastic panels if you need shaped cuts. The cutter will cut in a straight line.

To cut such panels, you can use a ready-made cutter, bought in a construction store, as well as made by yourself.

Hacksaw

A hacksaw is a well-known tool, an inhabitant of every home. Thinking about the question: “What to saw plastic with,” you can think of a hacksaw, whether it is wood or metal.

With a hacksaw you can easily cut through plastic panels.

When choosing, you need to know a couple of patterns:

• The blade should not be with jagged edges, bred to the side, there is a probability of formation of cracks when sawing the plastic panel;
• The teeth on the hacksaw should be small (used for cross-cutting dust), so as not to spoil the panel is not an even cut.

It is also worth noting that the hacksaw gives the opportunity to cut plastic panels in several pieces. The main thing is to stack them face-to-face and in a stack, holding them all at the same time. Regardless of the advantages, there are also disadvantages. repairs will be delayed in time.

For convenience and quick results, you can stack the panels and cut several pieces at once.

Important! When choosing such a tool as a hacksaw, you should not overdo the physical strain on the plastic panels. High force can damage PVC sheets.

Jigsaw

The jigsaw speeds up the sawing process whether it is a cross cut or a longitudinal cut. Handles shaped sawing well, delicately cutting out the right curves. No nicks or jagged edges in a straight line after sawing.

The jigsaw is versatile, in high demand and available in a large number of models.

When working with an electric jigsaw, it is important to consider some advice from experts:

• Work only at low speed. Plastic panels will begin to melt at the high temperature of the tool, the cut will not be straight, the PVC sheet will be ruined, and the toxic fumes themselves are dangerous and unpleasant.
• Turn off the pendulum stroke. It will be easier and more comfortable to work.
• Do not apply unnecessary force on the panels. The material is practical, but quite delicate. One wrong, sharp movement. plastic panels are unsuitable for repair.
• Use the jigsaw blade with the smallest teeth. Better cuts.

Further information. With an electric jigsaw you can saw several panels at a time, the length of the tool blade must match the height of the folded sheets.

The jigsaw has proven to be a great tool for cutting plastic panels. The result is a quality cut smooth surface.

Getting to the building store, thinking about the repair and the question “How to cut the plastic panel?” the first thing that comes to mind is a knife.

Yes, the knife. a handy home tool can also help in sawing plastic panels if there are not a lot of them and have no other options.

If you do not have at hand another construction tool for cutting, you can use a simple kitchen knife. The main thing is that it is well sharpened.

It is also clear that if you use a carving knife, the repair process will be delayed. And your work will be hard and most likely thankless (nicks, uneven cuts, broken plastic panel as a result).

How to cut a PVC-panel properly

It is necessary to begin with the preparation of the place for cutting, it must be comfortable, ventilated (with the work of some tools there is a lot of trash and dust). If you can perform cutting in the yard or outdoors, it is worth it.

If you already know what you will cut the PVC panel at home, it is worth to prepare the tool. Depending on your choice (find the right blades, sharpen the knife, pick up the right disc or blade).

Prepare the plastic panel, make measurements, if you plan to make a shaped cut draw a shape and patterns on the surface of the sheet. You can use a marker or marker pen. No need to worry, this material is easily washed from the surface of the panel.

Before cutting it is recommended to make careful measurements.

Important! Some tools allow you to cut several sheets at a time. For convenience, they need to be fixed with construction clips, so that the sheets do not fidget with each other. And it will be more comfortable to work by yourself.

Always saw or cut plastic panels while facing you. The rule is valid for a single blade, as well as for several stacked.

It is convenient to cut the panels stacked. In this way you can get a large number of necessary pieces at once.

For sawing panels into two parts that will be used in the future work, they are placed on two supports, the gap between which is no more than 10 cm. Lean the side of the panels against the wall. To cut the unnecessary fragment on the panel (not very large size), the desired part is placed on one wide stand, fix it, lean against the wall and do the work.

A great tool if the sheets are laying on two

What kind of crown to drill through plastic?

• There are voids behind the aluminum siding where the siding is not in contact with the siding of the house
• Insert a drill bit or circular saw into the drill motor chuck.
• Place the tip of the drill bit in the center of the finished hole.
• Press lightly on the back of the motor.

How to burn a hole in plastic?

Clamp the nail in a pair of pliers and heat it until it gets red hot over a gas stove burner. Pierce the plastic as many times as necessary. Cut off the blistered edges of the holes with a sharp knife or razor blade (the blade of a paper knife is fine).

Take a paper clip and straighten its part. Applying steady pressure, press the point of the paper clip where you want the center of your hole to be. Twist it left and right like a screwdriver / awl. This will drill a tiny hole in the soft plastic.

How to burn a hole in plastic?

Clamp the nail in a pair of pliers and heat it until it is red hot over the gas stove burner. Piercing the plastic as many times as needed. Cut off the blistered edges of the holes with a sharp knife or razor blade (you can use the blade of a office knife).

Take the paper clip and straighten out some of it. Applying steady pressure, press the paper clip point where you want the center of your hole to be. Twist it left and right like a screwdriver / awl. This will drill a tiny hole in the soft plastic.

How to make a hole in a plastic panel: a hole-cutting tool

Almost every time when it comes to finishing walls or the ceiling with plastic panels, we have to deal with the issue of cutting holes in the panels for lamps or outlets. for them, separate tools are used, although in some cases can be used and some of those described above. We’ll leave them for later, but for now let’s deal with the most suitable variants.

Circular saw. Ideal, but not always handy. The most suitable is a set drill bit for drywall, which by changing the nozzles can cut holes of different diameters. you can pick up a saw both for sockets and for recessed ceiling fixtures. Cuts this tool quite accurately, but you need to be careful at the end of the drilling. when the tool plunges sharply through the plastic, the main panel can be damaged. At this point, the pressure on the tool should be significantly reduced.

What to cut plastic panels photo

That’s how to solve the question of how to make an opening in the PVC panel under the lamp or socket with basic tools. in addition to them, as mentioned above, you can use the above. For example, a knife. in order to make the hole even, it must first be drawn with a marker or pen (unfortunately, a pencil on plastic leaves a barely visible mark). Exactly on the same principle, on a pre-drawn line, the hole can be cut and a blade from a hacksaw for metal, and an electric jigsaw with a fine tooth saw.

How to install spot lighting fixtures in a suspended ceiling

Installation consists of several steps. On the preparatory ceiling make holes. To calculate the number of fixtures and plan the location, consider the features of point light fixtures. The light flux has an angle of about 30 ° at the exit point, and then gradually dissipates.

Advice! The recommended distance between the ceiling fixtures. no more than 1 m. About 60 cm from the wall to avoid shadows.

Use a pencil to mark the location and size of holes (according to the inner diameter of the lamp, so the device will pass through, but not fail). If the mark turned out to be at the junction of PVC panels, it must be displaced. Otherwise it is possible to damage both slats.

Then drill with a drill bit with a suitable bit number (plastic, drywall or wood nozzle will do). Work at a low rpm to prevent the panel from cracking.

If you do not have a drill bit, you can do this: Drill holes on the border of the marking and then trim with a box cutter. Trim the jagged edges with a file or emery board. If the plastic is thin and soft, it is enough to simply cut a circle, without using a drill.

Attention! This should be done on a solid, stable surface (stool, table, board), not in an assembled hinged structure. For the convenience of calculations, sometimes the ceiling is assembled, mark the location of the lights, and then remove the panels.

Then the panels are put in place, perform wiring to the holes (all the luminaires are connected to each other). In wet rooms, protect the electrical network with corrugated conduit. Pull the cable ends out of the holes and file them away.

After that proceed directly to the installation of spotlights in the prepared plastic ceiling. The body is separated from the base. Bend the clamping ears and insert the ring into the hole on the ceiling. The springs are straightened and fix the luminaire.

Connect the wire that comes with the luminaire to the electric cable. It is desirable not to twist, but to use WAGO-type terminal blocks. in this way you get a more reliable connection. Then the bulb is inserted into the plug. The process is repeated for each appliance. This completes the installation of the spot lights, you can turn them on and test the work.

For quality installation it is important to be careful. prepare the tools in advance, carefully measure and double-check all distances and carefully follow the instructions. Then the lighting will be bright enough, even and long-lasting.

Molar knife

The easiest tool for cutting PVC. But the unusual kitchen or cobbler, only a molar knife is needed here.

Its blade, while new, is very thin and sharp. And when it gets blunt, the blade can be replaced in a moment. By biting off a part or inserting a new one. An ordinary knife is inconvenient. It cannot be sharpened quickly. Also, it won’t be as thin.

The molar knife is limited in what it can do. It only cuts the panel lengthwise. Of course, you can try to cut crosswise as well. But it won’t do any good.

How to cut a panel lengthwise? It’s hard to explain it in the article. But it is possible to describe the basic principle.

The blade extends a small distance of 3 mm.

On the back side of the panel choose a place where the cut will be made.

Then we cut a strip from rib to rib (we are talking about the internal ribs of the panel). A slit is made near the rib, then another cut is made near the adjacent rib. We make the cuts along the entire length.

The strip of plastic falls out, a groove is formed.

Then, from the same back side, make a shallow incision near the desired rib. And the body will break along it.

The molar cutter has advantages: it is fast, quiet and simple. And it has the disadvantage that it can only be cut lengthways.

Tool for cutting PVC panels

PVC panel. a polyvinyl chloride, poured into a special mold under high pressure, which necessarily includes about 40% of natural ground chalk. Coloring is done by thermal printing or a better, but more expensive method. offset printing. That’s why to cut a panel, you need to use a special, but affordable tool.

It is worth considering that a good construction tool for cutting will not cost cheap, and in order not to throw money in vain, it is better to buy something of high quality:

• Universal cutter comes in a variety of brands, both local and foreign production. Panels can be cut with it without any hesitation. It is recommended to buy a saw 2 sizes: wider. 2.5 cm by 4 cm and for hard-to-reach places. 1 cm by 2 cm. Using a cutter, a panel can be cut both lengthwise and crosswise without much physical effort, the cut is very accurate and straight. The only disadvantage is the rapid wear and tear of the saws, as well as the price is quite high for both the tool itself and the accessories for it;
• Painting knife. Knives can be used to cut panels. Kitchen knives are suitable when a small area needs to be repaired urgently. Since the knife blade is thick, the cut is coarser and sloppier, and the process itself is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In case of emergency, it is better to give preference to a ceramic knife for loafing. Ideally, wall and ceiling panels should be cut with a painting knife. Its blade is thin and sharp enough, and the cut is precise and even. True, only the upper part of the panel is cut, if you extend the blade about 3 mm (in the form of a small beard), and the lower part is broken. The advantage of this tool is its affordable price, the blade can be easily replaced if necessary. But the process of work is quite long, and the panel can only be cut lengthwise;

A paint knife for cutting plastic panels

• Hacksaw perfectly copes with the task of cutting plastic panels. over, this tool is available in the arsenal of any owner. Before you decide what and how to cut the PVC panel, you need to choose the best option hacksaw. Professionals recommend a hacksaw for metal. When using a wood hacksaw, the teeth of the tool should be fine and transverse, rather than bifurcated in different directions, as the cut will not be as jagged and “fluffy”. The work process in this case is more laborious and time consuming. But when cladding the walls of equal height can be cut through several panels at once, without making any special effort, simply stack the panels in an even stack. It is not recommended to press too hard on the tool, so as not to damage the material. This is ideal when you need to do a small amount of work yourself and do not want to spend money on buying additional tools;

Metal saw for cutting plastic panels

Wood saw for cutting plastic panels

• The power tool allows you to quickly and easily cut the material of absolutely any thickness and size. It is most often used by craftsmen who specialize in paneling. Such power tools may include:

• Electric jigsaw is used for sawing both vertically and horizontally, moreover, it allows you to cut round, oval and other types of irregularly shaped shapes in the panel. It is recommended to give preference to saws with minimal teeth, not more than 0,8 mm. That way the cut doesn’t get jagged. The more power of the jigsaw, the faster the material can be cut. It is convenient to use a saw on metal, it does not blunt from polyvinylchloride. If necessary, you can work simultaneously with 5 panels, evenly clamping them with special clamps, but in this case, the jigsaw must have a sufficiently high power;

Electric jigsaw for cutting plastic panels

• The angle grinder can also be categorized as a sawing power tool. It allows you to cut any size of piece well and comfortably. But for ease of operation, it is better to give preference to a small and not heavy angle grinder, so you can hold it with one hand. Disks from 0.8 to 1.2 mm can be used for cutting. The cut is perfectly flat and not jagged. The angle grinder can be used in any temperature range. The disadvantage is the presence of a large amount of fine dust and at high speeds the plastic can begin to melt, emitting a specific smell;

angle grinder to cut plastic panels

• The circular saw does the job perfectly. But when working with it do not apply too much effort in the form of “pressing” to speed up the process, cut the material only at low speed.

Circular saw for cutting plastic panels

To say what is better to cut a PVC panel, it is difficult. It all depends primarily on the amount of work to be done and on the skill and knowledge of the person. Before starting work, be sure to bring the panel into a warm room for a couple of hours to prevent the material from cracking and breaking during the cutting process. To avoid the cut being visible, the panel is always sawn with the back side facing down. If several panels are cut simultaneously, they must be secured on 2 sides by clamps or a press. When working with power tools is recommended to protect the eyes with special glasses.

What to cut plastic panels at home: the choice and nuances of using different tools

Usually their sawing in the home is carried out by means of very common devices, which are available in the arsenal of many owners. Despite the possibility of cutting PVC panels with several popular tools during the repair and related tasks, not each of them is appropriate to use in every situation. For example, not all devices are successful if you need to trim a large amount of material, which should also be clarified and taken into account before starting work.

Metal hacksaw

The blade of such a hand tool has small teeth that provide a neat and smooth cut of plastic panels. Use a metal saw is optimal in situations where you want to make a perpendicular cut of the material. When cutting PVC panels longitudinally or diagonally, there are certain inconveniences that negatively affect the speed of the work performed.

The only significant disadvantage of this tool is the need for extreme caution when using it, because the metal arc holding the blade can lead to dents in the joints, which will result in difficulties in joining products to each other.

Among the advantages of the metal saw is the ability to perform a simultaneous cutting of several panels. To do so, the material must be stacked in one pile and be secured to prevent it from shifting or sagging. To avoid damage to the product perform the cutting with the tool without strong pressure. If there is not much material to cut, it is more than enough. In another situation you should take into account that working with it takes a little more time than with an electric tool.

Please note! In wood shears are often large teeth, which often tear at the edges of the plastic panel when trying to perform a cut, so they should use with extreme caution and only in extreme cases, when at hand there is no other suitable tool and will be a small amount of work.

When cutting PVC products you can use several types of tools. It is possible to cut plastic panels with an ordinary knife, though it is rather difficult and if there is a necessity to work 1 or 2 articles it is enough, for example if a material that has been damaged during its use needs to be replaced, which allows to avoid buying an additional tool. If, however, large-scale work is planned or the products have a honeycomb structure, then other available options should be considered.

Painting or construction knives with sharp, replaceable blades that offer a finer cut is the preferred solution for cutting plastic panels. When the cutting element becomes blunt it can be easily replaced with another one, which is one of the advantages, because sharpening a conventional tool takes considerably more time.

The blade of the knife used must be sharp, so that the front side of the material can be cut through with it during the first pass. After its sawing the product needs to be broken. The resulting small defects in the place of the cut mostly visually do not affect anything adversely, because at the end of installation is carried out fixing skirting boards, masking them.

Among the disadvantages of construction knives is the inconvenience of cutting products diagonally and crosswise, because of the hardness ribs, as well as a fairly high rate of loss of sharpness of the installed blades.

A clerical device can also be used to cut off the excess material perfectly evenly, using a ruler or an angle ruler in the process. Another best option for plastic panels is the use of a loaf knife made of ceramics, which has special fine teeth along the length of the edge.

angle grinder

It is one of the best tools when it comes to sawing these PVC materials, making the work fast and comfortable. The installation of the cutting wheel allows not only straight but also curved cutting of plastic panels, which is one of the main advantages of using the angle grinder. When working at high speed the tool disk can damage the material, leading to the melting of its edges, which must be taken into account and excluded. For cutting plastic panels it is optimal to use a metal wheel.

Traditional angle grinder has a fairly compact size and weight, so hand fatigue, if it occurs, then only after a fairly long period of time, which is often enough to perform all the required work with it. An important disadvantage is that often the treated with it products at the end of cutting need additional grinding through a special machine. In the case of the initial absence of such a tool and the presence of other suitable devices in your arsenal, it is best to give preference to them.

Electric jigsaw

One of the best choices for cutting plastic panels not only crosswise but also along the full length and diagonally. With an electric jigsaw, even edges are made, and the work itself takes a small amount of time. Carry out the cutting by means of it is necessary with the preliminary disabling of the pendulum stroke and setting the minimum speed, which eliminates too strong heating of the material in the place of the passage of the cutting element.

Rules for cutting plastic panels

To perform their quality cutting it is necessary not only to choose a suitable tool and know the peculiarities of its use, but also in advance to prepare the material accordingly and adhere to certain standards to avoid damage and increase costs, simplify the work, as well as prevent injuries:

• Regardless of the tool used to cut the plastic panels, the process should be carried out with the material face up. Otherwise, when sawing from the wrong side, after a while it is very likely that micro-cracks will appear on the outside, which will lead to a deterioration in the appearance of the finish in the future.
• To simplify the work before you cut the plastic sheeting requires a pencil or marker on its surface beforehand.
• When sawing products using electric tools, for example, angle grinder or jigsaw, there is a huge chance that not only sawdust, formed in the process of passing the cutting element along the planned line, but even small pieces of wood will fly away in different directions. With this in mind throughout the cut should be in protective goggles and gloves to protect eyes and hands from possible injury.
• Before sawing the material should rest for some time in the room in which it will be installed. This is especially important when the plastic panels have been in a cool or cold place and is done to allow the products to acclimatize. Otherwise, non-compliance with this rule can lead to their breakage when cut because of the increased fragility. For example, when making a cut along the products in such condition they are often covered with cracks. Leave the material for at least 12 hours, preferably 1-2 days, during which it acquires room temperature. Do not use additional heating appliances for this purpose, so that the heating of PVC products proceeds naturally.

Finding out what to cut the plastic panel at home and related important nuances can stop at the most suitable variant for themselves and if necessary making a purchase or renting the tool chosen to start implementation of the cut of previously purchased material.