How To Cut Paving Slabs

How to wash oil from paving slabs

If the oil stains are fresh, immediately sprinkle baking soda on them in a thin, even layer, moisten a little with a spray bottle and leave for 20-30 minutes. Then collect with a vacuum cleaner or broom. This is usually enough to get rid of greasy stains.

If the stains are old, deeply ingrained and had time to “creep away”, then it will be a little harder to remove them. To do this, you will need special means to remove oil, bituminous and other heavy contaminants. How to use?

  • Apply the product to the stain;
  • Rub with a hard brush;
  • Wait 1-3 minutes;
  • Wash off with plenty of water.

How to wash paving slabs from greasy stains

Essentially fat. This is the same oil, therefore, to remove this type of contamination, you can use all the methods that were described above. But sometimes grease can have little effect on the tiles, so it can be easily removed with any dishwashing detergent marked “Anti-grease”.

In some cases, when the fat has been deeply absorbed, a more radical method can be applied:

  • Mix 1 cup of gypsum with 10 ml of liquid soap:
  • Stir the solution until a gruel forms;
  • Apply the mass evenly over the stain;
  • Leave to dry completely;
  • Brush with a medium bristle brush;
  • Rinse with water.

How to clean paint from paving slabs

Methods for removing paint from paving slabs differ depending on the type of paint itself:

How To Cut Paving Slabs
  • Oil-based paint can be removed well with acetone or a solvent such as White Spirit;
  • Water-based paints can be removed with plain warm water.

When the stains are already old and have penetrated deep into the structure of the tile, then you can use a chlorine-based bleach, or dilute the chlorine in water, and then treat the area.

Efflorescences on the paving slabs. How to remove

In a more accessible language, efflorescence. White plaque, which forms on the tiles due to the release of salts and sulfates.

To remove efflorescence, you can use several methods:

  • Dilute a bottle of ammonia alcohol in 2 liters of water and treat the track or platform. In this case, taking the pungent pungent smell of ammonia, it is imperative to use rubber gloves and a respirator.
  • Dilute about 30-40 ml of vinegar in a bucket of water and add a little liquid soap there. Clean all soiled areas where there are white streaks and rinse the coating with clean water.

How to clean paving slabs from various contaminants

During the operation of a path or a platform on the paving slabs, sooner or later, various contaminants appear, which spoil the appearance of the local area. Some of them are quite difficult to remove, and some do NOT require huge efforts and investment of time. You can use different products and methods to remove cement, oil, paint, white streaks and second stains from paving slabs.

How to clean cement from paving slabs

Cement stains are slightly harder to remove than other stains. For this, special washes are produced based on acid and cement solvents. The wash is applied to the area with Cured cement mortar and left to dry completely. An acidic agent will help the stain to flake off. Let us clean the contaminated area immediately after applying the product with a metal brush.

When the traces of cement are impressive, a more aggressive agent can be used. Hydrochloric acid. It is diluted with water in proportion, according to the instructions on the package, and applied to the cement stains. In this case, you should also wait until the site is completely dry and scrape off the cement. If after the first time you did NOT see a positive result, then the procedure is repeated until the acid completely dissolves the cement.

Special devices

Cutting paving slabs can be done with high quality using a special electric tool, which is a small circular saw. The saw type Eibenstock EST 350 is specially designed for paving. The high-speed circular saw ensures a smooth cut, which is important when there is an increased demand for paving quality. Other mechanisms can be selected Similar to type.

How to correctly and how to cut paving slabs

On a suburban area, platforms and paved paths look great. If just such a design is chosen, then the question of how to cut the paving slabs will undoubtedly arise before a person who wants to do it with his own hands. There are NO cases when the site is made from only whole parts. Getting neat tiled pieces is an important technological process.

Paving slabs are trimmed with an angle grinder using a diamond disc.

How to cut paving slabs? The question, although it seems rather complicated, is solved in a standard way: Based on the material of the tile. The technology is quite well developed, and the recommendations of specialists allow us to ensure the required quality. Everything is very simple. Before starting work, you should familiarize yourself with known cutting methods, purchase the necessary tool and learn how to use it.

Tile cutting methods

The most responsible and difficult stage. Cutting an element directly.

The cutting process is carried out in two main ways. Using an angle grinder or a guillotine. If possible, then the ideal option would be to use a special electric tool for cutting paving slabs. In SEPARATE cases, for small volumes of work, you can use a hand hacksaw for metal.

Features of paving slabs

Special tools for cutting tiles.

Paving slabs or paving stones are used for decorative and reliable coverage of areas and approaches to the house. It represents small elements of various geometric shapes and is most often made of concrete with the addition of granite screenings. The most common forms are brick, square, paving stone, wave, hexagon, Z-profile and some others.

When laying the elements, a certain ornament is usually formed, which requires adjusting the tile to size, therefore, cutting it into clearly measured pieces. In this case, the cut edge should be flat; otherwise, the entire design will look sloppy. This condition is especially important for material with different colors, and this option is used quite often.

The sizes of INDIVIDUAL elements vary over a wide range. Fast installation is carried out with the introduction of tiles with a length of each side of 30-60 cm and a thickness of 5-8 cm; and to create a certain ornament, elements with a size of 10-25 cm and a thickness of 2-8 cm are used.Paving stones with dimensions of 20x10x6 cm are most often laid.

Preparatory work

Protective goggles must be used when cutting tiles.

A special place should be prepared for cutting paving slabs. This condition is caused by the fact that the smallest dust, getting on the surface of the elements, quickly eats into them, which spoils the appearance, especially when using colored bars. In case they are moisturized, the unwanted process is intensified. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the finished tiles as much as possible from dust that occurs during cutting.

The most important stage of preparation. Tile marking for cutting. It is carried out using a metal ruler, protractor and building pencil. For ordinary laying of paving stones of a standard size, the marking is made for laying, after carefully measuring the area to be covered and calculating the length of the necessary pieces of the bar. The marking of elements when performing a patterned masonry is usually done after the fact, i.e. In the process of laying, when such a need arises, and the size is taken directly from the place of laying.

When marking, it is important to draw the line so that the cut piece fits clearly in the intended place. For this, a technological gap of the order of 3-5 mm should be laid, which will allow the element to enter the remaining space for it; at the same time DO NOT create visually noticeable gaps.

Cutting angle grinder

The most common way to cut paving slabs is to use an angle grinder with a diamond disc. Cutting disc is selected for concrete or stone with a diameter of at least 230 mm. In this case, Bosch or Di Star wheels are very good. When cutting, use an angle grinder with a power of at least 2 kW. If difficulties are observed during the cutting process, then the surface of the bar is periodically sprinkled with sand.

Some nuances of the process

First of all, you need to take care of protective equipment. When working with an angle grinder, when cutting is carried out, a huge amount of dust is emitted, so you need a respirator and goggles to protect your eyes from dust.

First of all, you need to take care of protective equipment. When working with an angle grinder, when cutting is carried out, a huge amount of dust is emitted, so you need a respirator and goggles to protect your eyes from dust.

It’s good if you also use headphones to protect yourself from loud noise. The materials from which the worker’s clothing is made must be sufficiently dense.

The most important point is the exercise of caution. The diamond disc of the angle grinder rotates very quickly, so you need to cut more carefully and carefully, take care of your fingers.

Having taken care of the equipment, you can get to work.

The technology of the process is NOT complicated, therefore, as soon as you come to the masonry area where the cut tiles are required, immediately get down to business.

First, choose a tile that you feel is durable enough. Otherwise, it might just crumble.

Apply precise mowing lines, carefully measuring the desired shape.

You need to cut strictly according to the drawn mowing line, since paving slabs are usually small in size and shape, it will be easy to do. At the same time, you cannot press the angle grinder hard on the paving slab, so you can release it from your hands.

If the cutting process is difficult, then you can use sprinkling the paving stones with ordinary masonry sand, but not too much, as this can add extra slip to the angle grinder, which is quite dangerous.

Features of the cutting process

If the shape of a square, a path in the garden or something else is of the correct rectangular or square shape, then you can easily calculate the more or less exact number of tiles for masonry you need.

Also, provided that the shape of the paving stone corresponds to the shape of the square, then the calculation and laying technology will NOT take much time.

Experts advise adding plus five percent to the basic calculations, in this case the masonry tiles will be enough for sure.

All materials must be prepared in advance. The mentioned five percent usually goes to fight and marriage, this is normal for styling.

If the intended shape of the square is round, oval, generally non-standard, then in addition to the usual five percent, which is added just in case, you also need to add a percentage, which will go to cutting the paving stones.

They do this for places where “manual finishing” is required for masonry, there are quite a few such places. Usually, cutting “for hand finishing” tiles is not the smallest part of the installation workflow.

Paving stones are cut with a manual tile cutter, an electric tile cutter, glass cutter is not performed. All of these tools are suitable for ceramic tiles.

Such an angle grinder, i.e. Angle grinder cutting paving slabs is easy.

You do not need any special training or specific skills, you just need to use certain recommendations, and then the cutting will go like clockwork.

How to cut the paving stones

We calculate how many tiles and what additional materials you will need for laying a certain area, Take into account all the nuances. The first question that arises when such actions are necessary is how to cut paving slabs?

If the shape of a square, a path in the garden or something else is of the correct rectangular or square shape, then you can easily calculate the more or less exact number of tiles for masonry you need.

Recommendations for cutting products

For cutting an angle grinder of paving stones, you need to allocate a special place and preferably one permanent person, whose equipment will suit him in size, since dust can get into the smallest cracks.

For cutting an angle grinder of paving stones, you need to allocate a special place and preferably one permanent person, whose equipment will suit him in size, since dust can get into the smallest cracks.

A special place is needed so that dust does not fall on the rest of the tile. This is fraught with the fact that you can completely ruin the color of the tile. If this does happen, then remove the dust, you need a stiff brush NOT Madley, as it eats into the tile very quickly and spoils its color.

It should also be taken into account that when dust gets on wet tiles, it happens much faster. This will be especially noticeable if the tile is different in color, in which case it can be hopelessly damaged, and the only way out will be to replace it and new laying. Pay attention that dust does not fall on cars or other objects standing nearby.

You can also use a guillotine knife for splitting paving slabs. The technology here is completely different, the paving stones are NOT cut, but pricked, and the work is done without noise and dust. You just need to insert the tile and lower the lever.

The materials needed for laying the site in your garden, in this case, the same will be needed. By the way, you can store the prepared materials right in the garden or on the street, nothing will happen to them.

After laying, the cut paving stones must be tamped; for this, an areal or roller vibrator is used. The vibrator should be with rubber attachments. The surface of the path in the garden or some other area is rammed until it shrinks completely. Move the vibrator from the edge to the center of the cover.

Features of the cutting process

It is easy to calculate the paving slabs, especially if the shape of the material matches the shape of the site itself. To the resulting number, you need to add 10-15% of the calculated amount of stock, which is needed in the case of cutting paving stones. You need to increase the percentage of the stock if the shape of the tile is not square, for example, round or oval. Various tools are used for cutting. The most popular is the diamond disc angle grinder. Special skills are NOT required to operate the instrument. Main condition. Correct markup. Additionally, it is recommended to allocate a special place for cutting the material, while the finished tile must be stored away from it, since dust can settle on the surface, which quickly eats in, which spoils its appearance.

Cutting angle grinder

For cutting paving slabs, it is recommended to use a diamond blade for an angle grinder no more than 23 cm in diameter. Recommended tool power. 2 kW or more. An angle grinder should be cut as follows:

  • Fix the tiles firmly.
  • Start cutting following the line that you have drawn. If necessary, sprinkle the surface of the paving stones with sand. This will ease the stroke of the angle grinder. The rotational speed of the disk should not exceed 3500 rpm. You need to move away from yourself. The depth of cut at the edges should be greater than in the middle of the tile.

There are also some restrictions and prohibitions when working with an angle grinder. You can’t:

  • Cut unfixed tiles, holding them in weight (before direct processing, they must be fixed with a clamp on a flat solid surface)
  • Work without protective equipment (glasses, masks, gloves, special clothing)
  • Use an angle grinder with damaged electrical wiring for cutting.

It is recommended to choose this processing method with a small amount of material. Otherwise, a guillotine knife is better.

Application of the guillotine

A guillotine knife is a machine consisting of a stacking table, guides, a knife and a handle. The advantage of this method of cutting paving slabs is that practically NO dust is generated during processing. The process itself looks like this:

  • The tile must be positioned in the gap between the knives and the laying table.
  • After that, with the help of the handle, set the knife in motion, the yaky is lowered and, under the influence of its own mass and speed, breaks off a piece of tile. In this case, pressure must be applied to the entire handle, and not just to its end. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to material, tools and people due to tile splitting.

Tile cutting methods

This stage is considered the most responsible and difficult to execute. Cutting must be carried out strictly according to the mowing line available on the surface of the material, while the tile itself must be tightly fixed. You can do the work using an angle grinder or a guillotine. It is allowed to use a special electric tool or a hacksaw for metal (the latter is needed for small amounts of work).

Cutting features

Cutting paving slabs is the processing of a concrete block with the addition of granite crushed stone about 2-8 cm thick. They can be cut in different directions: along, across and diagonally. Curly cutting is also possible if necessary. When cutting, it must be borne in mind that concrete has a dense structure due to the peculiarities of manufacturing (the main production method. Vibrocompression) and the material itself (a filler is added to the raw material, which granite crushed stone can act as). The entire cutting process can be roughly divided into 3 stages:

  • Markup;
  • Cutting directly;
  • Slicing processing.

The amount of work and their complexity depends on the shape of the tile, the pattern being formed. When using square or rectangular paving stones, in most cases only cross-cutting is required, which simplifies the work. Difficulties can arise when forming an ornament or when using tiles of different colors. In such cases, the clarity should be maximum, which means that you need to correctly make both calculations and markup.

Preparatory work

Before cutting the paving slabs, you need to do some preparatory work. They are as follows: 1. Finding a suitable place for cutting and its arrangement (it should be spacious and far enough from the warehouse with processed paving stones). 2. Marking the material, for which you need to prepare a metal ruler, a protractor and a construction pencil. If paving stones are laid in a row, then the marking of the entire tile is done at the preparation stage. If a drawing is formed, then markup is required in fact, since the elements need to be adjusted.

When marking tiles, you need to take into account the required technological gap, which is 3-5 mm in size. It will allow the element to easily enter the Prepared space without creating gaps that can be seen with the naked eye.

Safety regulations

Before cutting the paving slabs with an angle grinder or a guillotine using any other method, it is imperative to ensure the protection of the master. Otherwise, it is difficult to guarantee the safety of work and the absence of the risk of injury.

Safety measures when cutting tiles:

  • Protective equipment (especially if a method involving a large amount of dust, a high rotation speed of parts, etc. is chosen for cutting tiles). Safety glasses, a respirator, special clothing made of very dense material will save you from dust and injuries.
  • Special earphones to protect against too loud noise.
  • Study of the rules of operation of the selected tool. The general ones are simple: do not bring your fingers to rapidly rotating mechanisms, work carefully with power tools, carefully check devices and parts before starting work, and do not use broken or malfunctioning devices. Each method assumes its own set of rules: for example, if an angle grinder is used to cut paving slabs, then the tool must be held with both hands by the side handle, use a dust shield and a spark, ensure electrical safety, etc.
  • In the process of work Watch out for parts and mechanisms. Guillotine knife, angle grinder wheels need to be changed in time, used only if it fully meets quality standards.

Required tool

To cut off the desired part of the paving slabs, you need to stock up with a whole set of tools. Especially if a large area is being installed and concrete elements will have to be cut in considerable volumes.

What you need to cut tiles:

  • Guillotine knife or special electric circular saw
  • Angle grinder with diamond / grinding disc
  • A hammer
  • Chisel
  • Hacksaw for metal
  • Knife
  • File
  • Roulette
  • Sandpaper
  • Metal ruler
  • Regular (but better construction) pencil

Depending on the tasks and characteristics of the material, the set of tools may vary, but the main points look exactly like this.

Tile cutting methods

Regardless of which cutting method is chosen, all work must be performed with serviceable equipment, observing safety measures, accurately and clearly. Cutting is carried out according to the intended mowing line, after the tiles are fixed as tightly as possible. Most often, an angle grinder or a guillotine is used for cutting, you can also choose a hacksaw for metal (for minimum volumes) or a special electric tool.

Application of the guillotine

Guillotine knife. This is a special machine specifically for cutting paving slabs, which is a laying table equipped with handles, guides and, in fact, a knife. The main advantage of this cutting method. No dust during work and the ability to handle large volumes of material.

How to cut a tile with a guillotine knife:

  • Placing tiles in the gap formed by the table and knives.
  • Bringing the knife to work with the handle. The tool is lowered and, under the influence of its weight and high speed, breaks a piece from the tile in the right place. In the process of work, it is important that pressure is applied to the entire handle (not to the end), since otherwise the element can be damaged and injured due to an unexpected tile split.
  • Important Watch out for the sharpness of the knife. If it is dull, it will overheat, periodically get stuck in the cut, and undergo deformation. Sharpening is needed when visible traces of burns and ugly yellow spots remain on the cut tile, and the cut is very rough.

How and how to cut paving slabs at home: angle grinder, machine, guillotine

The question of how to cut paving slabs is relevant for everyone who is engaged in the arrangement of the local area, creates garden or pedestrian paths, mounts coverings of various types from this material. It is almost impossible to lay tiles without cutting. All the same, there will be zones where you need to mount a section that is smaller in size or of another shape, especially when it comes to curly tiles.

In many ways, the complexity of cutting is influenced by the shape of the tile: square and rectangular is easier to mark and cut than a wave, hex, Z profile, etc. In the process of laying paving stones, certain patterns are usually formed, ornaments that require careful adjustment of the elements in size. In addition, you need to be able to correctly process the edge of the tile cut, so that the coating is neat and aesthetic.

Different tools are used for cutting tiles, the choice depends on the availability of skills in the master, the type of tiles, the conditions and characteristics of the work. But, first of all, you need to study all existing technologies.

Angle Grinder

With a cutting tool in an angle grinder, a diamond disc with a maximum diameter of 23 cm protrudes. The power of the tool must be 2 kW or more.

Paving Slab Cutting Process Angle Grinder:

  • Strong fixation of the element.
  • Cutting along the marked mowing line, occasional sprinkling with a small amount of sand is allowed to facilitate the process. It is desirable that the rotational speed of the disk is a maximum of 3500 revolutions per minute. Move away from themselves during cutting, make sure that the cutting depth along the edges is greater than in the middle of the element.
  • When working with an angle grinder, it is forbidden: to hold the tile all over without reliable fixation (it is best to fix it on a hard, even and stable surface with a clamp), work without the use of personal protective equipment, cut with a tool with any damage, worn out parts, etc.