How to Cut Flagstone? Safe and Effective Methods to Get Work Done
Planning to upgrade your home with a flagstone patio, walkway, or swimming pool? Know safe and effective methods to cut flagstone for small beautiful cuts in the end.
Before cutting the flagstone, decide what shape you need the flagstone in. Will it be regular or irregular? Knowing this will help you determine what method is best when cutting the flagstone into small pieces.
You may use a masonry saw, circular saw, power chisel, or the traditional chisel and hammer among other machines to execute this process.
Cutting Flagstone Using Power Tools (3 Methods)
Power tools can be used for projects that need specific shapes or even cuts such as when constructing a swimming pool skimmer.
Method 1: How to Cut Flagstone with Circular Saw
A circular saw is used to cut the flagstone in straight lines. It’s useful when you need your flagstone to be more symmetrical.
- Step 1: Set the flagstone in one spot. You can use a C-clamp to prevent the flagstone from changing positions as you trim. This goes a long way in ensuring your safety as you cut.
- Step 2: Measure the amount of material you will need and mark a line on the piece of flagstone with chalk. This will help guide you as you cut it.
- Step 3: Get your circular saw and set the blade one inch or less and then trim along the line you had marked.
- Step 4: Avoid applying a lot of pressure on the flagstone and only allow the weight of the saw to do its magic. Extra pressure can cause unnecessary breakage of the material.
- Step 5: Make sure you remove any roughness at the edge to have a precise shape.
- Step 6: Pick out the pieces that have been cut and store them in a secure area for your design project. Make sure to keep the saw in a safe spot for future use.
The steps above also apply when you are working with a masonry saw. It’s easier to cut flagstone with the masonry saw although the machine is also very expensive and has a much larger blade. You may opt for a masonry saw if your budget allows.
Method 2: How to Cut Flagstone with a Grinder
The method of operating with a grinder is like using a circular saw. The difference is in the built of the machines.
A circular saw has a base guard that is held against the stone and can be tailored for depth and angle.
A grinder has a straight handle meant to be used handsfree. Here’s how to cut flagstone with a grinder.
- Step 1: First, protect yourself with a pair of building gloves and goggles to prevent any physical damage that would arise from the particles being separated.
- Step 2: Mark a line with chalk on the piece of stone you want to trim to guide you during the cutting.
- Step 3: Set the stone on a flat surface and hold it in or place with a clamp. Be careful not to damage any side of the flagstone.
- Step 4: Score the flagstone along the line with the grinder blade and remember not to speed up the process or the stone will break.
- Step 5: Make sure to secure the cut material in a clean and dry area for some time as you prepare to use them in your landscape design project.
Method 3: How to Cut Flagstone Using a Power Chisel
A power chisel does everything a traditional chisel would do, only faster and easier. Follow these steps when cutting flagstone with this machine.
- Step 1: Start by protecting yourself with goggles and gloves. This is for your protection against dust and smaller particles.
- Step 2: Measure the dimensions of the stone you want to trim and utilize chalk to mark a line where you would like to cut.
- Step 3: Put the rock on a firm surface and make sure to secure it with a clamp. Score it along the line until you break it.
- Step 3: Keep the cut pieces in a secure place as you prepare to start the building process. You can go on to buy other building materials such as sand.
How to Cut Flagstone without Power Tools
If varying shapes, even cuts and precise edges aren’t a big deal to you, consider cutting flagstone by utilizing tools that do not need power to run: hammer and chisel. The chisel will do the trimming while the hammer will help you apply pressure to drive the chisel in.
- Step 1: Measure the length of the rock you would like to cut then mark a line with chalk.
- Step 2: Utilize the hammer and chisel to create a groove along your marked line. Continue this process as you add more pressure on the line as it deepens. Tap on the hammer gently.
- Step 3: Continue fragmenting along the markings until the stone finally breaks.
- Step 4: Tap the hammer gently or you might break flagstone in an undesired way.
- Step 5: Store the small pieces in a secure place for the time being as you prepare for the building process. Store the hammer and chisel for future use.
To sum it up, when cutting flagstone in regular shapes, cuts, and sizes, consider using power tools like a saw. For irregular shapes or cuts, you can use a hammer and chisel. Whichever method you choose, make safety a priority before embarking on any work.
It’s also best to choose the right material according to its affordability and ease. Better still, you can even employ professionals like Alexander and Xavier Masonry in Garland, Texas to do the masonry work.
