How to Cut Pavers (without a Brick Saw)

[Geno]

I have to cut about 20 cement pavers that are about 3 cm thick. A nice clean cut is required. Now if I wasn't such a tight **** I would hire a wet brick saw, but the asking price is $170 for a day (plus a charge for blade wear).

I can buy an el cheapo (ETC) metal cut-off saw from MagnaMart for $169. My idea is to buy a masonary blade to fit the cut-off saw and cut the pavers this way. Does this sound feasible or does somebody have other suggestions? If so, I am all ears.

I have tried a diamond blade in the small angle grinder but it tales forever to score a paver and then when I give it a wack with the bolster the cut is horrendously jagged and unsuitable to for where I need to fit it. Nor does the angle-grinder have the depth to go all the way through the paver.

[DanP]

Some garden centres and people who sell pavers offer a cutting service. Should be a heap cheaper.

Dan

[silentC]

Can't you cut from both sides? I did a heap of cuts in brick pavers with a diamond blade. I just cut as deep as I could all the way around, whacked it with the bolster, and then cleaned it up with the blade.

If you're going to pay $169 for the saw plus the cost of a few blades, you'll be spending more than $170. I know you get to keep the saw afterwards (if it hasn't burnt out) but I don't think you'll get as smooth a finish with a masonary blade as you will with a bricksaw.

Can you shop around? The Kennards I used in Sydney had half-day hire on most things. 20 cuts shouldn't take long.

[BigPop]

Geno,
I was in the same quandary a few weeks ago as I needed to cut some exposed aggregate concrete about 3" to 4" thick and got the same price from Kennards. My son-in-law got a lend of a petrol driven saw with a masonry blade and it was taking forever and a day to put a mark in it let alone the amount of dust it created.

I ended up going to Bunnies and getting a GMC 230mmm 2400w angle grinder for $99 and also bought a 230mm wet/dry diamond blade to suit for $50. Brought it home set it up and it cut through the concrete like a hot knife through butter and didn't miss a beat.
I have been wanting to get a big angle grinder for some time so now I have my big angle grinder for other jobs etc and a diamond blade

[Barry_White]

Why don't you go around the building sites and look fo a brickie or a paviour and offer them a slab of tinnies and see if they would cut them for you.

[Hank]

The good news is that you haven't hurt yourself yet with what youv'e been doing.
The only safe and sure way is to spend the hiring fee and hire a brick saw. These saws are made to keep the blades cool and also reduces the dust.

I have to cut about 20 cement pavers that are about 3 cm thick. A nice clean cut is required. Now if I wasn't such a tight **** I would hire a wet brick saw, but the asking price is $170 for a day (plus a charge for blade wear).

I can buy an el cheapo (ETC) metal cut-off saw from MagnaMart for $169. My idea is to buy a masonary blade to fit the cut-off saw and cut the pavers this way. Does this sound feasible or does somebody have other suggestions? If so, I am all ears.

I have tried a diamond blade in the small angle grinder but it tales forever to score a paver and then when I give it a wack with the bolster the cut is horrendously jagged and unsuitable to for where I need to fit it. Nor does the angle-grinder have the depth to go all the way through the paver.

[duckman]

Geno,

garden supply centres usually offer a brick/paving tile cutting service.

Last time I used them, which I admit was a little while ago, the charge was $1.50 per cut.

May I suggest you check out the garden supply businesses in your area?

[Geno]

Thanks for all the responses. I have actually counted how many I need to cut and it is 30, as opposed to the 20 I originally guesstimated.

In response to DanP and BarryWhites posts, I rang around and sussed out getting the local Tile\Paver supplier to cut them. They want $3.20 per paver. If I had bought the pavers from them it would be $2.20 per paver. However these are old ones I lifted from under my deck. Also, they only cut them on a Saturday morning. I then have to mark them all, cart them out there and back, and then hope they all fit as planned and it will still set me back $100 (i.e one brand new big mother angle-grinder).

I have just cut five pavers with the small angle-grinder using the SilentC method of chasing around and then giving it a whack with the bolster. This is actually working OK but is a bit slow and very noisy. Tomorrow I will buy a big angle-grinder (like Pete mentioned in his post) and a diamond blade. This should really do the business. I will buy some ear muffs as well.......