Getting a Better Cut on Patio Blocks and Pavers - Tips & Tricks

Whether you’re an experienced professional, or you’re just getting started, it never hurts to put yourself back in touch with some of the finer details. Here, we’re going to take a closer look at what goes into getting a better cut on your patio block and pavers. 

The Set-Up

When you’re operating on a tight timeline, it can be easy to get caught up and skip steps. But in reality, taking the time you need to ensure that you’ve got everything set up properly is how you give yourself the best foundation for quality work.

One of the most commonly overlooked steps is ensuring that you’ve got your blade set up just right. Here we’re talking about steps like ensuring that you’ve got yourself a blade big enough to accommodate the bricks, pavers and blocks you’re cutting.

Further, your set up should include more than just a cursory check of the depth you have your blade set at.

Each of these steps will help you make sure you aren’t putting too much stress through your brick saw motor, and that you’re getting clean and usable cuts each time.

Plan it Out

You’ll have heard it hundreds of times before, but it is worth mentioning here. Measure twice, cut once. There isn’t much that can ruin a workday like realising you just made a mistake that is going to take days of waiting on new materials to fix. Never mind all the handling that it took to get it there, but you can cut back on time and effort there with brick carriers.

Good planning is key, and it means having a clear idea of what you’re trying to get done and then taking the time to figure out how you’re going to do it. Plan your cuts, mark them clearly and check them again, then you’re ready to get into it.

Making the Cut

If you’ve noticed that you’re getting plenty of chipping along your cuts, even when you’re taking extra care to run your cuts square, chances are your blade isn’t true. Take a minute to power down your brick saw and check that your blade is properly aligned using your set square. Any corrections you can make here will give you a cleaner cut, and ease the wear you’ll see on your brick saw and your brick saw’s parts.

Achieving a good clean cut on your bricks, pavers and blocks is about staying patient. While you may be working with hardy materials, it is important to remember that you’re asking quite a bit of each end of the equation. Stay mindful of the heat you’re putting through the blade and make diligent use of features like hand water control to keep it in check.

Don’t Forget Your Personal Protection

It goes without saying, but personal protective equipment is essential when using a brick saw. Hearing protection for the noise, eye protection for any debris, and a mask or respirator for the dust that you produce while making cuts.

Taking a look at the range of brick saws that we make available here at Technique Tools, you’ll see that each of our saws collects plenty of the dust that cutting makes, either with a controlled water flow or with integrated dust collection like you’ll see on the IQ Dust Control Brick Saw.

Get Kitted Out with Technique Tools

While it’s never entirely on the equipment, a good bit of kit never hurt the quality of anyone’s work. At Technique Tools we stock everything a brickie needs to get a great job done quick. Come to us for the gear that’ll see you knocking jobs over in no time.