How to Cut Concrete Pavers

Concrete pavers are an attractive and relatively inexpensive way to decorate your driveway, walkway or anywhere that they will fit. Rather than hire a concrete truck or mixing bag after bag of concrete yourself, concrete pavers require only a flat surface and some time laying them out. Likewise for your patio, concrete pavers provide a solid foundation that you can design to suit your fancy. Instead of a concrete patio, pavers give it decorative value and are easier to work with. Occasionally you will have to cut a concrete paver to get it to fit in a particular spot. Unless the dimensions of your patio, driveway or walkway are such that the pavers fit exactly, you will have to make some adjustments. There are a number of different ways to cut concrete pavers, each of which will be covered.

Step 1: Cut Pavers the Old Fashioned Way

If you need to make a cut in a concrete paver, the old fashioned way of doing it requires the fewest tools. It does, however, require some elbow grease. Always wear safety glasses when cutting concrete pavers. Take a chisel and scratch out the line you need to cut. Hold the chisel directly on the line, and with the lump hammer, bring it down in a steady, forceful manner. Place the chisel and strike it with the hammer over the length of line. You may have to make a second or even third pass. When the paver splits, there may be some uneven edges, but they can be chipped off with the chisel as well.

Step 2: Use a Hand-held Saw

Another method for cutting concrete pavers is to use a hand-held power saw such as a Skill saw or Stihl saw. Set up a work horse or preferably a work stand with adjustable sides to secure the pavers. What is critical with this method is that you use either a carbide or diamond-tipped blade. Do not attempt to cut pavers with a blade meant for wood. Depending on the thickness of the concrete, you may have to raise the blade and cut through only a portion of the paver. Lower the blade and make a second and third pass if necessary. This method does not work for angled cuts unless you can secure the paver with something other than a work stand.

Step 3: Use a table Saw

If you have access to a table saw, use it to cut the concrete pavers. Again, you will have to change the blade to either a carbide or diamond-tipped variety. Most table saws have more power than a hand-held saw, so one pass ought to do it. Like the hand-held saw, the table saw does not work well for angled cuts.

Step 4: Use a Specialty Brick/Concrete Saw

Specialty saws are made just for cutting brick and concrete. They can either be rented or purchased. They are essentially small table saws with a guide for straight cutting. They usually attach to a hose to keep the cutting area wet. This keeps the blade cool and the dust to a minimum.

All of these methods work for cutting concrete pavers. The job can be done with common household tools or require more expensive machinery. The biggest obstacle you will face when doing it with power tools it cutting angles. For that, unless you can secure the paver while you cut, you might be better off using a lump hammer and chisel.