Granite is one of the toughest materials out there that is commonly used in kitchens, offices, and bathroom surfaces all around the world.
You can use it both indoors as well as outdoors, however, it can be a bit difficult to work with.
Read this guide to find out how you can safely cut Granite with your circular saw.
Quick Summary
In this post, we will summarize the equipment you’ll need to effectively cut granite using your circular saw and how you can efficiently do so.
Let’s get started.
Before You Cut
Before we jump into how you can cut the granite, there are some things you need to be aware of first.
Firstly, you’ll have to gather all of the tools you need. For any project, it’s often a good idea to gather all the materials and equipment you need before you get started.
This makes for a much more streamlined experience and saves you a ton of time.
Here’s the equipment that you’ll need:
- Granite
- Circular saw
- Saw blade that can cut through tiles
- Two sawhorses
- Water hose
Here’s the safety equipment you’ll need:
- Eye goggles
- Respirator mask
- Heavy woodworking gloves
When working with granite, it’s important to take as many safety precautions as you can. Some safety precautions you should think about are:
- Don’t wear loose clothing.
- If you have loose hair, cut it or tie it down before starting work.
- Make sure the work surface is clean before you get started with cutting the granite.
- Be sure not to overpressure your blade. Let it reach full speed and gently push it down against the granite.
It’s ideal if you’re able to cut granite under highly controlled circumstances but sometimes, that may not be possible.
For example, you may want to adjust or remodel a piece of granite that has already been fixed somewhere inside your home. In cases like these, a portable circular saw with a tile blade will be your best friend.
If you are able to cut the granite within your workspace, then we definitely recommend that you do so with a regular-sized circular saw (or whichever one you have available).
How to Cut Granite Using a Circular Saw (Step-by-Step Guide)
In order to efficiently and effectively cut granite using a circular saw, please follow these steps:
Step 1: If you have a slab of granite, then you’ll need to support it firmly in order to avoid any vibrations.
Vibrations are the enemy when it comes to cutting granite because the more vibrations the slab experiences while cutting, the more likely it is to crack.
Hence, you need to clamp it down somehow so that it moves as little as possible when you’re cutting it with a circular saw.
Most slabs of granite are cut while they are clamped down onto a workbench. If you don’t have a workbench, then you can use two sawhorses to cut it.
When using two sawhorses, make sure that both sides of the cut are going to be supported.
For extra hold, it can be a good idea to position several 2×4 pieces of wood across the sawhorses then place the slab of granite on top of them.
Step 2: Identify a line on the slab of granite along which you need to make your cut and mark it with painter’s tape. Mark a line on the painter’s tape using a marker.
It’s important to note that, depending on the pattern on the granite, it may be difficult for you to see lines made by a marker. Hence, the painter’s tape provides a clean line for you to cut along, plus, it can also reduce chipping.
Step 3: Turn on your circular saw and let it reach full speed. Gently push it down into the granite the same way you would if you were cutting wood.
Be sure to wet the saw blade with your water hose periodically in order to keep its heat levels down.
If your saw blade gets too hot due to friction, then it can warp or become dull prematurely.
It can be a good idea to have a friend or helper with you who can periodically wet the saw blade while you do the cutting.
Tip: If you have a spray nozzle attachment for your water hose, attach it to it and adjust its setting to “trickle”. This will help prevent overwatering of the blade.
What About Tiles?
The above section details how you can cut slabs of granite but what about tiles?
Well, tiles are much easier to cut compared to slabs.
You don’t even need sawhorses to support them, you can just cut them by laying them on a piece of plywood on the ground.
Furthermore, you can cut tiles of granite using a dry-cut stone blade which could either be carbide-tipped or diamond-tipped.
Since tiles are not that thick, they do not tend to heat up and can be cut fairly easily.
Dealing with Dust
As you can probably imagine, dry-cutting granite tiles are going to create a lot of dust.
This is why you should always cut granite outside whenever possible. If you have to do it in an indoor setting, then we recommend that you make it as well-ventilated as possible.
Open all doors and windows to ensure the thick stone dust has ways to escape. If possible, it can also be a good idea to invest in an external dust collection system.
When it comes to cutting slabs of granite while they’re wet, you have to deal with wet dust which looks like sludge.
Just be sure to wear your goggles and respirator mask while working with slabs of wet granite and clean your workplace rigorously once done.
Wrapping Things Up…
Cutting granite using a circular saw may seem intimidating due to how tough the material is.
That being said, circular saws come with blades that are more than capable of cutting through them.
Just be sure to do your research so that you know all the precautions you need to take to efficiently cut slabs of granite without harming your saw blade.
What do you use to cut granite for your projects? Let us know in the comments below.