If the primary concern of your driveway or path is its decorative appeal, then you may want to try the vast range of concrete pavers you can choose from. Concrete pavers come in just about any shape, size and design you could imagine, with an assortment of different finishes. Aside from that, they are also pretty easy to lay for anyone who fancies themselves for a bit of DIY – however, when it comes to cutting them, this part of the job isn’t always that easy.
When it comes to cutting pavers, there are a number of ways to go about it. The old fashioned way is by using a pitching chisel, or a bolster. This is the trickiest way of cutting paving slabs, and so extra care needs to be taken. Make sure to score a line across the paver where you want to cut it, then take a lump hammer and be sure to whack that chisel hard and true at the first attempt!
We can also use a disc cutter or power saw to cut pavers. Before cutting, make sure that you have a stone cutting blade fitted to the cutter. These are the steel, diamond-tipped blades, rather than the carbon blades used to cut metal. Score a line across the paver where you want to make your cut, then power up the saw and slowly ease through the paver, being careful not to exert too much pressure.
You can also use a specialist tool called a block and slab splitter. These are quite expensive, but they provide the cleanest cut of all. Carefully place the paver between the two blades of the slab splitter, taking care to line up exactly where you need to make the cut, then apply pressure slowly until the paver snaps across the line of the blade. Note that there are three types of slab splitter. The basic ones with smooth blades can be used to cut regular pavers, while you will need a toothed blade for cutting slabs with an irregular surface. For the thickest of pavers, it may be necessary to use a hydraulic slab splitter.
