Concrete Pavers

[oldberkeley]

A neighbor just gave me about 500 older concrete pavers, pretty generic, 2 3/8" x 6" x 6" originally from HD. They're putting in a pool.

I'm going to throw down a little gravel and sand, make a little area in back of my place.

Looking for a no cost/very low cost way to cut the suckers. I have a mason's chisel and hammer, but wary of the time/labor/breakage if I went down that road.

Any ideas appreciated, TIA.

 

[srvctec]

I went to HF and got one of those diamond concrete cutting blades for my 7 1/4" circular saw and cut all mine that way. I think the blade was $15 or $20. Worked great and if I ever need it again, I'm all set.

 

[oldberkeley]

I have a decent 7 1/4" circular saw. Wouldn't want to burn it out, but I don't have that many cuts, and I could cut very slowly.

Just looked on the HF website but I'm not sure which blade you mean? Is it segmented or continuous rim?

 

[rsanter]

buy a cheap saw at HF
buy the cheap blade at HF
go for it and if you burn it out consider it a consumable

 

[srvctec]

I have a decent 7 1/4" circular saw. Wouldn't want to burn it out, but I don't have that many cuts, and I could cut very slowly.

Just looked on the HF website but I'm not sure which blade you mean? Is it segmented or continuous rim?

Segmented is what I used because I read somewhere they worked better because of the slots helping with cooling. I used my good circular saw but made sure to blow it out with my air hose after each cut to make sure bits of concrete didn't wind up somewhere they shouldn't. Since then, my dad gave me an old circular saw he got for a couple of bucks at a garage sale and that's what I use for concrete cutting now.

 

[Askme42]

Rent a saw.

 

[oldberkeley]

LOL. Well, there's no cheapskake like an old cheapskate, so I'm just checking out any possible alternatives before I do that.

This project is so small that I could lay out all the field first and then cut the borders another day.

I have to ask: would I have any luck with the mason's chisel on these pavers?

 

[bczygan]

LOL. Well, there's no cheapskake like an old cheapskate, so I'm just checking out any possible alternatives before I do that.

This project is so small that I could lay out all the field first and then cut the borders another day.

I have to ask: would I have any luck with the mason's chisel on these pavers?

NO!

They are concrete, not clay. And you have so few (125SF), it would terrible to ruin any.

Or I could be totally wrong:
https://www.google.com/search?q=cutting+concrete+pavers+with+mazons+chisel&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Bill

 

[Trey T]

I would try a grinder with turbo diamond blade to score and break with hammer

 

[crguy]

I would try a grinder with turbo diamond blade to score and break with hammer

Or, he could do it the right way and get a wet saw as has been already suggested.

 

[buckwheat_la]

Go to your local rental and rent a paver anvil break (at least that is what we call them here) rental will be 5 dollars. If that doesn't float your boat, any cheap tile saw will probably last the time of the job. We often use a little 4 inch wet saw that costs about $50 up here, so in the US it is probably cheaper.....

 

[derosa]

I tossed a blade on my ryobi miter saw, the dust from just one was aweful and I'd never do it again. Got in everything on the saw. Use a HF tilesaw, mines lasted a bathroom and was worth the money.

 

[bcradio]

Buy a blade from cripe online for your circular saw and cut them... and no the dust isn't that bad if you cut them outside. Use hearing, eye, and breathing protection though.

 

[Trey T]

Or, he could do it the right way and get a wet saw as has been already suggested.

I agree. Based on his description, if he has a hand grinder (4-4.5"), it's a good tool if he wants to go cheap; a quality turbo diamond blade is under $25 OTD. Grinder is my top choice for cutting curve stone or concrete.

Anyways... just an alternative solution.

 

[Shiftless]

I would try a grinder with turbo diamond blade to score and break with hammer

That's how I did it with 12x12 concrete pavers. The diamond blade makes a nice clean cut and you can slice almost all the way through if they don't break cleanly.
As others have said, wear hearing, eye, and lung protection.
I only did 6 cuts.

If you have lots of cuts to do, either rethink your layout, or get a better tool.

 

[t1snwbrdr12]

I used a brick chisel on mine and they turned out just fine. Lightly tap a cut line around all sides of the paver then really start hitting it after you've scored all the way around. Do all this atop a piece of wood.

 

[oldberkeley]

I appreciate all the replies, as usual.

I tried the hammer and chisel approach on one paver: fairly decent result, I'd probably get better as I went along, but it took me a long time and a lot of effort for one cut!

Went over to my local Sunbelt Rental (Columbus, OH). They have a water-cooled, diamond blade, sliding-tray paver saw that rents for $50 for the entire weekend. No brainer, that's the way I'm going to go.

One concern: I'm not a pro though I've done a few patios and inside tile jobs over the years, I'm very slow and getting slower (68 years old). It's easier and simpler for me to be able to cut tiles or pavers as I go along. In this case I'd have to have almost the entire field laid out, then cut the border pavers (it's a circle pattern), then cut the pavers where the field meets the border. Will just take more planning, I guess.

 

[Coach James]

Or, he could do it the right way and get a wet saw as has been already suggested.

Oh no, we don't want no part of that around here!

Coach

 

[Justanoldguy]

I use my 4" angle grinder with a diamond blade. (cheap as)
Score the line to cut then hit it with a bolster.
Easy as cutting butter.