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How you cut flagstone depends on the size and design in your project—you might chip it with a hammer and chisel, or you could cut it with a circular or wet saw. We'll help you figure out which technique is right for your project!
Steps
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Use a hammer and chisel to cut flagstone when accuracy of cut or straight lines are not important. [1] X Research source [2] X Expert Source Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview- A hammer and chisel is best to cut or shape flagstone for small projects that do not require accurate cuts, such as a small garden path or a decorative step or bench top. [3]
X
Expert Source
Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview - If you use a saw to cut every flagstone in the project, the cuts are going to look extremely clean, which might not be the desired result. [4]
X
Expert Source
Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview - If you don't need a too exact cut, you can use the chisel end of a masonry hammer to score the flagstone instead of using a chisel and a hammer. [5]
X
Expert Source
Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview
- A hammer and chisel is best to cut or shape flagstone for small projects that do not require accurate cuts, such as a small garden path or a decorative step or bench top. [3]
X
Expert Source
Reese Baloutine (she/her)
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Set the flagstone on a solid surface.Advertisement
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Measure and draw a line to cut.
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Leave a distinct bold line, such as that provided by paver chalk or a piece of roofer's slate.
- The measurement must allow for the space made by joint or mortar.
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Hammer sharply, but not heavily, on the chisel as you move it along the drawn line in order to score the line. [6] X Research source [7] X Expert Source Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview -
Continue to score along the line with even pressure. [8] X Expert Source Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview- Allow time for this process, or you may crack or break the stone unintentionally.
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Continue to tap the chisel with the hammer along the scored line until stone breaks along the scored line. [9] X Research source [10] X Expert Source Reese Baloutine (she/her)
Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer Expert Interview
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Use a circular saw with masonry blade to make regular cuts in the same size for small projects, such as a fireplace hearth. [11] X Research source
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Clamp the flagstone firmly to a solid surface.
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Measure and clearly draw the line to cut.
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Begin to saw along the line.
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Do not apply pressure to the saw; just allow the weight of the saw to score the stone.
- The intent is not to saw through the flagstone; rather, the purpose is to create a significant score in the stone along which repeated blows with a hammer and chisel will break the stone.
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Prop the stone that has been scored by the circular saw at an angle on a tool or brick along the bottom side of the flagstone parallel to the scored line.
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Tap chisel with hammer sharply along the scored line until piece breaks away. [12] X Research source
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Cut flagstone with a wet saw if you have a large job or a job that requires accurate cuts or design cuts, such as a patio floor, a pool deck, curves or edging where you want to repeat a color scheme. [13] X Research source
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Buy or rent a water-fed saw with a diamond edged blade.
- Water is fed onto blade so it lubricates the cut and reduces the debris generated by the cut. [14] X Research source
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Read the assembly and usage directions carefully.
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Measure and score the line desired.
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Move the stone steadily along the line against the saw blade because on a wet saw the blade does not move.
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Push the stone flat, steadily, and slowly through the blade until the cut is complete.
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Clean and store tools.
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Expert Q&A
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Tips
- A pitcher (chisel) distributes a hammer's pressure in several directions to cut at an angle.Thanks
- A bolster (chisel) drives a hammer's pressure straight down to cut a straight line.Thanks
- Masonry saws and wet saws can be rented.Thanks
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Warnings
- A circular saw is not recommended because of the high risk of injury; the added expense of the rental of a wet saw is preferable to the risk.Thanks
- Flagstone is brittle and will easily send shards or fragments flying.Thanks
- Purchase a masonry blade with professional input; a bargain here can put you at risk of injury.Thanks
- Wear protective equipment, including ear plugs, heavy duty gloves, goggles, and a dust mask.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Safety equipment including dust mask, goggles, and gloves.
- Lump hammer, a heavy 2 headed hammer
- Bolster chisel, a broad chisel used for straight cuts
- Pitcher chisel, a thick chisel used for trimming edges
- Paver marker, a chalk used to draw lines
- Masonry blade for circular saw
- Wet saw
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about landscaping, check out our in-depth interview with Reese Baloutine (she/her) .
References
- ↑ https://www.thesawguy.com/how-to-cut-flagstone/#Method_1_Hammer_Chisel
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.dream-yard.com/how-to-install-flagstone.html
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA1Lta0iBhA
- ↑ Reese Baloutine (she/her). Eco-Friendly Landscape Designer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.thesawguy.com/how-to-cut-flagstone/#Method_2_Circular_Saw
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsSTBlKbg2M
- ↑ https://www.thesawguy.com/how-to-cut-flagstone/#Method_3_Masonry_Saw
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsSTBlKbg2M
- https://www.familyhandyman.com/patio/build-a-flagstone-and-stone-block-patio/
About This Article
Article Summary
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The right way to cut flagstone depends on how accurate of a cut you need. For irregular shapes, you can just use a hammer and chisel to break it up into smaller pieces. If you need to cut your flagstone into a regular shape, like a square, score the lines with a masonry blade on a circular saw and then break them with a chisel and hammer. For precise cuts, you'll need to use a wet saw with a diamond edged blade. For more tips, including how to mark your cut lines on your flagstone, read on!
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