I would like to lay patio pavers for a patio in a diagonal fashion. I would like to know what kind of tool I should use to cut the pavers in half. They are about 2" thick, and I'd like to not use the Hammer and Chisel approach so I can get clean edges. Is there a particular kind of blade I can put in a circular saw to do this job? Since this patio is going to be over 200 square feet, I would be willing to purchase a new tool if needed to save me time on this task.
You could probably rent a saw like this from your local hardware store.
They will usually have a diamond tipped masonry blade. You'll also want to make sure it's a wet saw or you keep the stones wet as you cut, as the dust from cutting concrete can make a real mess and be harmful to your health.
You may also be able to find a splitter like this.
The splitters produce far less dust and noise, and can usually be found cheaper than a saw (I found a couple on-line for a few hundred dollars). However, splitters may not produce a perfectly clean cut. Splitters also come in pneumatic and hydraulic varieties, purchasing those might be out of the budget ($1000.00 and up) but might be available for rent at a reasonable price.
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I've used both and would also recommend the splitter just to avoid the dust. That said, you will not get a super clean break like you will with a diamond saw.– DA01Feb 9 '11 at 3:39
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1Keep in mind that the splitter option is much faster than the saw option. Oct 26 '11 at 20:47
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Certain Paver styles lend them selves to one type of cut verses the other. You should use a saw for pavers that have a clean look. The splitter should be used for pavers that have a rustic look.– BD72Mar 20 '14 at 20:25