How to Cut Pavers

Take these steps before cutting pavers, no matter what paver or tool you use.

Measure the space for the patio or walkway site and determine the exact number of pavers needed. This includes the standard size pavers as well as the smaller or uneven pavers necessary to finish filling the space. For example, if a walkway will need 10 half-pavers, add 5 pavers to the total order.

Prepare the site and place the uncut pavers, following the steps in our guides How to Install Patio Pavers and How to Build a Paver Path.

After placing the pavers, measure the unfilled spaces in the site. Compare these gaps to your estimated measurements for the pavers to be cut and confirm the sizes that you need.

Use a tape measure to determine the location of the cut on a paver. Mark the cut with a pencil or piece of chalk along a straight edge such as a ruler.

• Mark along the top, bottom and both sides of the paver when cutting with a hammer and chisel.
• Mark the top and bottom of the paver when using a circular saw or similar tool.

Wear the following PPE when cutting pavers:

• Protective eyewear will guard against fragments or debris for all cutting methods.
• Dust masks offer protection from the particles generated by a concrete saw or grinder.
• Hearing protection is recommended when using power saws or grinders, which can be noisy.

Pro Tip: When purchasing pavers, be sure to get a few spares in case you underestimate or a paver is damaged.

Circular saws and angle grinders can make quick work of concrete or brick paver cuts and are especially effective with natural stone pavers.

Concrete saws are also popular paver-cutting tools, with some units featuring built-in water hoses for wet-cutting, which reduces potentially harmful dust.

These are the steps for how to cut pavers with a circular saw or angle grinder.

• Use a 7 1/2-in. blade with a standard circular saw and a 4 1/2-in. blade with an angle grinder (with bricks and smaller pavers). Always use a diamond blade when cutting pavers. Use stone-rated diamond blades on stone pavers. Clamp the paver in place as needed.
• Make sure all safety guards are in position.
• Set the angle grinder blade to cut 1/2 inch and the saw blade to 1/4 inch.
• Turn on the power and lower the blade to cut along the cutlines. Gently and carefully saw along the top and bottom lines. Cutting the sides is unnecessary.
• Cut a groove of about 1/2 to 1 inch on both sides, adjusting the height of the saw and making multiple passes until you reach the needed depth.
• Every 30 seconds, stop sawing and remove the blade to keep it cool.
• Once you’ve cut your grooves, place the paver on the edge of a step, another paver or other flat, raised surface. Make sure the section to be removed hangs over the edge.
• Use one hand to hold the paver in place. With the other, tap the unwanted section of the paver with a mallet or hammer. The paver should split apart, and the unwanted section should fall to the ground.
• Even out any jagged edges with a hammer and chisel or a file.

Pro Tip: For one-time jobs, save money by renting concrete saws, paver saws or angle grinders as needed.

The simplest, most cost-effective way to cut pavers is with a hammer and chisel. This method comes in handy at job sites that lack easy access to electrical power. However, it can become time-consuming if you have to cut numerous pavers and is most effective on concrete and soft pavers.

• Begin by placing the marked paver on a non-slip mat and a flat surface. Use a piece of plywood on top of two saw horses if no other surfaces are available. Clamp the paver to the surface to keep steady if needed.
• Start with a 1-in. wide cold chisel. Cold chisels are designed to work with metals, as opposed to woodworking chisels.
• Align the sharp edge of the chisel above the cutline.
• Use the hammer to gently tap the chisel along the entire cutline, on all four sides. Do not strike too hard.
• Tap until you make a 1/16-in. groove along the entire line. Take 2-3 passes if needed.
• Align a brick-set chisel in the groove and strike it with a hammer. The paver should split into two parts.
• Use the hammer and brick chisel to chip off protrusions, or a stone carving file to smooth imperfections.

Sometimes you must drill holes in concrete pavers to install posts, provide drainage or for other design reasons. Pavers can crack if the holes are drilled improperly, so take special care.

• Use a rotary hammer to drill newer concrete and an electric hammer drill on older, denser concrete.
• Use masonry drill bits. Drill bits with durable tungsten carbide drill tips are most effective on natural stone.
• Measure and mark the desired location for the hole on the paver.
• Place the paver on a flat surface.
• Set drill to high speed and drill downward into the paver. Hold the drill as vertically straight as possible to prevent drilling at an angle.
• Stop drilling when the bit has passed through the bottom of the paver. If you need enlarge the hole, swap out the drill bit for a larger one and repeat as necessary.

Pro Tip: Use our rental services for core drills, rotary hammers and other tools for one-time paver-drilling jobs.

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