How To Cut Granite Yourself By Hand?

Are you planning an upgrade for your bathroom or kitchen? Then granite remains a popular choice to give your living space a modern home design. Using polished, sealed limestone is timeless and provides you with low maintenance.

But if you plan to cut granite yourself, you need careful preparation as it is pricey, and you need the right tools. Yet, it is not impossible when following some steps. You will save loads of money by installing it, but remember that the natural stone is dense and hard.

So proceed with patience and get the job done right the first time around. Here is some guidance on how to cut granite by hand successfully.

Some Things To Know Before Getting Started

While cutting granite is DIY possible, the layout and templating of the countertop is not always the DIYers domain. You might find that even when framed, the wall which the counter goes against has some differences and fluctuations. For example, the inside corner might not be 90° in older homes. Another fact is even if you are installing an L-shaped countertop, the granite is heavy to handle.

So you have the risk of the granite being brittle and costs money to replace. So the process of cutting the stone needs a setup with dust and water control measures taken into consideration. Even cutting it wrong by 1/2 inch leaves it off-center when trying to drop it in the hole.

Yet, if you have a galley kitchen or small bathroom, it is worth considering when going in the DIY direction. So knowing how to cut the granite helps. So for a short explanation, you need to know the prep work first.

• You can cut the granite slap dry or wet, but both are messy, so you need to set up a specific work area with a table supporting the stone.
• When you cut wet, which is the best way you need a wet-cutting saw to create the slurry to hose off.
• Cutting dry is possible but creates clouds of dust that can travel.
• You will need safety protection for your ears, eyes, and mouth.
• Lastly, you need the correct tools, as we will discuss next.

The Right Granite Cutting Tools

For cutting granite, one needs the correct cutting tools to get the job done.

Wet Or Dry Circular Saw with a Diamond Blade

It does not matter if you have a wet or dry circular saw, but you need one equipped with a strong enough blade such as a diamond blade. If you decide to cut dry, keep in mind there will be clouds of dust.

Safety Goggles, Ear Plugs, and Dust Mask

To prevent the dust from getting in your eyes, wear your safety goggles and put on a dust mask to prevent breathing in the dust. The goggles help as the dust can irritate your eyes, causing pain now. If your ears are sensitive to a thunderous noise, put in those earplugs as well. The saw cutting through the stone is loud.

Ruler, Painter’s Tape, and Marker

To measure the job, you can use a tape measure or ruler to provide a line for cutting. Once making your cut, you need your painter’s tape applied as a line for cutting. Using the tape is simple to remove. You can draw a straight line on top of the painter’s tape to make a visual guide for cutting with the market.

Other Equipment

• You will need C-clamps to hold your granite for cutting and have a chisel and mallet to start the process before using the circular saw.
• Get a stable work surface to place the stone on and use a fixed one that does not move around.
• Next, you need your angle grinder to create a smooth edge after cutting the stone.

Safety Tips to Take

Before starting the process, always remove all your jewelry and tie back your hair if long. Also, make sure to roll up your sleeves to prevent them from getting caught in the blade. The best part with the steps that follow it can take a few hours and is not too hard.

So How Do You Cut Granite By Hand

You do it with the following tips to make your job as simple as possible.

First Step

Get yourself geared with your goggles to your earplugs. Get a designated work surface with enough lighting to allow you to chisel and cut the stone. Make sure the area is clear of any dust and debris, and place your tools within reach.

Second Step

Place the granite directly in front of you to make it visible and clamp it fast using your C-clamps. Place them every few feet to hold the stone securely in place. Use a rag to clean the surface, and use your ruler to gauge the length to cut.

Add another 1/6 inches for the width of the chisel and saw blade. Mark your measurements and be prices as you cannot afford to make mistakes. Now apply your painter’s tape where you will cut. Now take your marker and draw a line on the tape using your measurer as a guide.

We recommend using a ruler as it works better for drawing lines.

Third Step

Now place your carbide-tipped point chisel on top of the edge of the line. Let the chisel point rest on the stone, and use your other hand to tap it using a mallet gently. Keep doing this to chisel a groove of 1/2 inch in depth at the corner. Now chisel marks along the line across the granite section. Keep the marks in a perfect line and continue doing this six inches along your line from the end.

Fourth Step

Once done, place the chisel aside and prepare your circular saw with the proper cutting blade. Preferably use a diamond blade whether cutting dry or wet. Take it easy with the cutting by placing the blade into the groove you made.

Next, use a sawing motion until the entire section is cut by wetting the blade using the wet cutting method. Try where you can to stand to the side for safety and use both your hands. Once cut, you can remove the painter’s tape.

To complete the process, you can use your point chisel or an electric diamond-wheeled grinder to complete the finish and polish it to your desired shape.

All that is left is to view your masterpiece and place it in the kitchen or bathroom in the desired space. Alternatively, you can check out this great video of how you can cut your granite super easily.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)