Cutting curbs in road construction, gardens and outdoors is one of the most common applications in commercial and residential construction.
Curbs are an extremely efficient way of demarcating paths and streets. They usually always come in standard formats and are laid seamlessly next to each other. In the edge areas, however, they often have to be shortened in order to create the perfect demarcation.
1. Types of curbs
Curbs can be individually selected to match the overall appearance of the property. They are available in a wide variety of rock types such as:
- concrete block
- granite stone
- lawn edging stone and many more.
2. What machines and tools are needed to cut curbs?
When cutting curbs, it is crucial to select a machine that is capable of cutting the full depth of the curb.
Hand-held machines with a diamond cutting disc are particularly popular. Overview:
- Large flex with 230mm diamond blade
- Chaser and grinder with 300 mm diamond blade
- Alternatively, a stationary table saw with wet cutting function
2.1 How much power does my machine need?
A high-quality machine from brands such as Bosch, Einhell or DeWalt cuts curbs without any problems. However, choosing the right diamond cutting blade plays a crucial role in cutting performance and success.
Our experience: Choose a cutting disc that is specifically suited to your material group, such as concrete discs and stone cutting discs.
2.2 Cutting depth of the different diamond cutting discs
- 230 mm Maximum cutting depth of 10.5 cm
- 300 mm cutting depth of 13.5 cm
Our tip : You can cut the curb as deep as possible and turn it over if necessary to complete the cut.
3. Curb cutting guide
Cutting curbs isn't difficult if you already have experience using an angle grinder. Before cutting, however, the usual safety aspects must be observed:
- safety shoes
- Clean workplace
- safety goggles
- Gloves
- If possible, take precautions to cut dust-free stone & concrete
3.1 Cutting curbs with the large Flex and Trennjäger
Step 1: Clamp in the diamond cutting disc
- Insert the diamond cutting disc in the correct direction of rotation according to the arrows
- Secure with an angle grinder key or quick-locking nut
- Use the safety pin on the separator
Step 2: Marking the interface
Use chalk or string to mark your desired intersection. Make sure to draw the mark at a 90 degree angle if possible so that you don't have any problems with seamless embedding later on. This prevents grinding and excessive use of mortar.
Step 3: Cut curb
- If possible, implement precautions for dust-free cutting
- It is important to cut at low rotational speed in the edge area
- Drive along the marked lines to create a notch
- Increase the number of revolutions and dive into the stone along the notch
- Work your way through the material bit by bit until you've cut the curb all the way through
Very important: The diamond cutting disc should determine the working speed. The diamond segments remove the material piece by piece and should not be subjected to additional pressure. As a result, the diamonds could be damaged, burn up and render the blade unusable.
Post-processing of the cut edge
If necessary, you should touch up the cut edge. In particular, splintering in the visible area is not particularly attractive and can be removed and repaired with a diamond cup wheel .
Other helpful guides on this topic
4. Common curb cutting mistakes
#Error 1 - Using the wrong cutting wheel
Cutting hard materials such as concrete, stone and granite must be done with a blade designed for this purpose. Cutting with an inappropriate blade will result in poor performance and excessive wear.
Good to know: The user information for a diamond cutting disc can usually be found on the disc itself or its packaging.
# Mistake 2: Overheating of the cutting wheel
A diamond blade is not indestructible. When cutting curbs, a lot of heat is generated due to the large contact between the steel body and the material. It is therefore important to use a professional cutting disc with an optimized cooling function or to sufficiently cool a universal disc.
Tips for cooling when cutting curbs
- insert water
- Take breaks from editing
- Be careful not to discolor the diamonds
Conclusion on cutting curbs
This work can be done by anyone with a little experience, the right tools and machines. The use of materials and costs is rather low when you consider that the cutting disc and the cutting machine can be used for a number of other tasks.
