When Chris Ellis of Brewster, Mass., was looking for the right tool to cut rigid-foam insulation, he tried a utility knife, a kitchen knife, and a saw. You can purchase segmented blades online or at most hardware stores. Wear a dust mask if cutting EPS and of course its best to do this outside. Tim 08-14-2009, 07:08 PM #3. CenterFire Foam Blade cleanly slices EPS, XPS, and Poly-Iso and eliminates over 95% of static foam dust. 160mm / 6.299" - 20mm / 0.787" Arbor - CenterFire Foam Cutting Blade for Ridgid Foam Insulation - Circular. Also, to avoid ripping the top when cutting across, score a thin trench first, then deeper on each pass. Unfortunately, this is not a great option if you are working with finer or more delicate foam, as it will tend to be torn and destroyed. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. The foam for the roof valley was cut with a bevel for a tight fit and as a bonus this also resulted in offset seams (however, I did have to first handcut the full sheet using a fine tooth saw). How do you cut a 2-inch rigid foam insulation? Expert Interview. The angle of the shoe can be adjusted so that body and blade of the saw are tilted to make a bevel cut through material. An electric kitchen knife also works well, especially for curved cuts. It cuts like butter with an extremely clean cut when run through a table saw. Mr. Rigid PVC foam or expanded PVC is a high quality material used for sign construction and craft projects. Cutting with a utility knife would have been too slow and tedious. The second saw worked Set the depth of cut on the circular saw to just over 1/4" (the thickness of the panel) and cut along the line. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 69,265 times. Lui Colmenares is a handyman and licensed home improvement contractor for Mr. Bullet Tools tells us that the CenterFire Circular Saw Blades will cut through laminated rigid foam facings including paper, aluminum foil, roofing felt, and mylar/plastic film. Start your subscription today and save up to 52%. I used a cheap harbor freight cutoff wheel tool to grind down one edge into a pretty sharp blade. Gillard can give advice based on many years of experience in cutting rigid plastics with fly-knife cutters. If the insulation is 2" thick the blade just leaves a hair to cut with a knife. Feeling trapped by your life and career? Otherwise, a sharp utility knife and a metal straight edge works well. They have a knife edge instead of saw teeth and are designed to make swift, factory-smooth cuts in foam panels and insulating concrete forms while eliminating 95% of the dust. Set the saw’s blade to the desired depth. You can always cut more foam later, if necessary. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. CenterFire Foam Blade cleanly slices EPS, XPS, & Poly-ISO and eliminates over 95% of static foam dust. The CenterFire Circular Rigid Foam Blade has razor sharp edges that cleanly cuts through rigid foam board, blue or pink XPS, white EPS, and foil-faced polyiso while eliminating 95% of static foam dust. None of those options worked especially well. For a regular straight cut, the shoe and the blade are at a 90-degree angle. You can use an ordinary circular saw, equipped with a diamond blade, to wet-cut your marble. Handy NYC based in New York City, New York. It's better for your markings to be a few inches or centimeters too large at first than too small. Home Depot exchanged the first one because it wasn?t able to finish cuts. The sample cuts in chip-prone oak plywood show the difference a good blade can make. Although most table saws work well for cutting foam, you can purchase a specialized foam cutting saw online or at many home improvement stores. Drilling Holes in … Make a second cut to fully cut through the foam. Best way to cut pink insulation foam board? You can stack the foam board to the depth your circular saw cuts, but will have to reapply cooking spray fairly often. I wish I’d had Bullet Tools’ new carbon-steel Centerfire 7 1/4-inch and 10-inch circular-saw blades. "Wasn't sure how to start this project. I'd cut on the concrete floor using a thin piece of plywood as the straight edge. All you need is either a utility knife or an electric saw to make clean cuts. I tried different batteries but got the same result. © 2021 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. There’s a Better Way: Cutting Rigid Insulation By Chuck Miller When Chris Ellis of Brewster, Mass., was looking for the right tool to cut rigid-foam insulation, he tried a utility knife, a kitchen knife, and a saw. Cut EPS, XPS, and Poly-ISO Boards. Support wikiHow by By using our site, you agree to our. References. The battery saw is the way to go. 8 years ago. Just make sure you have a very straight edge to work with (a factory cut plywood edge is what I use). If you heat the knife beforehand, use safety precautions around the fire. Handy NYC prides itself on quality work performed with speed, skill, and punctuality. This will keep the rigid foam insulation from shifting or sliding while you cut it. Measure your cut with a straightedge ruler. - M.K. I've found that a circular saw cut made with a high-quality blade can be every bit as good as a cut from the table saw. The dust free foam cutting line of CenterFire blades will keep the snowman (and blue man and pink man) away. Fit the circular saw with the carbide chunk blade. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. We did come up with another idea when we had to cut a LOT of foam board. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." This article was co-authored by Lui Colmenares. This foam cutting saw has a base that rides on tiny wheels to prevent friction, and the large area of the base keeps the blade straight up and down. What is the best way to cut foam board insulation? Cutting through the tar material and sheathing will typically require a depth of 1 to 1 1/4 inches. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. RIDGID Circular Saws feature powerful motors, lightweight frames, a variety of blades and ergonomic handles for user comfort. Support wikiHow by To cut the insulation, all you’ll need is a utility knife or an electric saw. Compare these dimensions to the length and width that your rigid foam insulation currently has to make sure it's long and wide enough. Do not cut rigid foam insulation on decorative tables unless you lay out a protective barrier, like a knife block. The material is similar to a Styrofoam cup not the blue foam sheets. Now with new high-tech ceramic coating for even cleaner cutting! putty knife with a sharpened blade cuts through the foam like butter. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. [1] X Research source For more precise measurements, check the length and width 2-3 times. Posted by 3 years ago. Did you know you can read premium answers for this article? % of people told us that this article helped them. Protect your marble slab by placing it on a 2-in. unlocking this staff-researched answer. in a circular saw. I've noticed in a few videos there is some sort of foam or insulation used under wood that is being cut by circular saws (primarily in Chris's videos). Install a 7 ¼" plastic cutting saw blade in the circular saw. They are available in corded and cordless versions. Anyway, the sharper the knife the better. 99 $59.99 $59.99 Avoid wearing long sleeves, ties, jewelry, or loose-fitting clothes while using the saw. Thinner sheets of rigid PVC foam require no power tools to produce a sharp clean cut, but thicker materials require power saws with blades designed for cutting plastic. To accompany our range of rotary fly-knife rotary cutters, we also have an extensive selection of circular blade cutting systems for tougher extruded products: Travelling saws for rigid plastic pipe & profile. Table saws are, however, a pricier option—their cost can range anywhere from $150-400+ USD. Cut it outside, it can make a mess. "I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. For more precise measurements, check the length and width 2-3 times. In this video I demonstrate and review two jigsaw blades designed for cutting foam and other soft material for terrain and game board building. Z. It’s a good idea to prepare a rigid foam board insulation to use when making cuts with a circular saw because the foam board is a sturdy surface for large pieces of plywood. Handy NYC based in New York City, New York. I?m on my second 5x generation cordless circular saw in 3 months. A saw blade normally burns the foam and gunks up. Lui Colmenares is a handyman and licensed home improvement contractor for Mr. The methods used to cut rigid PVC foam are similar to cutting standard PVC sheets, and like standard PVC, cutting methods vary depending on the thickness of the material. Segmented blades are also known as box cutters. This article has been viewed 69,265 times. 2. Thinner sheets of rigid PVC foam require no power tools to produce a sharp clean cut, but thicker materials require power saws with blades designed for cutting plastic. 18 August 2020. The base of the circular saw, called the shoe, rests on top of the material being cut. New - More sizes Available in my Other Listings . Now I will try it.". Because this will be a messy job and you’ll need your garden hose, you’ll want to work outdoors. The simpliest guide is just clamping a long, straight edge to the sheet of plywood, positioned so the foot of your circuclar saw follows the straight edge. Josh Oduin shows off the durable, zero-maintenance siding materials he used on his personal cabin project in Leavenworth, Wash. No math, no measuring—just a simple jig made from an elastic band is all you need to lay out a good-looking deck railing. By doing this, the saw will cut on the waste side, and you won’t do any significant damage to the wanted piece should the saw wander away from the cut line. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. I cut long piece using my battery operated circular saw. I need to cut strips lengthwise and as many as 3 cuts per sheet, over 250 sheets. Archived. As long as you cut the foam carefully and with the right tools, any amateur home repairman can make a precise incision in rigid insulation foam. This tool features a carbon steel body in your choice of either a 7 ¼” or 8 ¼” size. DUST-FREE FOAM BLADES PRT-MKT-1500.Rev.F.7.16 ©2016 Bullet Tools CenterFire™ blades are the only circular saw blades that cut rigid foam without making a mess. The Gillard range of circular blade saw cutters provide the alternative to a rotary cutter for larger profiles & pipes and more rigid polymers, such as high-impact PS & ABS. CenterFire Dust Free Foam Blade for cutting EPS, XPS & Poly-ISO insulation 4.2 out of 5 stars 59 $47.99 $ 47 . Place the acrylic sheet on top of the rigid foam insulation, and mark the line to be cut. Cut rigid foam to size without making a mess. ... Use an abrasive blade such as used to cut stone etc. Last Updated: August 24, 2020 thick piece of rigid foam. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. It is tested to cut roughly 25,000 feet before sharpening is required. What is the best way to cut rigid insulation? 2. ! HOW WE USE COOKIES: We use cookies and similar technologies to improve our website, to personalize website content to you, and to deliver advertising messages and offers on content that are relevant to you. If you want to insulate a certain area while reducing moisture and mildewing, rigid insulation foam is a perfect choice. So Chris created something that works beautifully. After cutting the insulation, use a vacuum to get rid of any residual foam dust left on the piece. Like it! If you want to insulate a certain area while reducing moisture and mildewing, rigid insulation foam is the perfect material. This article has been viewed 69,265 times. Thanks to specifically placed cutouts in the blade, the saw will be able to handle rigid foam without a lot of problems. I have a lot of cutting to do in 4' x 8' Styrofoam sheets. Check Photos for Details . This article was co-authored by Lui Colmenares. Report as spam. Never wear gloves while operating a table saw. The average price range for a circular saw varies from $40 to $100 making it a very affordable starter saw. Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features. Unlock premium answers by supporting wikiHow, https://www.styro.net/PDF/Flyers/Install/InstallRigidFoam.pdf, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuFWRTEULD0&feature=youtu.be&t=53, https://www.proremodeler.com/how-install-exterior-rigid-foam-part-1, https://www.greenandgrowing.org/rigid-foam-insulation-101/, http://www.core77.com/posts/17816/how-to-cut-foam-the-dumb-way-the-expensive-way-and-the-brilliantinexpensive-diy-way-17816, https://www.tru.ca/hsafety/workinglearningsafely/work/tablesaw.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGcCvd0qnQg&feature=youtu.be&t=125, http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2009/01/29/theres-a-better-way-cutting-rigid-insulation, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezi7FTcW_vY&feature=youtu.be&t=3, https://hackaday.com/2018/02/08/build-a-tiny-hot-wire-foam-cutter/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Close. Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers. Lui Colmenares. Handle the knife with a fire-resistant pair of gloves to prevent burning yourself. Z. Mike. Shipping USA Only Saw Blade Diameter The 10 in. I want to keep the mess down so I don't want to hand saw it, plus I … Gloves do not offer enough protection from a saw's blade and the fabric can get caught in the machinery. unlocking this expert answer. ... or if you only plan to cut foam once and want a simpler set up then use a car battery and adjust the length and/or gage of wire to get the heat right. Lui is trained and educated as an industrial engineer and specializes in carpentry, painting, and general handyman work such as mounting TVs, doorknob and deadbolt installation, furniture assembly, tile repair, and grouting. Mark your cutting line with a marker on a wide piece of tape. Foam beneath circular saw. Lui is trained and educated as an industrial engineer and specializes in carpentry, painting, and general handyman work such as mounting TVs, doorknob and deadbolt installation, furniture assembly, tile repair, and grouting. Mr. We sprayed both sides of a thin-blade of a circular saw with Pam or other cooking spray. An expert shows how to escape. Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox. A lot less mess than a regular saw blade and the edges are nice and sharp. If you need a more precise cut, use an electric saw to cut your rigid foam. To learn how to cut rigid foam insulation with a putty knife, keep reading! Cut rigid foam to size without making a mess. Handy NYC prides itself on quality work performed with speed, skill, and punctuality. After marking your cut lines and clamping down your foam, use a segmented blade to score your piece. If you're cutting the rigid foam for a specific project, measure the length and width you will need it to be. Always keep your hands at least 6 inches (15 cm) away from the blade at all times. The dust free foam cutting line of CenterFire blades will keep the "snowman" (and blueman and pinkman) away. Handyman. Thanks for the options. Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine. The blade would get stuck. Melt through an insulation sheet, such as one made from polystyrene using a heated cutting tool or … Unlike some insulating materials, rigid insulation foam is simple to cut. Micro-Adjust Deck-Baluster Spacing for an Eye-Deceiving Layout, Podcast 315: Perfect Roofs, Heated Decks, and Multifamily High Performance, What We Need To Leave Behind To Build Better in 2021, Podcast 313: Pony Studs, Cold Floors, and Hiding Foundation Insulation, Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20, Simple Way to Make Old Walls Straight and Plumb, Expert insights on techniques and principles. Foam beneath circular saw. If you don't have a way of making a perfectly straight cut don't worry, we'll only be using the factory edge. Bullet Tools - CC52-1507 7.25 in. Mark the factory edge of one of the 8' lengths of the hardboard with some arrows and mark a cut line 3" from that edge. You risk accidentally scratching the table. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. I cannot imagine a better way to do it, thanks! Step 3 If you don't currently have a hot wire cutter, you may be able to rent one from a hardware store. When I need a perfect cut with a circular saw, I use a guide. I cut several sheets with a circular saw before this and the sharp putty knife is cleaner (no dust), quieter, and much faster, not to mention more accurate, too. Read your electric saw's instructions before using the saw to make sure you use it safely. I recommend using a circular saw jig, or a circular saw guide to keep your cuts straight and to prevent the blade from wandering. A handheld circular saw, one with a 4 to 4.5 inches (10 to 11 cm) blade, can also be used to cut through the insulation. Similar to what happens when your battery is low, except mine were fully charged. After watching this vid a little while ago I used the sharpened putty knife to do my basement in November going through a few dozen 2" sheets of extruded foam and the approach works very well. Metal-Cut™ circular blade cutters for metal reinforced profiles. I have found with thicker boards you can actually use a circular saw. I believe there was a brief discussion in a recent episode as well. The 7.25 in. I was surprised to find such a clear "grain" in the foam; it can be sliced up very easily length-wise but across the foam it's always trickier. As Chuck Miller demonstrates in this video tip, a 2-in. dave I use to cut it on the job with a circular saw with a plywood blade and use a straight edge or chalk line. For more information, contact CenterFireInfo@BulletTools.com or … If you’re cutting the rigid foam for a specific project, measure the length and width you’ll need. Depending on the blade installed – a circular saw can cut plywood, lumber, rigid foam board, concrete, or metal. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/05\/Cut-Rigid-Foam-Insulation-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Cut-Rigid-Foam-Insulation-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/05\/Cut-Rigid-Foam-Insulation-Step-1.jpg\/aid9791756-v4-728px-Cut-Rigid-Foam-Insulation-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"