When laying sandstone pavers inside or outside your home, you may run into areas where a perfectly square stone just won’t fit. It is at times like these that it becomes necessary to cut the sandstone. The two most common ways to cut stone are with a saw or a chisel: a saw to cut pieces of sandstone that are thinner than the blade, and a chisel to remove large sections of stone.

Cut with a circular saw

Before you even attempt to cut sandstone, you’ll need to remove the safety guard from the circular saw to check the blade (making sure to check that the saw is unplugged first, of course). Change from your normal blade to a diamond tipped one, making sure it is properly secured with the blade changing tool that came with your saw.

Mark a straight line on the sandstone where you want to cut it. Put on a mask to avoid breathing in any of the dust particles that the stone will give off, and mist the sandstone with a little water to prevent dust and small bits of debris from flying into your face.

Turn on the circular saw and start cutting the sandstone along the line you drew earlier, making sure to go slowly to avoid jamming the saw. If you feel anything tight in the stone or smoke, pull out the saw. Spray some water on the sandstone to cool it down before continuing.

cut with a chisel

Mark the part of the sandstone that you want to cut. Next, take a carbide tipped chisel and place it point down on the stone. Take a hammer and tap the chisel into the sandstone, making only small cuts at first, working your way along the line. Be sure to remove some sandstone along this line to serve as a guide later.

Use the chisel to tap the sandstone along the lines you carved earlier to remove it. If it is too large a piece, work on the stone in stages until all the unwanted material has been removed. If the sandstone is thicker, you may need to hit the chisel a little harder.

Regardless of the method you choose to cut your sandstone, it can be a relatively simple process, as long as you’re equipped with the right tools for the job. Using a chisel is by far less complicated than using a circular saw, but there is a greater margin for error. Choose the method you feel most comfortable with.