If youre faced with deteriorating asphalt that needs repair, its easy to feel overwhelmed by the project. Fortunately, the question of how to cut asphalt is one with a fairly easy answer.
Today we will show you how to tackle this task without the assistance of professionals using a wormdrive or circular saw.
What You’ll Need
Most major power tool manufacturers have plenty of different saws and tools designed specifically for cutting asphalt. It is unlikely that you will need this type of saw if you are not doing asphalt work as a profession.
A worm drive, or a circular saw with a diamond-blade blade will work well to get the job done. Heres what youll need:
Step I: Clean The Area
Make sure you clean up the area around where you will be cutting. Remove any rocks, dirt, and debris that may be in the area, especially if its in the path of where youll be cutting.
Step II: Mapping The Cut
Next, you’ll need to draw a line in chalk. This will ensure that the cut is clean and uniform. If youre creating a channel to run cable, youll only need to snap one line for the cable to travel through. But, if youre repairing a hole, or defining an area to cut for decorative trim, youll want to snap a lines for the entirety of the work space.
You should leave a few inches between the hole and your filler if you are filling it. That way, you can ensure that youve removed all of the cracked or missing asphalt for your repair. I can assure you that nothing is worse than trying to patch asphalt and then discovering that the section wasn’t wide enough. It has already begun to crack again.
Use a rectangular or square shape to cut. Precise edges will make it easier for the new asphalt to bond to the old asphalt compared to if you filled in a round or oddly shaped hole.
Step III: Preparing For The Cut
Before I start the saw, I like to mark the area that I will be cutting. This gives you a starting point and prevents the blade from skipping in the first few passes.
To define your line, use a screwdriver or a hammer to chisel and chisel along the line. You are now ready to learn how asphalt is cut.
Step IV: Making The Cut
Now were (finally) ready to learn how to cut asphalt.
Make sure that your saw is equipped with a diamond blade. Diamond blades have a coarse grit on the blade edge, which helps the blade to cut more efficiently. The old grit on the blade edge is removed as you cut. This creates a new coarsely-gritted surface.
A worm drive saw is a good choice for this job. Cutting asphalt puts a great deal of stress on the motor of a saw, and a worm drive saw can better handle that additional stress than a standard circular saw. However, a circular saw can also be used for the same job.
Start by setting the blade depth of the saw to the thickness of the asphalt. This will prevent you from cutting below asphalt. If the blade comes into contact with concrete or rocks underneath asphalt, it can crack or slip.
Before you begin cutting, make sure youre wearing safety gear and comfortable with the saw youre using.
Once you’re ready to start, pull the trigger. If youre using a circular saw, youll want to pull the blade guard back before pulling the trigger. Allow the saw to reach full RPM before you begin cutting.
Next, plunge the blade into the asphalt slowly and deliberately. Don’t apply too much pressure. Let the saw do its job. Once youve reached the proper depth, you can slowly move the saw forward along your chalk line.
When youre finished, allow the saw to stop completely before removing it from the asphalt. A wet saw can be very helpful for making a single pass, but if youre using a dry saw, you may need to make multiple passes to complete the cut to prevent overheating.
Step V: Removing Asphalt
Now that youre finished cutting, all youll need to do is remove the broken asphalt from your hole, and ensure that you have a nice, level surface to work with, so you can fill the hole.
To remove asphalt dust and debris from a channel you are cutting to run cable, it is a good idea to quickly grab a broom.
The Final Word
When it comes to how to cut asphalt, its a much less harrowing task than it may seem to be at first. You can quickly cut asphalt with tools you already own to run cables or fix cracks. Be sure youre always being careful and working safely whenever youre working with any power tools.
