How to cut corrugated board and how - the rules for choosing a tool. How to cut corrugated board: the pros and cons of tools How to process corrugated board after cutting

The corrugated board is a profile sheet made of galvanized steel with a top polymer coating, which plays the role of both protection and decoration. The material is supplied in standard dimensions, and during the installation of a roof, fence or balcony cladding, the question often arises - how to cut the corrugated board?

Features of coating cutting

In fact, such a material is a sheet of tin with a special profile. Features of the cutting process are due to the presence of a special coating that should not be damaged during cutting.

Protective polymer coating of corrugated board is not heat-resistant, that is, it does not withstand high-temperature exposure and therefore cold cutting methods are preferred.

It is also recommended to treat the cut points with moisture-resistant and anti-corrosion agents. In fact, even in properly cut profile sheets, you need to paint over the edges left after cutting. For this, the dye supplied with the material can be used, but you can also use ordinary paint that is suitable in texture and color. Thus, the cut points receive proper protection from negative natural factors and corrosion processes.

So, how to cut the profiled sheet? Some of the common tools that are suitable for the operation include:

grinder, angle grinder;
hacksaw for metal - hand or electric;
jigsaw - manual or electric;
metal scissors and electric scissors;
hand saw (circular).

Rules for using the grinder

When choosing how to cut corrugated board, you will most likely come across recommendations not to use a grinder, since a high temperature is created in the cutting zone with this tool, which negatively affects the polymer coating. At the same time, it is one of the most convenient cutting tools. So that the durability of the material does not suffer, you should adhere to some rules:

To cut the profiled sheet, you need not an abrasive wheel, but wheel with carbide teeth.
Special discs for cutting profiled sheets should have a thickness of 1-1.6 mm.
You can cut the sheets and immediately pack up to 10 pieces, but this will require certain skills.

The advantages of using a grinder are obvious - they are high cutting speed and ease of use of the tool. And the main disadvantage is the heating of the metal in the cutting zone, which causes the polymer and zinc layers to suffer. In addition, during the cut, hot metal particles can fly, forming corrosion centers on the sheet. Also, with an inept cut, burrs are formed that must be eliminated. However, this can be avoided by using special circles designed for cutting corrugated board. It is also worth noting that the angle grinder makes noise during operation, but all operations with it are performed very quickly.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a hacksaw for metal

In deciding how to cut corrugated board, the choice of a hacksaw for metal is considered almost the best option, since this way the structure of the protective coating is practically not disturbed. It is important that the material does not resist cutting, so that even manual operations are carried out at high speed. In addition, there is no thermal effect in this case, so that the coating is completely preserved.

Among the advantages of using a hacksaw:

relatively high speed;
lack of significant effort;
accuracy of the cut.

Note: If straight cuts are easy to make, then a curved cut is not possible with such a tool.

In addition, for the convenience of cutting, you will need a special table or support surface.

Electric or manual jigsaw for cutting

When deciding how to cut the corrugated board correctly, one cannot help but consider such a popular tool as a jigsaw. With its help, it is possible to provide both straight and curved cuts, which favorably distinguishes a jigsaw from a hacksaw. In the process of cutting, there is no tangible difference between an electric and a hand tool - the only thing is that the electric one will cut the profiled sheet faster.

The cut of the corrugated board is carried out with a metal file with the smallest teeth, while the tool is set to high speed. You should also provide a "longitudinal" tilt of the blade so that the cutting speed is higher. However, you should know that a jigsaw will not work for cutting thin strips. In addition, the process will be accompanied by an unpleasant noise.

Features of cutting with scissors for metal

If it is necessary to cut thin strips, metal scissors turn out to be an indispensable tool. If the cutting edges are perfectly sharpened, then they will be able to cope with the cut across the wave.

But along the scissors cut not very well - the structure of the material is such that in this direction it has the greatest flexibility. In addition, not too even edges are formed in the process.

Even electric scissors don't make the edge perfectly straight. Otherwise, this tool is considered very effective for cutting corrugated board.

Various materials are used for internal thermal insulation of balconies and loggias. are described in our separate article. At the moment it is one of the most popular materials for insulation.

An alternative to decking on the balcony is siding. is in this material.

Application of hand-held circular saw

A hand-held circular saw will cut the profiled sheet well if you install a disc with fine carbide teeth on it. Cutting is best done with two people. In addition, it is important to ensure that the cutting feed is kept to a minimum.

And in order to protect the top coating, in the case of using a circular saw, a special jig is made. For its manufacture, you will need plywood strips 1500 mm long and 300 mm wide. In the center of the jig, not including the ends, makes a groove that will be used as a guide when cutting. Then two boundary points are marked on the sheet, and a conductor is placed between them so that the groove and the marks completely coincide. After that, the sheet is carefully fixed and the cut is made.

The main thing to consider when cutting corrugated board is the peculiarities of its structure. Because of the low temperature resistance of the protective coating, cold cutting is preferred. That is why autogenous, welding and plasma cutting are not used. Abrasive wheels are also not used, as they will lead to carbonization of the polymer coating. If you choose the right tool, and then completely process the edges, then the corrugated board will completely retain its remarkable performance - durability and aesthetics. Do not forget that the tool must be selected depending on what shape the cut is needed. A universal cutting method can be called the use of a grinder, but with a special circle.

An example of how to cut corrugated board with a grinder is shown in the video.

Profiled sheeting is a galvanized steel sheet with a profile and a polymer coating. In appearance, it resembles corrugated sheet metal, but due to the polymer coating, the cutting methods of the considered roofing material and sheet are not the same. In order to figure out how to cut corrugated board, which method to choose for this, you need to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of tools designed for cutting material.

grinder (angle grinder);
electric hacksaw;
manual and electric jigsaw;
electric shears;
hand circular saw.

Grinder or angle grinder (angle grinder)

Manufacturers of the specified roofing material do not recommend using a grinder for cutting it due to the thermal effect on the polymer coating. Nevertheless, even some dealers of corrugated board use it as the most convenient cutting tool.

The durability of the corrugated board depends on the correct installation and the choice of cutting tools

When using a grinder, certain rules must be observed:

To work with profiled sheets, you need to use a disc with carbide teeth instead of an abrasive wheel. Such discs are called so - discs for cutting corrugated board.
The thickness of the disc should be between 1 mm and 1.6 mm.
To avoid corrosion, the cutting area is covered with a high-quality paint of the appropriate color.

When using a special blade, the cut edges are very thin and neat.

Pay attention:
Some craftsmen, using a diamond-coated disc, cut a whole pack (10 sheets each).

When using a special disc designed for cutting corrugated board, the edges of the cut are smooth and neat

Using a grinder has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of using this tool is cutting speed and convenience. Its main drawback is thermal damage to the polymer and zinc coating, burning of the edges and burning of sheets by sparks flying from the grinder. In addition, hot metal particles adhering to the surface contribute to the formation of corrosion centers. Torn edges of sheets after cutting with a grinder take a long time to remove burrs. The tool makes a lot of noise during operation. The use of a special disk designed for cutting corrugated board eliminates many negative aspects of using a grinder.

Pros and cons of a hacksaw for metal

When using this tool, the coating of the profile sheet is exposed to the least damage. The corrugated board does not provide much resistance when cutting, therefore even manual work will not take much time and effort, and the absence of thermal effects contributes to the preservation of the material coating.

Advantages of cutting corrugated board with a hacksaw for metal:

speed;
accuracy;
no significant effort is required.

Cons of cutting sheets with a hacksaw for metal:

when working with a hacksaw, even cuts are easily made, but cutting out curved shapes is impossible;
when using a hacksaw for metal, a special cutting table is required.

A hacksaw for metal is used to obtain even cuts

Manual and electric jigsaw

A jigsaw is a tool that, unlike a hacksaw, allows you to perform curved cutting of corrugated board. There is no significant difference between a conventional and an electric tool, but with the help of a jigsaw, work is done faster.

Manual and electric jigsaw are used for cutting small-length sheets of corrugated board of famous brands, the height of the corrugation of which is not more than 25 mm. Sheets can be cut up and down, while the sheet must be pressed so that it does not vibrate. The cutting of corrugated board is carried out at high speeds using the finest metal saws.

It is important to know:
To increase the cutting speed, only the reciprocating mode is not enough, it is necessary that the inclination of the saw be, as it were, longitudinal.

When cutting with an electric jigsaw, the edges are burned, but not as strong as when using a grinder

Disadvantages of using a jigsaw:

the tool is not very convenient for cross-cutting sheets with a profile height of more than 25 mm;
not suitable for cutting thin strips;
the cutting speed is inferior to the grinder;
when working with an electric jigsaw, the edges are burnt, but not as strong as when using a grinder;
unpleasant noise.

Features of the use of scissors for metal

Advantages of cutting a profile sheet with metal shears:

It is an indispensable tool for cutting thin strips.
Provided they are well sharpened, they do an excellent job of cutting across the wave.

Disadvantages of using the tool:

Scissors for metal poorly cut corrugated board lengthwise, since in this direction the sheets have little flexibility.
The main disadvantage of cutting with such scissors is not very straight cut edges.

Excellent tool for cutting thin strips

Electric shears: efficient and convenient

Electric shears are quite convenient to use

Hand-held circular saw

Sheets of corrugated board are also cut well with a hand-held circular saw, on which a fine-toothed disk with victorious teeth is installed. For convenience and quick performance of work using circulars, you will need an assistant. The cutting feed should be minimal.

In order not to scratch the paint on the profiled sheets, a conductor is made from a strip of plywood about 1.5 m long and 300 mm wide. A groove is cut along its center along the entire strip, not reaching the ends, which will be a guide when cutting. Two points are marked on the sheet along the cut line, a jig is superimposed on them. The groove must line up with the marked points. After that, the sheet is well pressed and cutting is performed.

A circular saw with victorious teeth is an excellent tool for cutting corrugated board

It is important to know:
Cutting profiled decking, which, unlike steel sheet, has a profile and an anti-corrosion coating, requires taking into account these features of the material. Because of the sensitivity of the coating to high temperatures, cold cutting methods are preferred. When choosing a tool, these conditions and restrictions must be taken into account. For example, the use of plasma cutting, welding, autogen and other similar tools does not meet the requirements for cutting corrugated board, as it is associated with exposure to high temperatures. It is also not recommended to use abrasive tools that tear off and carbonize the protective coating.

Profiled decking is an aesthetic and durable material that justifies its purpose, provided that it is correctly installed and the tool for cutting it is selected in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements.

The need to cut corrugated board may arise when erecting a roof of a complex shape or making connections. The quality of metal processing will depend on the selected tool. It is important to maintain the original geometry of the sheet and not damage the protective layer.

When choosing a tool for cutting corrugated board, you need to take into account the planned volume of work and the availability of electricity at the facility. Hand tools will be the best choice for a small amount of work.

1. Manual scissors for metal

They are used for curly cutting of corrugated board or for performing a small amount of work. The advantage of this tool is its low cost and the ability to form complex roofing elements. It is best to use metal scissors to cut across the corrugated board wave.

Right or left;
Length of cutting edges;
Cut type - straight or beveled;
The presence of a fixing mechanism.

For processing, the material must be placed on a platform of several bars. The distance to the floor (ground) should be greater than the travel of the scissors. First, a basting cut is made, its direction is checked and the absence of strong deformation of the sheet along the edges. Then the final processing of the corrugated board is performed.

The average cost of metal scissors varies from 1,800 to 4,500 rubles. The price depends on the design, the configuration of the blades and the brand of the manufacturer.

2. Nibblers

A more precise cut can be made with a nibbler. Their principle of operation is based on the puncture of small diameter holes. The closest analogue is an office punch.

To work with nibbling shears, the sheet of corrugated board must be suspended. Using a drill, a hole is formed into which the working head of the scissors is inserted. Pressing the handle sets the punch in motion, which punches through the metal. After the hole is formed, the working part moves in the direction of the cut.

Characteristics of the nibbler:

Punch dimensions;
The maximum and minimum allowable thickness of the cutting material;
Handle configuration.

The average cost of shears for cutting corrugated board is from 3,500 to 6,000 rubles.

3. Circular saw

Small hand-held circular saws are suitable for straight cuts and large jobs. There are models of various capacities on the market, with power supply from an electric network, and from a rechargeable battery.

To cut the roofing corrugated board, you will need a fine-toothed disk with victorious solders. The rotation speed is set to the minimum so that the surface does not overheat.

When choosing an electric circular saw, consider:

Electric motor power;
Sizes of installed disks;
Elements for fixing the tool relative to the sheet;
The presence of a speed regulator (not available on all models).

The price of hand-held circular saws ranges from 4,000 to 40,000 rubles.

4. Die-cutting shears

It is best to do a lot of curly and non-standard cuts on a sheet of corrugated board with die-cut electric shears. They work in the same way as the manual nibbling shears described above. The difference lies in the way the punch cutter moves. The translational movements are transmitted from the flywheel of the electric motor.

Work can be carried out both by weight and on a fixed sheet. A hole is pre-formed for the installation of the cutting unit. Then the tool is installed and turned on.

When choosing, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:

Rated power;
Cutting head stroke rate;
Power type - battery or mains.

The main advantage of using electric shears is high productivity and accurate cut.

The average price is from 6,000 to 58,000 rubles.

5. Drill head

To optimize costs, instead of electric shears, you can purchase a special attachment - "Cricket". With its help, it is possible to form a cut with a complex shape.

Installation is carried out directly on the chuck of an electric drill. The order of work is similar to the above described punching tool. The Steel Beaver attachment has similar functions.

The average cost of these devices is 1400 rubles.

Why the corrugated board cannot be cut with a grinder

According to the recommendations of the manufacturers, it is impossible to process the corrugated board with an angle grinder (grinder). But this only applies to those cases where abrasive or diamond discs are used, the cut is performed at high speed.

The profiled sheet consists of a metal base, and a multilayer protective coating, which burns out when exposed to high temperatures. Because of this, the following defects may appear:

Destruction of the protective layer- subsequently, the metal base will begin to rust;
Loss of appearance- sparks can burn through polymer or paintwork;
Cancellation of Warranty from the manufacturer.

In practice, it is possible to carry out work on cutting corrugated board using a grinder. But this requires a special toothed disc and a correctly selected number of revolutions. The rotation of the saw blade should remove material from the cutting area mechanically, not thermally.

The better to cut corrugated board: top 5 tools

Popular hand tool for fast cutting of corrugated board without damaging the protective coating.

How to cut corrugated board: tools for cutting a profile sheet

Tools for cutting corrugated board

The most common tools used for cutting corrugated board are:

grinder (angle grinder);
hacksaw for metal;
electric hacksaw;
manual and electric jigsaw;
scissors for metal;
electric shears;
hand circular saw.

Grinder or angle grinder (angle grinder)

When using a grinder, certain rules must be observed:

To work with profiled sheets, you need to use a disc with carbide teeth instead of an abrasive wheel. Such discs are called so - discs for cutting corrugated board.
The thickness of the disc should be between 1 mm and 1.6 mm.
To avoid corrosion, the cutting area is covered with a high-quality paint of the appropriate color.

When using a special blade, the cut edges are very thin and neat.

Some craftsmen, using a diamond-coated disc, cut a whole pack (10 sheets each).

Pros and cons of a hacksaw for metal

Advantages of cutting corrugated board with a hacksaw for metal:

speed;
accuracy;
no significant effort is required.

Cons of cutting sheets with a hacksaw for metal:

when working with a hacksaw, even cuts are easily made, but cutting out curved shapes is impossible;
when using a hacksaw for metal, a special cutting table is required.

Manual and electric jigsaw

It is important to know:

To increase the cutting speed, only the reciprocating mode is not enough, it is necessary that the inclination of the saw be, as it were, longitudinal.

Disadvantages of using a jigsaw:

the tool is not very convenient for cross-cutting sheets with a profile height of more than 25 mm;
not suitable for cutting thin strips;
the cutting speed is inferior to the grinder;
when working with an electric jigsaw, the edges are burnt, but not as strong as when using a grinder;
unpleasant noise.

Features of the use of scissors for metal

Advantages of cutting a profile sheet with metal shears:

It is an indispensable tool for cutting thin strips.
Provided they are well sharpened, they do an excellent job of cutting across the wave.

Disadvantages of using the tool:

Scissors for metal poorly cut corrugated board lengthwise, since in this direction the sheets have little flexibility.
The main disadvantage of cutting with such scissors is not very straight cut edges.

Electric shears: efficient and convenient

Hand-held circular saw

It is important to know:

Cutting profiled decking, which, unlike steel sheet, has a profile and an anti-corrosion coating, requires taking into account these features of the material. Due to the sensitivity of the coating to high temperatures, cold cutting methods are preferred. When choosing a tool, these conditions and restrictions must be taken into account. For example, the use of plasma cutting, welding, autogen and other similar tools does not meet the requirements for cutting corrugated board, as it is associated with exposure to high temperatures. It is also not recommended to use abrasive tools that tear off and carbonize the protective coating.

How to cut corrugated board - the pros and cons of tools for cutting corrugated board

How to cut corrugated board: choose tools. Pros and cons of using a grinder, metal hacksaw, hand and electric jigsaw, metal scissors and

Cutting corrugated board - how to cut a corrugated sheet so as not to spoil the material

No one will argue that today corrugated board is an extremely popular (and often simply irreplaceable) material for construction and decoration. In this regard, for many novice builders, the question of how to cut corrugated board becomes very important, because, despite the acceptable cost of its sheets, damage to the covering of the profiled sheet can negate all the advantages of using this material and significantly slow down construction.

How to properly cut corrugated board, what tools are used for this and how to handle the cut in order to avoid corrosion, is described in this article.

What is the difficulty of cutting profiled sheet?

The profiled sheet is a rather thin product that is easily damaged during the cutting process. The second feature of the corrugated board is its coating with a layer of galvanized and polymer, due to which it becomes impossible to use conventional methods of cutting sheet metal sheets.

High-temperature methods of metal processing in this case are also not suitable, because the covering of the corrugated board, no matter how strong and resistant to unfavorable natural factors, it easily burns out under the influence of high temperatures. You can not cut the profiled sheet and abrasive wheels, as they severely spoil the coating, which leads to the formation of corrosion. So, what can and should be done to cut corrugated board?

Method 1. Cutting corrugated board with a grinder

Since a grinder with an abrasive wheel, as already mentioned, is not suitable for a profiled sheet due to severe damage to the coating, it is permissible to use this tool only in combination with special discs for cutting corrugated board, which are thin cutting wheels 1-1.6 mm thick with teeth from carbide materials.

To avoid corrosion, after cutting the profiled sheet with a grinder, it is necessary to immediately process the edges with special paints.

The advantages of cutting corrugated board with a grinder are the speed of performing all operations and the relative ease of cutting the corrugated sheet.

The disadvantages of cutting corrugated board with a grinder are torn edges and a strong, very unpleasant soundtrack. Even if you use a special disc for cutting corrugated board, the grinder, in any case, is an abrasive tool, because the hot metal particles formed during the cutting process fall on the polymer coating and burn it, creating prerequisites for the appearance of foci of corrosion.

In addition, the torn edges of the profiled sheet after cutting require additional work to remove burrs. All this makes the grinder far from the best tool for cutting corrugated board.

Method 2. Cutting the profiled sheet with a hacksaw for metal

A fairly economical, convenient and popular way of processing corrugated board is a hacksaw for metal.

The advantages of cutting corrugated board with a hacksaw are neat and fast cutting, no chipping and burrs, the ability to work independently without much physical effort. Usually, builders use a hacksaw to work with fences, gates, small roofs and other structures that require a small thickness of corrugated board.

The disadvantages of cutting corrugated board with a hacksaw for metal are the impossibility of making curved cuts and the need for a special cutting table to fix the material. Thus, in the case of complex cutting work, in addition to a hacksaw, you should provide for the use of another tool. However, all the disadvantages of a hacksaw for metal are successfully covered by the advantages of this method.

Method 3. Cutting corrugated board with an electric jigsaw

The jigsaw is used for corrugated board, the height of the corrugation of which starts from 25 mm and is combined with a short length. Cutting with an electric jigsaw is carried out across or along the sheet, however, it is necessary to firmly press the profiled sheet so that it does not rattle.

Cutting should be done at high speeds using a fine-toothed saw specifically for metal. In the case of high speed, a reciprocating operation with a longitudinal inclination of the file is recommended.

The advantages of cutting corrugated board with a jigsaw are the low cost of work.

The disadvantages of cutting corrugated board with a jigsaw are the inconvenience of cross-cutting a corrugated sheet with a corrugation of 25 mm or more, the practical impossibility of cutting thin strips, severe burning of the edges of the metal sheet and protective polymer coating, strong noise during operation.

Method 4. Cutting corrugated board with scissors (conventional and electric)

Simple shears for corrugated board are used when it is necessary to carry out small work related to the installation of flooring, the construction of garages, gates and fences. Electric shears are used for a wider range of tasks, however, when an even cut edge does not matter.

How to cut corrugated board with scissors for metal, see the following video:

The advantages of both simple and electric shears for cutting corrugated board are fast, easy and high-quality cutting of thin and even strips, as well as cutting across the wave without damage.

Disadvantages of scissors for cutting corrugated sheets are uneven and rough edges of the cut. In addition, the low flexibility in the longitudinal direction makes it very difficult to cut the corrugated board lengthwise.

How to bend corrugated board?

In addition to cutting, the corrugated board can be bent, which allows you to significantly expand the possibilities of creating bent products for decorating wall corners, cornices and roof ridge.

To obtain a transversely bent profile, the corrugated board must be bent at right angles to the profile direction, and if a bending industrial unit is used for this when organizing serial production, then for a small-scale production process it will be enough to purchase a simple manual bending machine.

The most common design of this tool is considered to be a rotary one with a bending beam, and if you wish, you can equip this device with any additional functions that allow you not only to bend the corrugated board, but also, for example, cut it.

Cutting corrugated board - how to cut a corrugated sheet so as not to spoil the material - Useful tips

How to properly cut corrugated board, what tools are used for this and how to handle the cut in order to avoid corrosion, is described in this article. - Helpful tips

When such material as corrugated board is used in construction, the question always arises of how and how to cut it off, so that the edges are intact and the polymer layer is not damaged. There are many tools for this, the main thing is to choose a convenient one.

In terms of its structure, the corrugated board is very similar to a simple tin sheet, only corrugated. Hence the conclusion suggests itself that it is possible to cut corrugated board in the same way as tin. But this is not entirely true. Because the top of the sheet is covered with a layer of material that protects against corrosion. And the main thing when cutting corrugated board is to preserve the integrity of this layer.

The peculiarity of cutting corrugated board is that its coating deteriorates under the influence of high temperature, therefore, it is necessary to cut it using cold methods. Therefore, autogen or plasma methods will not work in this case. The grinder also needs to be handled carefully, use only special discs, otherwise you can destroy the entire protective layer of the material. You can cut the corrugated board using:

Bulgarian.
Electric scissors.
Low-speed saw.
A hacksaw.
A jigsaw used to cut metal.

Cutting profiled sheets with a grinder

Before you can cut the corrugated board with a grinder, you need to buy a special disc, which is exactly designed to cut the corrugated sheets. The thickness of this disc is from 1mm to 1.6mm and the teeth are made of durable material.
After finishing the work, it is necessary to paint the edges of the profile flooring with a special paint, so that corrosion will not appear in these places. But builders do not advise cutting the entire package of corrugated board at the same time, because very often the metal is damaged in such cases. There is only one plus from the use of a grinder - this is speed. Cutting sheets can be done in minutes and effortlessly.

And there are a little more cons:

Since the grinder is an abrasive tool, it can damage the sheets. This can happen because hot metal particles, when cutting a sheet with a grinder, fall on the protective surface of the flooring and burn through the polymer coating, and after a while corrosion appears in these places.
After cutting the metal with a grinder, the edges remain torn and will need to be further processed.
A very strong and harsh sound when cutting corrugated board with a grinder can cause concern for you and your neighbors.

Cutting profiled sheet with a hacksaw for metal

Among other tools for cutting corrugated board, experts usually choose a hacksaw for metal. Because this tool is convenient, economical and has a number of advantages:

Thanks to a hacksaw, sheets are cut quite quickly and accurately, and there are no burrs or notches on the cut.
The work is done manually, but it does not require a lot of physical labor.
A hacksaw is very convenient in cutting small-sized sheets with a small thickness, which are then used on small roofs, fences.

Cons of sawing a profiled sheet with a hacksaw:

It is very easy to cut a sheet of corrugated board in a straight line with a hacksaw, but if you need to make curved cuts, then nothing will work. Therefore, along with a hacksaw, you will have to use another tool.
To work with a hacksaw, you need a special table on which profiled sheets are attached before cutting.
In any case, all the disadvantages of work pale in front of the advantages and convenience of using a hacksaw for metal.

Cutting a profile sheet with a jigsaw

An electric or manual jigsaw is used when cutting a profile sheet when you need to make a curved cut. If you need to make small cuts, a hand-held jigsaw is a good choice. But electric is used in cases where the volume of work is very large. The quality of the work is not affected by which jigsaw was used.

If the wave height is from 25 mm, and the length is small, then use an electric jigsaw. You need to cut such material either along or across the flooring. But when cutting, it is imperative to press the sheet with force so that there is no tremor.

The jigsaw saw should be designed for working with metal, with small teeth, it is necessary to work at high speeds. Be sure to tilt the saw when changing gears.

The advantages of these works are low cost, and among the disadvantages:

It is inconvenient to cut the corrugated board across if its corrugation is higher than 25 mm.
Cutting thin strips with a jigsaw can result in loss of quality and time-consuming work.
If you use an electric tool, the edges of the sheet may be burnt, therefore, an additional cut will need to be processed with enamel.
Loud operating noise.

Cutting profile sheet with metal scissors

In small areas, it is very convenient to use special scissors for cutting corrugated board. With this tool, you can easily cut the sheet across the wave. The advantages of using scissors:

You can quickly and efficiently cut thin strips without spending a lot of effort.
When cut across the sheet, the metal does not deteriorate.

Disadvantages of using scissors:

Due to the low flexibility along the corrugation of the corrugated board, it is inconvenient to cut in this direction.
Sometimes there are torn edges.

Despite the disadvantages, it is metal scissors that are used if you need to cut off a sheet that is used in the construction of a gate, garage or fence. They need to cut small volumes of flooring.

Other tools for cutting profile sheet

In addition to the above tools, there are several more options than cutting corrugated board. For example, you can use a circular saw. When cutting, it is turned on at low speeds, because high speeds can damage the sheet. When using a saw, you can easily cut the sheet in any direction, but you need to do this with a partner. And use the minimum feed.

Electric scissors are also used, especially in cases where it is not necessary to have perfectly straight edges. Therefore, builders love electric scissors so much, their main advantage is speed and quality of execution, among the disadvantages are rough edges on the cuts.

After cutting the corrugated board

Even if you cut the metal very carefully, you still cannot avoid the integrity of the protective layer, and therefore you need to immediately take measures so that the sheet lasts as long as possible.

How to handle the cut line:

Special anti-corrosion and moisture resistant materials that are sold in any hardware store.
Often when buying profiled sheets, factory paint is also attached to them. She needs to immediately paint the edges of the sheet.
If such factory paint is not included in the kit, then you need to immediately buy a can of paint, the color and texture of which matches the similar paint on the profile sheet.

A correctly selected tool and the implementation of all subsequent work after cutting will allow the corrugated board to serve for many years.

Quite often, questions arise about whether it can be cut and how this can be done without damaging the sheet itself and the polymer layer. In our article, we will try to figure out what to cut corrugated board, what tools are needed for this and how you can process the cut edges in order to avoid the appearance of traces of corrosion.

Features of cutting corrugated board

Today, corrugated board is a demanded material that is used in a wide variety of construction work, it can be used to make fences, gates, cover roofs, and make the strongest overlapping of houses. Outbuildings can also be made of corrugated board, to cover external and internal walls.

A professional sheet is a rather thin product; it can be easily damaged when cutting. In addition, the metal is coated on top with a layer of galvanized and polymer, which makes it impossible to use conventional methods of cutting sheet metal.

High-temperature methods are also not suitable, since the coating, despite its strength and resistance to many factors, easily burns out under the influence of high temperatures. That is, as a result, not only the coating will be damaged, but also the sheet itself.

A grinder with an abrasive wheel is also not suitable for cutting, as it severely spoils the coating, and this again leads to the formation of corrosion. In this case, you can only use a special blade with carbide teeth, which is used for cutting metal surfaces.

What makes it more convenient to cut a profiled sheet?

Consider how to cut corrugated board, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the tools designed for this.

Grinder: use or postpone?

As we said, the grinder can only be used with certain types of cutting discs that are on sale names

This is what they are called: discs for cutting profiled decking. These are thin discs with a thickness of one millimeter to 1.6, its teeth are made of carbide materials.

After cutting, all edges must be immediately treated with special paints to avoid corrosion. Some people prefer to cut the entire bundle of profiled sheet at once using diamond-coated disks, but experts do not recommend doing this, since there is a high risk of metal damage.

There is only one advantage when working with a grinder - it is the speed of performing all operations. Cutting the profiled sheet will become quick and fairly easy.

There are many more cons. The grinder is in any case an abrasive tool that is quite capable of damaging the profiled sheet. This happens for the following reasons: during cutting, hot metal particles fall on the polymer coating and burn it, and this is a prerequisite for the appearance of foci of corrosion on the surface.

Of the negative aspects of using a grinder, it should be noted that the edges of the metal become torn, which leads to additional work to eliminate such burrs on the surface. In addition, when cutting, an unpleasant, strong squeal is heard, which delivers a lot of negative emotions, especially if there are neighbors.

Hacksaw for metal

Most often, cutting of corrugated board is carried out using a hacksaw for metal, which is more economical and convenient.

Let's consider the advantages of this method:

The advantages are that cutting with a hacksaw is carried out very quickly and accurately, no chipping or burrs remain along the cut line. Using a hacksaw allows you to do all the work by hand yourself, since it does not require significant physical effort. Most often, it is a hacksaw that is used when working with small roofs, fences, gates, the material of which has a small thickness.
Of the minuses, it should be noted that the profiled sheet is very easy to cut in a straight line, but it is impossible to make curvilinear cuts with it. Therefore, when using a hacksaw, you should also provide for the presence of another tool. In addition, when working with a hacksaw, it is necessary to prepare a special cutting table on which it will be possible to strengthen the material for cutting. But here it should be noted that all the disadvantages of using a hacksaw are much overlapped by the advantages.

Jigsaw (manual or electric)

This tool is used when it is necessary to obtain curved surfaces that cannot be achieved using a hacksaw. You can use an electric jigsaw or a manual jigsaw for this, which depends only on the convenience of the work. With the help of a hand tool, cuts can be made in small areas, but large volumes are available only with an electric tool. There is no difference in quality.

The electric tool is used for corrugated board, which has a corrugation height of twenty-five millimeters, combined with a short length. Such cutting is carried out across or along the sheet, but the profiled sheet must be pressed strongly so that it does not rattle.

The work is carried out at high speeds, the file must be fine-toothed, special for metal. When choosing a high speed, a reciprocating mode with a longitudinal inclination of the tool file is recommended.

The advantages of working with a jigsaw include the low cost of such work, but there are also disadvantages. Among the shortcomings, it is necessary to highlight the inconvenience of working with a cross-cut of corrugated board, which has a high corrugation from twenty-five millimeters. In addition, the jigsaw is not recommended for cutting thin strips, since the proper quality is not ensured, the cutting time is very long.

When using a jigsaw, the edges of the metal sheet and polymer coating are quite burned, that is, after cutting, the edges must be processed with a special enamel. During the actual operation, a loud noise is heard.

Metal scissors

In some cases, ordinary metal scissors are used to cut corrugated board, which allow excellent cutting across the wave. Here it is necessary to note such advantages of work as:

the ability to quickly, easily and efficiently, if necessary, cut very thin and even strips;
cutting across the corrugation wave without damaging the material.

Of the minuses, the following should be noted:

along the sheets of corrugated board are cut very poorly, since the flexibility in this direction is low;
when using scissors for metal, the edges of the cuts are slightly uneven.

But still, it is often just simple metal scissors that are used when carrying out small work on the construction of flooring, in the construction of garages, gates, fences. Usually they cut small volumes of material.

A couple more tools

Electric scissors are used for cutting when a straight edge does not matter. Therefore, it is often the electric shears that are one of the most popular and effective tools. Of the advantages, we single out the speed and rather good quality of work, and of the minuses, the slightly rough edges of the cut.

The hand-held circular saw with a fine-toothed blade can also be used quite effectively when cutting. At the same time, the professional sheet is cut quickly and easily in any direction, but it is advisable to do this together with an assistant. The minimum feed is used for this.

As we can see, it is possible to cut corrugated board during construction work in a variety of ways, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

For small works on installing the fence, hand tools can be used, but when laying the profiled sheet over a large area of the building, electric ones are already needed.

The quality and speed of work will depend on the correct choice of such a cutting tool. It also leads to a decrease in all financial expenses for installation, preservation of the sheet in excellent condition, and the absence of repair work to clean out corrosion spots.