HOW TO CHOOSE DIAMOND BLADES FOR PROPER CUTTING OF PORCELAIN COUNTERTOPS PT 2

Thin Rim Porcelain Cutting Blades

Another style of porcelain blade available is the thin-rim blade. Since they are so thin, they remove less material at once and therefore they do not chip as easily as other blades do. Also, thin-rim diamond blades for cutting porcelain usually have a more pronounced texture on the sides of the rim. This allows for greater material removal, again
without beating the edges of the stone. The texturing on the sides of the rim will vary, but they will be designed with diamonds in the bond so that they cut on not only the edge but also the sides.

Thin-rim porcelain blades usually have some method for dissipating heat that is generated by the friction that cuts the porcelain. Everything from air holes in the blade's body to the material of which the blade is made. Air holes allow the blade to "breathe", meaning, the heat that builds up in the metal body of the blade gets released into the air as it escapes via the holes in the blade body. Copper blades also radiate heat away from the rim toward the center of the blade and in this way the rim is cooled.

Turbo Porcelain Blades

One of the types of porcelain blades that you will no doubt see is the turbo rim blade. This style of blade is usually designed for fast cutting. They are often used for cutting hard stones like granite and quartzite. Because they cut hard materials so well, they can also be used for cutting porcelain and ceramic materials as well.

While these kinds of diamond blades cut fast, they tend to chip more than other types of ceramic blades when compared head to head. That being said, there are various grades of turbo blades available, and not every turbo blade performs at the same level. Some turbo blades are made for cutting ceramic materials.

Turbo mesh diamond blades are designed to be effective for cutting porcelain tiles, panels, and even countertops. Ceramic turbo mesh blades bring together the various benefits described above into a blade that is vented, has a thin body, and is textured on the sides of the rim.

While this style of blade might not beat others in any one aspect of cutting, it is potentially one of the best all-around ceramic blades if you choose one that is high quality.

As we have seen, many types of blades can be used to cut ceramic materials, including porcelain. Each style brings some benefits with it. Depending on the person using the blade, the volume of the shop it is used in, and the number of materials that are processed by the shop, the blade chosen might vary. However, whichever blade you need for your situation can easily be found by browsing through our selection of diamond blades.

The importance of having adequate equipment to cut dekton and porcelain

Dekton, among other alternative stone materials, continues to grow in popularity for applications such as countertops, flooring, and both interior and exterior wall cladding. Being a hard dense product, it is crucial to use appropriate tooling during the fabrication process. Carlos Sustaita, production director for STA Granite, provides several important tips of advice for those working with compact sintered stone.

Why do products such as Dekton need special/different tools than those that are used for cutting granite and marble?

Material hardness is the key to understanding why you need different tools to fabricate Dekton. The material has a

very high density (ultra-compact), which means that if you don’t use proper tools, you can either break the tool or the material or even worse, damage the machinery.

The cutting process requires trimming the edges to release tensions. Then you have to follow cutting recommendations, which include using plenty of water, the proper speed, feed rate, etc. Once you follow the rules, it’s a piece of cake.

When doing edging on Dekton, What is the difference in the process compared to a natural stone?

In this sense, Dekton’s edge is very easy to work with since the material is very homogeneous, and it is easy to get very good results. Any fabricator can do it well on the first attempt.

What are some common mistakes that fabricators are making when it comes to cutting this material? And, what are some common mistakes with doing edging or doing sinkholes or something?

The main mistake is trying to fabricate Dekton as if it was a granite or quartz composite. You will fail if you use the same tools, speed rates, and so on. Another common mistake is trying to cut Dekton in uneven support. It is a common source of problems too.

Sometimes people ask about what machine is best to cut Dekton. I believe the key is not the machine but the tools and proper maintenance. I have seen people with very modest equipment doing amazing things and the other way around.

7 Keys for Cutting Ultra-Compact and Sintered Dekton and Porcelain Materials

1. Water

It may seem too simple or too intuitive to matter, but less than adequate water AND hoses positioned incorrectly is the most common error causing headaches among cutting these materials.

2. Check your table level

One of the more overlooked aspects of successful cutting is, to the degree that your table is not level in the horizontal plane, vibrations will occur. This unevenness can result in chipping and likely breaking the edge of your slab.

3. Buy the right blade

As cliche, as it may sound, choosing the right blade for the material you are processing, is critical.

4. Removing tensioning strips

While each manufacturer of ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials may, or may not have tensioning strips built into the perimeters of each slab, if they are not removed before cutting, the slab is at higher risk of cracking or breaking.

5. Feed rate and RPMs

Using the same feed rate and RPMs you may be accustomed to when cutting other materials can be a recipe for trouble. Unlike fabricating more common materials such as marble and granite, we’ve seen the most success cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials when following a systemized approach is used.

6. Avoiding Plunging

While plunge cutting tends to be of little concern for most sawyers when cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials it can pose big problems resulting in cracking or breaking your slab.

7. Cutting Sinks

Projects requiring a sink cut-out can be an obstacle many fabricators dread. Since we already know plunging is not the ideal way to go about this, what are your options? When preparing a sink cut-out, it is advised to drill each of the four corners with a 1/2” core bit before to start initiating cutting.