Top-quality porcelain paving demands a top-quality finish, which is why you should use continuous rim diamond blades.

View down onto steps curving up from patio in Gea porcelain with curved edge to raised decking.
Gea porcelain has been precisely cut with a diamond blade to fit the decking in this design by Rowan Tindale, built by Garden Solutions.

Cutting porcelain slabs can be daunting. It's extremely dense in comparison to a lot of natural stone, and when porcelain paving first came in, it took landscapers a bit of practice to get it right. The secret is to choose the right blade and take your time. Aye Gardening agreed: “You have to be very careful cutting as porcelain can chip or break, so it takes longer. But there are techniques, such as using low revs."

Craig Nester of Habitat Landscapes, Bedfordshire, also finds no problem, with the right equipment. “After using the material regularly, I would say that with the right installation advice, support from the supplier and, most importantly, the right tools, porcelain is easy to install. The London Stone porcelain blade really glides through on the cuts,” he says, “leaving a crisp finish to the edge.”

It's certainly worth it: a good cut complements porcelain's sleek, contemporary look.

London Stone's Precision Diamond Blades

3 continuous rim diamond-edged porcelain cutting blades with different diameters
Continuous rim diamond-edged porcelain cutting blades from London Stone.

All our porcelain diamond blades have continuous rims to reduce the chance of chipping, and our range has been designed to combine good length of service with accuracy of finish. You'll get precise, exact cuts, whether you've set up the wet saw or are making a few quick cuts with a small grinder.

Available in three diameters to suit a range of equipment, including small and large grinders, petrol disc cutters and table saws, they are recommended for 6000-10,000 RPM to give you a smooth finish.

Wet cutting recommended

We recommend that all cutting is done wet. This is because cuts are generally smoother and cleaner, but it also extends the life of the blade by reducing friction, and suppresses dust production when cutting is underway. Water also prevents overheating. Without it, you'll have to take breaks every so often to allow the blade to cool down.

Round water feature with curved cut Anthracite porcelain paving surround.
Large format Anthracite porcelain paving has been precisely cut for this feature in Karen Tatlow's Cancer Research UK's Legacy Garden at RHS Malvern Spring 2022

Precautions when dry cutting

Wet cutting is, of course, not always feasible.

If you are dry cutting, then it's vital to wear a suitable mask to prevent lung damage from the dust produced. It is also very important not to allow the blade to overheat.

What happens when a diamond blade overheats

Allowing the blade to overheat reduces its useful life. The blades can warp, which leads to imprecise cuts, and are more likely to chip the porcelain. Diamonds are also more likely to become detached, so cutting will be less efficient, again leading to more imprecise edges. Alternatively, the heat could dull the cutting edge as the bond that holds the diamonds to the disc hardens around them. The result is a marked slowing in cutting speed, which again results in imperfect cuts.

All excellent reasons to give your blade a breather!

For more information, see our Porcelain Diamond Cutting Blades or read How to Cut Porcelain Slabs for a comparison of continuous and segmented blades.