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Diamond blades are tools used to cut abrasive and dense materials such as stone, concrete, and tile. In this guide, we’ll delve into how diamond blades work, the various styles and types, the metals they are made of (such as synthetic diamonds and powdered metals), and choosing the right diamond blade for your needs. Whether wet cutting or dry cutting, knowing the blades consist of helps to make good, clean cuts, provide maximum performance, and eliminate potential safety problems.
Why Use a Diamond Blade?
Diamond blades are the first choice for contractors who need to cut the hard stuff like stone, concrete, and granite. Diamond blades cut and slice through the material, with the diamonds creating new cutting surfaces. This leads to less damage, cleaner cuts, and longer blade life.
What Are the Key Advantages of Diamond Blades With Circular Saws?
Here are some of the reasons why professionals and DIYers alike prefer diamond blades.
- Precise Cutting: Diamond blades ensure a quick and clean cut each time, excellent for cutting hard materials such as stone, tile, or concrete. Furthermore, they stay on the line of the cut, which makes them ideal for precision work.
- Durable: Diamond blades are designed to last against even the hardest of materials. A fresh diamond surface is exposed as the blade is used, allowing a clean cut to be made each time. Also, most diamond blades have a steel core for added rigidity and strength.
- Versatility: They are designed for use with all circular saws, tile saws, and diamond saws. They are great for cutting less hard material if you don’t force the saw. Diamond blades are perfect for dry-cutting and wet-cutting applications, depending on the job and material.
- Speed: Diamond blades offer faster cutting vs standard abrasive grinding performance and a smoother finish. They also avoid the trouble of secondary grinding after cutting.
Always use a dust mask when using a dry cutting blade to avoid the dangers of inhaling silica dust from the blades, which can be harmful to your health. Some special blades are provided with water as a coolant, which helps in getting the desired cuts in wet cutting, since it suppresses high temperatures and dust.
How Do Diamond Blades Work: What Materials Can Diamond Blades Cut?
Diamond blades are designed to cut through some of the hardest substances. The fact that they grind with artificial diamond segments on any material as well makes them suitable for most abrasive materials. Of course, picking the best blade for the material and pairing it to the right kind of saw is key to safety, performance, and an efficient cutting process.
Tile (Ceramic and Porcelain): When cutting tile, whether ceramic or porcelain, you will need to use a continuous rim diamond blade to cut ceramic tiles. These blades make a very clean, straight cut and work well for wet cutting with a wet saw. The continuous edge minimizes chipping and offers smooth cuts on the side of the cut line on softer materials such as backsplash or bathroom tiles.
Concrete (With or Without Rebar): A segmented rim diamond blade is often used to cut concrete and specifically for cutting reinforced concrete. These blades have gullets to aid the removal of debris and to help cool the blade as it is cutting. A strong concrete saw will typically be used, with water cooling in place to increase blade life and reduce silica dust exposure.
Asphalt: Asphalt, while softer than concrete, is also very abrasive. You want to use a segmented blade with a soft bond, so that the diamonds wear out fast and you get fresh, sharp diamonds to work on that hard concrete. These blades are intended for gas-powered or walk-behind saws.
Brick, Block, and Masonry: For most general-purpose cutting, such as brick or concrete block, use a turbo rim or segmented rim blade. Ideal for dry cutting or wet cutting of chop saw and circular saw. They have good speed and extended lifespan even with aggressive cutting.
Stone (Granite, Marble): Cutting any type of stone, whether granite or marble, requires a turbo rim diamond blade. It offers a balance between speed and a smooth finish. These are used with wet saws or angle grinders.
Glass: Glass is fragile and needs a special, continuous rim blade designed to cut fragile materials. Always use a premium wet saw and go slow to prevent breakage.
Never use a blade that is not intended for the material you are cutting. The wrong blade can overheat, fail prematurely, or pose serious safety hazards. It is extremely important to match the right diamond saw blades to the natural stone and cutting material to ensure optimum safety and performance.
Types of Diamond Saw Blades
Diamond blades come in many different rim and segment designs to make them suitable for the requirements of the application and material. Whether it is dry cutting or wet cutting, you need to fully understand the different aspects and variations of a diamond blade in order to get the best results and ensure your safety.
Continuous Rim Blade
A continuous rim blade is solid around the edge and has a smooth rim. It must be run on a wet saw to avoid warping. It’s the best choice to work on porcelain, ceramic, and marble since it offers a chip-free finish.
Segmented Rim Blade
A segmented rim blade consists of gapped rim segments separated by narrow gullets. They are designed to increase airflow and reduce heat buildup. It is mostly used for cutting hard materials such as brick, concrete, or masonry. It is mostly used in dry cutting and wet cutting with circular saws or walk-behind saws.
Turbo Rim Blade
The turbo rim blade works well on granite work because it cuts smoother than the segmented blade. It has a serrated blade and cuts into stacked or thick materials such as granite, cast iron, or natural stone. It is mostly used with handheld saws and circular blade saws.
Specialty Core Bits/ Rescue Blades
Core drilling bits are designed for hole cutting in hard materials such as concrete or stone. Rescue blades, vacuum brazed or laser welded, are designed for cutting embedded metal, rebar, or even ductile iron. These blades are constructed of high-quality diamond particles and metal alloys that provide the longest durability possible.
How to Choose the Right Diamond Blade for Your Job
Choosing the correct diamond blade is important for safe, efficient, and good-quality cutting. With countless blades in a variety of styles, selecting the right one means you need to know your material, your saw, and how you plan to use it. Here’s how to get the decision right.
Know Your Material
The first thing to think about when cutting is the material. Opt for a soft bond blade for hard materials such as granite, porcelain, or stone. A softer bond enables the new diamonds to re-sharpen fast and keep sharp on hard materials.
On the other side of the balance are softer materials such as asphalt, which are more abrasive and will wear out a harder bond blade too quickly. Depending on your cutting materials and different styles needed, you can match the bond of your blade to maximize blade life and performance. There are many blades available, but you must match yours precisely for the best results.
Match the Blade to the Saw
Not all saws work with all diamond blades. For wet tile saws, a continuous rim blade is preferable, as they are also used to cut softer materials such as tile, marble, and granite. Whether you are cutting with a concrete saw or a walk-behind saw, a segmented blade is perfect for heavy work and cutting concrete. Chop saws or cut-off saws are also capable of cutting with segmented and turbo blades, which are also used to cut stone and masonry.
A turbo or segmented rim blade is the ideal cutting tool for angle grinders.
Choose Wet vs. Dry Cutting
Wet cutting is better for hard materials and long cuts. Water cooling lowers high temperatures, controls dust, and extends the life of your blade.
Dry cutting is more versatile, especially on sites lacking a water supply, but creates more silica dust and necessitates protective gear like dust masks to sidestep serious safety issues.
Consider Blade Size and Arbor
Always ensure that the blade diameter and arbor hole size match your tool. Popular diamond blade sizes are the following: 4.5”, 7”, 10”, 12”, and 14”. Size them wrong and they underperform or, worse, create safety hazards. A properly matched right blade provides the best results with any cutting surface.
At Johnson Tools, we provide a full range of customizations designed specifically to fit your brand. We have a team of skilled and creative professionals who can add your branding easily by printing or laser marking. Of course, our senior engineers are in charge of developing special diamond segment compositions for cutting materials unique to you.
Moreover, we are capable of custom packaging solutions, great varieties, and eye-catching color boxes and blister packs, all with your logo and company details printed or attached. Our 20 years of industry experience and certificates of excellence, such as CE and MPA, perfectly back the continuity of high-quality diamond tools. As an illustration of how much we strive to meet your expectations, we also present samples for comprehensive testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use a diamond blade on a circular saw?
There are diamond blades that you can use with a circular saw as long as they are designed for it. Make sure the blade’s arbor size matches your saw, so the blade will fit, and you can operate it safely.
- What’s the difference between a tile blade and a concrete blade?
Tile blades are continuous rim and wet-only, made for smooth, delicate cuts. Concrete blades are segmented or turbo, made for aggressive cutting and debris clearance.
- How long does a diamond blade last?
Depends on the material, cut depth, saw type, and blade quality. A high-quality blade can last hundreds of feet of cutting.
- What happens if I run a wet blade dry?
Failure to use water in combination with a wet cutting blade can cause the blade to overheat, warp, or collapse, which can lead to injury. Always make certain that your blade is for dry use if you are cutting without water.
- Can diamond saw blades cut through metal?
Only diamond blades of specialty type, labeled as rescue or combo blades, should be used to cut materials that are just like metal (embedded rebar). Use the correct blade that matches the cutting surface and application.
Conclusion
A diamond blade is a crucial cutting tool that provides accuracy and efficiency, if it’s suitable for your saw and its intended application. Whether you’re cutting tile with a wet saw, finishing concrete with a grinder, please choose a blade that fits your needs, whether you are cutting wet, dry, or cutting specific material. Get the best diamond blades for wet saws, concrete saws, and multi-material cutting now!
