Concrete pave stones have become an increasingly popular paving material in the U.S. in the past two decades. While the paver product can be used for a multitude of applications ranging from commercial, residential and industrial pedestrian and vehicular projects, one of the strongest benefits is the limitless design possibilities. Concrete pave stones come in a variety of shapes, textures and colors offering a range of installation designs from old world, to modern, to traditional and just about any combination or concept imaginable. Contractors can work with customers to achieve a truly beautiful and unique pavement. Pave stones are made from a no-slump concrete providing strength of at least 8000 lbs. psi; however, one of the great benefits of pave stone is the ability to cut them as needed for greater design. "The ability to cut paving stones opens up many design possibilities for the contractor," Rick McClean, Pavestone Company, stated. "By not being limited to certain geometric shapes that require a 'perfect fit' of a stone, the landscape architect or designing contractor is free to use virtually any shape stone to create radius curves, patterns, or even a mosaic image within the design." In addition to the increased aesthetic value, the ability to cut pave stones enables a contractor to fit them into difficult areas such as between fixed walls or curbs. Some stone shapes do not have straight edges and therefore require cuts around the perimeter. Jesse Reeves, owner of "The Paving Stone Contractor" for more than 18 years, prefers the saw cut method for pave stone cutting. His approach is that of a craftsman balancing artistic installation with a structurally sound installation. "The appearance is more finished and the flow of curved lines is easier to see when sawn," Reeves explains about saw cutting paving stones. "Insets and patterns of some complexity can be achieved with the saw. Pattern and color contrast can be enhanced. Also, the overall integrity of the stone edge is affected by water penetration. Saw cutting provides a closer fit therefore less water penetration and subsequent expansion of the joint." It is important to note that while cutting a stone does not affect the overall strength of a pave stone, too many small cuts can negatively affect the strength of the outer edge of a job. The stone interlock will only be affected minimally, if at all. Successful interlock is achieved by the proper use of edge restraints, type of bedding, sand, joints and compaction. There are three ways to cut a pave stone?EUR??,,?? hammer and chisel, Guillotine Splitter, and wet (or dry) saw. McClean compares the cutting methods: Hammer & Chisel This is the most difficult method of the three as it requires much strength and is more time-consuming. A small, hand-held sledgehammer and wide-blade chisel are best for this. After a line is marked on the stone to be cut, a score mark should be started by lightly tapping on the marked line with the hammer and chisel. After the score mark is complete, about an eighth-inch deep, several heavier blows with the hammer and chisel should break the stone. This is a common way to shape partial retaining wall stones when a full stone will not fit into a space. Never chisel on a stone while it is resting on a completed area, as damage could occur to the installed stone. Guillotine Splitter This is the fastest and most efficient way to cut a stone because many stones can be split in a very short amount of time. Many contractors prefer this method because it will save large amounts of labor time. This is a simple device that uses leverage instead of strength to split a stone. The marked pave stone is placed between two adjustable splitting blades. A bar is then pushed down causing enough pressure on the blades to split the stone in two pieces. The cut stone can then be put in place. The guillotine splitter is compact, portable, and is usually on wheels, making it easy to take from job to job. Usually, one member of the crew is assigned to the splitter, as there is some skill involved in perfecting the art and speed of splitting pave stones. A guillotine splitter will average $20/day to rent and approximately $650 to purchase. Wet (or dry) Saw This method is considerably slower than a guillotine splitter, but provides a much smoother, precise cut without the rough edges that the splitter, especially in inexperienced hands, can produce. Some contractors rely on this very reason to use 'saw cuts' as a selling point to their customers. Safety is a greater factor here and it is important to be careful of the high-speed rotating blade. The water used in a wet saw can affect vision and they make a lot of noise. There are many types and brands of saws and blades in the market, so there are a few basic things to keep in mind when selecting a saw. The higher the rpm of the blade, the better the saw will be at cutting concrete. Slower rpm saws are used for wood or sheet metal cutting. Concrete pave stones are very dense, and require the higher rpm to not 'bog down' the saw. A fourteen-inch diamond blade is recommended as well, to be able to cut through the thickness of the pave stone. The paving stone supplier should be able to direct the contractor to the proper saw or saw dealer in your area. In most areas, a saw could average about $100/day to rent and easily range from $1,500 to $3,000 to purchase. Important: Gloves and safety goggles are a must for the safety of the contractor regardless of cutting method used. "It really does not require a great deal of skill to cut pave stones," McClean said. "A little practice goes a long way. The difficult part of stone cutting is deciding where to make the cuts. There are several ways to design a pattern. At Pavestone Company, we have grid patterns that the contractor can draw the proposed installation on to scale. There are also computer-aided drafting and landscape design programs to help create pavement and landscape designs available in the market. Cutting stones is a normal part of the installation process and it's not something to be afraid of. The contractor should always have the splitter of his choice with him at each job. By using different shaped cut stones in different colors, the contractor is limited on by imagination." To contact Rick McClean, call (817) 481-5802. For more information on concrete pave stones go to the Pavestone Company website www.pavestone.com.