As an interior architect, I often need to customize the cutting of wall panels according to space requirements. Whether it is to adjust the size or create a special shape, cutting is a necessary step. This blog post will systematically answer the question "Can wall panels be cut?" from material properties, and tool selection to operation details, and provide you with professional suggestions.
The wall panel is the material covering the surface of a building, which has both decorative and protective functions. Nowadays, wallboard has gradually replaced traditional cement plastering and is widely used in residential, commercial, and public buildings. Its popularity is mostly due to its three advantages: quick installation, environmental protection, and flexible design.
The solid wood wall panel is usually made of oak or walnut, which has a natural texture and warm feel, but its disadvantage is that it is easily affected by moisture and warps, so it requires regular maintenance.
Artificial wall panels are mainly represented by density boards or particle boards, which are made of wood chips, and resin adhesives and pressed at high temperatures. They are cheap and have a relatively smooth surface. However, such wallboards often have a greater risk of formaldehyde release, poor waterproof performance, and environmental friendliness.
Gypsum wall panel consists of a gypsum core and paper or fiber reinforcements. It is fireproof and soundproof but is less flexible and not waterproof.
The metal wall panel is a very strong material. They include aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or galvanized siding. They are strong and corrosion-resistant, suitable for industrial style. But they are usually more expensive and have poor sound insulation performance.
Bamboo fiber wall panels are composed of bamboo fiber and resin, which is environmentally friendly and moisture-proof, but has low hardness and poor impact resistance.
The PVC wall panels are made of calcium powder, polyvinyl chloride resin adhesive, additives, etc. They are light and easy to cut and install, but not resistant to high temperatures.
Similarly, WPC wall panels are also a composite profile made of fiber materials, calcium powder, PVC, and additives. They are highly weather-resistant and can be used in indoor and outdoor spaces.
According to the above wall panels classification, the order of difficulty of cutting is as follows (from easy to difficult):
PVC wall panel: It is soft and can be cut directly with a utility knife.
Bamboo fiber wall panel: The fiber structure is loose and can be cut with an ordinary manual saw.
Artificial wall panel: Density board is easy to cut, but you need to be careful about edge chipping during cutting.
WPC wall panels: WPC wall panels have high density and hardness. It is recommended to use a high-speed electric saw for cutting, and heat dissipation treatment is required during the cutting process.
Solid wall panel: Solid wood wall panel is dense and hard, requiring a sharp, high-powered electric saw to cut.
Gypsum wall panel: The gypsum wall panel is brittle and needs to be cut slowly and evenly to avoid damage.
Metal wall panel: Metal cutters or plasma cutting equipment must be used.
Wall Panel Type | Recommended Tools | Alternative plan |
PVC/bamboo fiber wall panels | Utility knife, jigsaw | Hand saw |
Artificial board/WPC wall panels | Electric circular saw (fine-toothed saw blade) | Reciprocating saw (with dust cover) |
Solid wood wall panels | Table saw (with guide rail), bakelite router | Hand saw (high number of teeth) |
Gypsum wall panels | Drywall cutting knife, angle grinder (diamond blade) | Hand saw + sandpaper polishing |
Metal wall panels | Plasma cutting machine, metal circular saw | Angle grinder (cutting disc) |
Pro Tip:
Invest in a versatile oscillating saw, such as the Fein Multimaster, to handle most siding edge trimming; also, always wear a splash mask and fire-resistant gloves when cutting metal.
Take the WPC wall panel as an example:
After measuring the installation area, use a tape measure and a marker to mark the cutting line on the back of the wall panel, and leave a 2~3mm margin to prevent insufficient size due to thermal expansion and contraction.
Put the wall panel flat on the workbench and fix it with a G-clip or vacuum cup. When cutting wider WPC wallboards, place wooden strips underneath to prevent vibration.
Use a circular saw with a 60-tooth tungsten carbide blade and adjust the speed to 4000-5000rpm; after laser calibration, turn on the saw and cut along the marked line.
Hold the saw with both hands and move it at a constant speed along the marked line to avoid cutting too fast. In addition, you need to slow down at the end of the cut to prevent the edge of the strong board from cracking.
Use 120-grit sandpaper to polish the edges of the wall panels to remove burrs and uneven parts. In addition, the edges of the WPC wall panels need to be coated with a special edge sealer to prevent the edges from absorbing water and swelling.
When cutting wall panels, you need to follow the operating guidelines to ensure smooth material cutting and safe construction. This includes the following factors:
When cutting wall panels, you need to wear goggles, dust masks, and earplugs. Especially when cutting metal wall panels, you need to operate in an environment away from flammable items, and the room must be equipped with fire extinguishing equipment.
Use guide rail auxiliary tools to ensure better precision. For complex shapes, you can make a 1:1 cardboard template and then cut it according to the cutting order and method of the template.
For gypsum wallboard, you can cut the paper surface first and then break it off to avoid direct sawing. For metal wallboards, grind the edge with a file or grinding wheel after cutting.
When cutting WPC or PVC wallboards, ventilation, and heat dissipation measures must be taken to prevent high-temperature melting. Before cutting solid wood wallboards, check whether its moisture content is less than 12%.
Clean the dirt on the saw blade after use and lubricate the guide rail parts regularly.
WPC and PVC wallboard scraps can be recycled separately, while artificial board scraps containing colloids should be classified as hazardous waste and should not be discarded at will.
As you can see, it is possible to cut almost any wall panel to size. However, cutting does require expertise.
When you understand the characteristics of each material, use tools reasonably, and adopt professional cutting methods, I believe you can easily complete this great work.
