Polystyrene foam is a fairly popular building material. It is used for heat and sound insulation of premises. During construction work, this material requires processing, in particular cutting to the required parameters. There are many options for cutting foam that are applicable at home.
The procedure for cutting polystyrene foam requires compliance with certain rules, since the material can break and crumble if handled incorrectly. To cut foam plastic, a variety of tools are used, for example, a good knife, a soldering iron, a fine-tooth file for wood, metal, nichrome wire, and a grinder (only for thin foam).
Let's look at several ways to cut polystyrene foam materials.
Wire cutting
You can make a special device for processing (cutting) foam plastic at home with your own hands. To do this, you need to purchase a step-down transformer, a string, springs with which the string will be tensioned, and a pipe with a thickness of 2 cm for the lining. The thickness of the polystyrene foam board itself, which will be cut, must be at least 2 cm.
To arrange a tabletop for this equipment you will need a table, a profiled sheet, a board. Making such a device for cutting polystyrene foam at home will not be difficult.
Shaped cutting
Lately, shaped cutting of foam plastic, for which a thermal cutter is used, has been quite in demand. The cutting element in this case is a nichrome wire, attached to an equipped handle made of insulating material. The thermal cutter makes it possible to make indentations of various shapes in polystyrene foam.
After such treatment, a melted crust is formed on the surface of the material, which gives greater strength to the material, but also covers the pores. Therefore, it is necessary to use a step-down transformer, which is made independently. You just need to purchase specialized transformer hardware.
To correctly select the current value, it is necessary to make a rheostat, for which you can use a pre-stretched spiral of an electric stove. To make the winding frame, you can use a ceramic or asbestos-cement pipe (pipe parameters: thickness 1.5-2 cm, length 8 cm). Nichrome wire must be wound onto the pipe until the frame is completely filled.
Knife cutting
When insulating a floor or ceiling using foam boards, it is not at all necessary to use special equipment.
To cut polystyrene foam at home you need to have:
- Nice knife.
- A ruler more than one meter long.
- Pencil.
The procedure for cutting polystyrene foam boards in this way is quite simple:
- The starting and ending points of the cut line are first marked on the surface of the material with a pencil.
- Next, a ruler is applied to these marks, clamped, and an incision is carefully made along it with a paint knife (it is not necessary to completely cut off the piece of foam plastic).
- The polystyrene foam plate is turned over to the other side, and a cut is made in the same way, parallel to the cut already made.
- After making the cuts, you just need to break the foam along the line.
This method of cutting material is the cheapest, quietest and fastest, and there is practically no debris after finishing the work. Be sure to check the sharpness of the knife before cutting foam.
How to cut foam plastic so that it does not crumble
Expanded polystyrene is a universal material that is used for thermal and sound insulation of buildings under shock and noise loads. When carrying out repair work related to thermal insulation or redevelopment, it is necessary to cut out large sheets of insulation. In this regard, the question arises of how to cut foam plastic so that the line is even.
Tools
Let's look at equipment that is used for cutting foam at home. These include:
- knife
- hacksaw for metal
- fine-toothed wood saw
- Bulgarian
- soldering iron
- nichrome wire.
Before you start cutting, you need to mark the workpiece with a simple sharpened pencil. If you use a hacksaw or jigsaw as a cutting tool for foam plastic, you should not make quick movements. This is due to the good thermal insulating properties of the material, when when friction occurs, heat does not dissipate and it heats up, which complicates the process. Use a soldering iron if you need to quickly cut the workpiece. To do this, its end needs to be flattened with a hammer and a special part is secured, for the manufacture of which you need to take a metal cap of a fountain pen and a blade. After the device has warmed up, start cutting sheets.
Using a grinder, cut only very thin foam. It is unlikely that you will be able to achieve a high-quality cut; the result will be similar to when working with a jigsaw. In addition, with this method of processing the material there will be a lot of debris and noise.
Choosing a suitable knife
To cut the foam, you can use an ordinary knife, which should be well sharpened and preheated. The stationery version is suitable for cutting soft material; it has a fairly flexible blade and is not recommended for processing slabs of considerable thickness, since it is difficult to obtain an even vertical cut. The advantages will be a small amount of waste, availability and low cost of the tool. Remember that the thinner the sheet, the smoother the cut will be; the optimal thickness should be no more than 5 cm.
The most optimal cutting method
This method can be used if you have a basic understanding of electrical engineering; to make the device you will need to prepare:
- wire
- transformer
- spring.
The table is placed at an angle (20-60˚), and a wire is stretched across it, one end of which is rigidly fixed, and a spring is used to secure the other. The wires of a transformer connected to the electrical network are connected to them. Current is supplied and the workpiece is placed on the table. Sheets are cut as a result of sliding under the influence of their own weight.
You can pass current from the power transformer of an old TV. Another option is to include a variable resistance (rheostat) in the electrical circuit. The current strength must be controlled so that strong heating does not occur, which will result in melting of the foam and the appearance of sagging lines along the edges.
An attractive side of this method is the ability to cut fragments both in a straight line and along kinks and convolutions, which makes the process universal
It is important to remember that the wire should not be very hot. It will be enough if she just turns slightly red, otherwise the cut will be too wide. You should select a strong spring, this will make it possible to adjust the length
You should select a strong spring, this will make it possible to adjust the length.
Features of working with large sheets
It is possible to cut foam boards with your own hands using simple but effective equipment, such as steel wire with a diameter of 0.5 mm and wooden handles attached to the ends. First you need to mark the block on both sides and start cutting quickly. The thread heats up and melts the material, resulting in a hard, smooth and melted surface. To decide what is best for cutting expanded polystyrene (foam), you need to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of the listed methods and select a tool based on the characteristics of such cutting.
Using a hand saw
Cutting a foam board with a thickness greater than 50 mm using a knife will be very difficult and ineffective. If you use an electric jigsaw, there will be a lot of debris, and the cut line will not be smooth. Therefore, the best option for cutting polystyrene foam up to 10 cm thick at home is with a hand saw.
To carry out the work, it is recommended to purchase a wood saw with a length that will allow you to cut material 50-100 mm thick.
How to cut polystyrene foam so as not to crumble
Polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene is a universal material that is used for insulation and sound insulation in building structures. The basis of its structure is formed by foamed plastic. This explains why foam plastic quite often crumbles when cutting.
When processing the material, you need to decide what to use to cut it so that the cut line is smooth and there are as few crumbs as possible.
Types of tools
Mechanical cutting. The most common available tools include a knife, jigsaw, saw and grinder.
Ordinary knife
When choosing a knife, the main attention is paid to its blade. If it is sharp, then the cutting process proceeds faster and less waste is generated. The knife must be preheated before cutting.
The knife must be preheated before cutting.
The disadvantage of this method is that the use of a knife is possible with a foam thickness of 1–5 cm.
Disadvantages to use:
— the ability to cut only thin sheets;
— the knife blade quickly becomes dull;
Stationery knife. The stationery version of the knife is best used for soft materials. This knife has thin and flexible blades, so it is not used for processing thick slabs.
Advantages:
— little garbage;
— availability of purchase;
- low cost.
Jigsaw. Trimming with a jigsaw is used when cutting foam up to 10 cm in thickness. This method does not require much effort.
Flaws:
- the cut is not perfectly smooth;
— a sufficient amount of crumbs is formed;
- cannot be used in the absence of power supply
Hand saw for wood. If the thickness of the foam reaches 40 mm, then it is better to cut it with a hacksaw. The method is quite simple and fast, without much physical effort.
A saw with fine teeth is better suited. This tool is only used to obtain straight cuts.
"Bulgarian". The advantages of the grinder are that it seems to cut the foam itself if you use the thinnest circles.
However, it is not recommended to cut thick material with a grinder. You won't get a high-quality result, but there will be a lot of garbage.
In addition, this option is not very good due to the squealing noise that occurs when the foam interacts with the circle of the machine. Plus, the noise of the instrument’s engine is added to it. Therefore, if you are cutting a large number of foam boards, you should wear headphones from the very beginning of the work. Add to this list the electricity consumption that you will need to pay.
Nichrome wire cutter. Practice working with foam plastic shows that a high-quality cut is formed when using a tool with a heated wire. The edges are even, smooth, and there are practically no crumbs. The advantages of the method include high cutting speed and productivity in volumes similar to industrial ones.
The active use of the method is hampered by the difficulty of acquiring it due to its absence in stores. If there is an urgent need for a machine, there is only one way out - to make a cutter yourself. This is a separate issue, to which many good articles on the Internet are devoted, containing step-by-step instructions and illustrations.
Easy way to cut
Cutting can be done with thin steel wire. It should be secured to wooden handles. They are placed at different ends of the surface intended for cutting. The cut is reminiscent of the process of sawing firewood. You will need an assistant to hold one of the handles. Friction causes the string to heat up, so the cut line is even and smooth.
Bottom line
From the review, we can draw a general conclusion that the process of cutting foam is quite simple and fast. The processing method is selected depending on the selected tool, the volume of work, and the shape (straightforward, tortuous or volumetric) in which the result should be obtained.
Foam cutting machine
Expanded polystyrene is a good insulation material, an excellent raw material for various decorative elements, which you can make yourself. For decorative cutting of foam plastic, you will need a specialized machine. There are many options for such equipment, it all depends on the intended design of the product.
Cutting the material can be done using a tungsten filament. It should be noted that this thread is hot, but its temperature can be adjusted . In addition to polystyrene foam, you can cut other materials with this thread. This is especially true in the manufacture of various components intended for stucco.
The required stencil is applied to the expanded polystyrene plate, and an object is created using a tungsten filament. This procedure is not difficult and does not take much time.
You can also use a construction blade or cutter for the equipment. The design of the machines may differ, but the principle of operation remains the same - the use of a tungsten filament, which is connected to the electrical network. Using such a device, you can independently produce decorative elements from polystyrene foam of any configuration.
To perform cutting, it is recommended to purchase the following tool:
- Tungsten filament.
- String.
- Thermal cutter.
If you assemble the cutting machine correctly, there will be no difficulties during the work process. The main thing is to use a high-quality tool, show maximum diligence and care. And to perform such work, you do not need to contact experienced craftsmen.
How to cut foam plastic with your own hands: step-by-step instructions
Standard construction is a thing of the past. Today, every owner strives to make his home functional and individual. At the same time, attention is paid not only to design.
Sound insulation, heat retention and proper ventilation are of no small importance. You can do a lot of work using polystyrene foam. However, manufacturers package the material in large sheets.
That is why it is important to choose a reliable and comfortable tool for cutting them.
Required tools and materials
Polystyrene foam is a lightweight material that can be cut using a variety of tools. In some cases, the accuracy and cleanliness of the cut is of no small importance. These properties can be achieved using the following tools:
- an ordinary sharp knife;
- small stove or hacksaw;
- strong string;
- knife with thermal effect;
- thermal cutter;
- cutter with laser beam.
Each builder has his own preferences regarding the choice of one of the tools. All tools allow you to process foam plastic efficiently and form an even line. Foam plastic has low resistance to mechanical stress - this should not be forgotten when choosing a tool.
Cutting with a stationery knife
Even at home, with a real master, cutting polystyrene foam will not cause problems. To do this, it is enough to have a stationery knife with you. It is important that its blade is sharp enough. This ensures that the likelihood of waste is minimized.
It is most convenient to use a knife to cut sheets up to 5 mm thick. Otherwise, it is advisable to use a machine or other automatic device.
If you don’t have a sharp knife, a regular saw or hacksaw can easily replace it. You should choose a tool with a short tooth. Thanks to this, the final surface will not be rough.
Today, in any hardware store you can find a special blade for cutting foam plastic. When exposed to it, only fine dust will be formed.
The choice of tool directly depends on the goal and task. It is recommended to carry out the process in the bathroom or on the balcony. In this case, only a small amount of dust will be generated in the main rooms.
Nichrome wire cutting
To use this tool, you will need to additionally assemble the device. It will include not only a nichrome thread, but also a 12 or 24 volt transformer. You also need to take a piece of small pipe and a table in advance.
The string tension will be organized by a spring. Nichrome is a material that is part of any hair dryer. The device must function in such a way that the thread heats up and can melt the foam.
Thanks to this, it is possible to obtain various complex shapes from the material.
In order for the device to begin functioning, a wooden block is fixed on the table. You must first make a hole in it and install a piece of pipe.
Next, you will need to secure the nichrome wire to it using a spring. It will heat up only after connecting to the transformer.
A piece of foam plastic should be brought to it and given the required size.
Cutting with an electric grinder
Polystyrene foam is a malleable material that can be cut with any sharp object. Some people use an angle grinder for this purpose. In this case, the choice should be made on the thinnest disk.
This cutting option is simple and comfortable. However, during the work a lot of noise will be created, and after its completion a large amount of debris will appear.
Special knife
In a hardware store you can find a device that is specially designed for cutting this material. The knife must be sharp.
For thin samples of material, a blade of medium hardness can be used. The tool will quickly and efficiently cut foam up to 8 centimeters thick.
If the quality of the final material is important, it is recommended to first practice on waste.
Cutting foam with a string
When using a knife, the material may crumble significantly. In this case, it is replaced by a regular string. To obtain the fastest possible cutting, it must be preheated to the desired temperature. At home, you can assemble the device yourself.
To lower the temperature, you should additionally include a step-down transformer in the network. The device has the same principle of operation as with nichrome thread. It is important to select a pipe so that its thickness does not exceed 20 mm. Thanks to the device, it is possible to quickly cut foam up to two centimeters.
The quality of the string is of no small importance - it should be thin and sharp.
DIY foam cutting device
Polystyrene foam can be cut not only with nichrome thread, but also with metal plates. The basis should be a regular soldering iron with a power of 60 W. It will need to be reconstructed - instead of a sting, place a knife plate. Hot-melt synthetic is also used as the main material.
The wooden leg must be additionally equipped with support legs. First, make a slot in the board and place a knife in it. Additionally, the device should be equipped with a stand with brackets. Of no small importance is the safety screen, which will further protect the person from burns.
During the cutting process, the thermal knife must be positioned at an angle to the surface. The blade is also sharpened on both sides at once. You should first hone your skills on unnecessary scraps of material. In this case, a smooth and beautiful surface will be guaranteed.
How to cut foam. Step-by-step instruction
- The first step is to find a sufficiently thin and sharp object that will be used to form the cut.
- If you don't have a special tool, you can use a credit card, a table knife, or any object with thin edges.
- The foam can be easily broken along the cut line. It is most convenient to do this at the edge of the table. You can apply only light pressure.
- If there are any convex pieces left, they can be cleaned off with a knife.
Advice from professionals
To quickly and efficiently cut foam, it is recommended to follow the following professional tips:
- It's not very convenient to cut with a regular knife. It is best to use a soldering iron instead. You can quickly and efficiently cut polystyrene foam if the round side can be easily flattened with a hammer. Additionally, you will need to put a metal cap on the electrical device. The knife blade must be well secured. Only after this should the soldering iron be plugged into the network. You can only work with the tool in a well-ventilated area. It is best to open the windows additionally. When heated, a soldering iron releases gas, which has a toxic effect on the respiratory system.
- It is most convenient to cut the foam with nichrome thread. Thanks to it, the process will go quickly, and the edges will be smooth.
- Nichrome material is found in hair styling devices, hair dryers, irons, and boilers. If it is not possible to get such a thread, then you can use steel wire. It should be stretched across the table. One side is attached rigidly, and the other only with the help of a spring. A transformer is connected to both of them. It must first be connected to the electrical network.
- The foam sheet must be placed on top of the wire. The current charge directly depends on the thickness of the working material. It is necessary to ensure that the wire turns red. You should not allow it to become heated, because in this case the cut may turn out to be too wide.
- It is most convenient to carry out all manipulations if the table is at an angle of 20-60 degrees to the floor. Thanks to this, the foam itself will be supplied under its own weight. However, for this to happen there must be a sufficient level of slip.
- Nichrome wire will become larger during use. That is why it is important to secure it to one side with a spring. Thanks to it, length regulation will occur.
- To cut foam plastic, you can use a grinder or jigsaw. It is also recommended to use a file with a wavy blade.
- If you need to create figures from foam plastic, then dough molds are quite suitable for cutting them out. However, in this case, you can only take foam whose thickness does not exceed 1.27 cm.
- To quickly smooth out the ridges, simply rub the foam against each other.
- When working with polystyrene foam, it is recommended to perform all manipulations on a cutting board. In this case, the likelihood of damage to the table is minimized.
Cutting polystyrene foam with a soldering iron
Expanded polystyrene boards lend themselves well to processing using a soldering iron. This tool makes it possible to complete work in the shortest possible time. To carry out such work with a soldering iron, its end must be flattened with a hammer. It is necessary to put on a specially prepared part, which is pre-made from a blade, a fountain pen cap made of steel.
The blade is installed on the end of the soldering iron. After heating the resulting tool, you can cut the material.
Expanded polystyrene is perfectly paintable, so the decorative elements obtained from cutting can be painted. Each option for cutting foam has its own advantages, but it is recommended to choose the one that will be less difficult for you.
