You might be able to minimize the mess by cutting with a utility knife first, then finishing the cut with the saw. You can get the board at the store too. Be sure to check the cull lumber section. Cull lumber is my very favorite DIY trick. If you look closely at the foam board, at least the thicker ones, there are slight grooves cut into it at inch intervals. If you placed your studs exactly 16 inches apart, you can use these to break your board into perfect inch widths.
Stand on the board, or kneel on the board if you have knee pads, kneel on it. Then reach down and pull the board up toward you. It snaps along the line surprisingly easily. I like to use the adjacent parking spot, if I can find a lonely enough section of the lot.
Measure the dimensions you want, then mark them with the marker. Cut along the line with your knife. When cutting insulation board with a jigsaw, use a metal cutting blade if you want to minimize chipping. If you aren't worried about chipping, an all-purpose wood cutting blade will do the job nicely, especially if you set the saw to maximum cutting speed. You might want to avoid chipping the foam while cutting so the edges will butt together without gaps.
The best way to do this with a circular saw is to use a blade designed for foam, but if you don't have one, you can make one from an old steel blade without carbide tips. Put the blade in a vise and grind down the cutting tips until they form a knife edge. Now you have a blade that will not only cut like a knife, it will also heat up as it cuts and cauterize the edges like a hot knife cutting tool.
This blade will last forever, because whenever it gets dull, you can restore it by grinding it a little more. Chris Deziel is a contractor, builder and general fix-it pro who has been active in the construction trades for 40 years. He has degrees in science and humanities and years of teaching experience. An avid craftsman and musician, Deziel began writing on home improvement topics in By Chris Deziel Updated December 24, Learn why people trust wikiHow.
Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Measure your cut with a straightedge ruler. If you're cutting the rigid foam for a specific project, measure the length and width you will need it to be.
Compare these dimensions to the length and width that your rigid foam insulation currently has to make sure it's long and wide enough. Mark your cutting line on the foam with a permanent marker. Place your straightedge ruler on the rigid foam insulation and use it as a guide while you make the mark. Draw a line with your permanent marker along the side of your straightedge, then check the marking to make sure it's precise.
You can always cut more foam later, if necessary. Lay the rigid foam insulation on a flat surface. Keeping the board flat while you cut will help you make a precise cut.
If you don't have a work table, find a flat and smooth surface for cutting your foam insulation. Do not cut rigid foam insulation on decorative tables unless you lay out a protective barrier, like a knife block. You risk accidentally scratching the table. Clamp the rigid foam to the flat surface. Use rubber clamps to secure both sides of the insulation to the work surface.
Secure the straightedge alongside the cutting line to help you make a precise incision. Part 2. Use a segmented blade to cut your insulated foam. Segmented knives have ridges running along the bottom of the blade.
Utility knives with segmented blades tend to cut rigid insulation foam more cleanly than other options. Segmented blades are also known as box cutters. Score the insulated foam with your utility knife. Run the utility knife along the edge of the straightedge, working as closely along the cutting line as possible.
Cut closer to the outer edge of the line to prevent cutting too much foam. Make a second cut to finish the incision. In most cases, scoring the insulation foam once will not remove it completely. Run the utility knife through the line a second time to separate it from the rest of the insulation piece. Remove the clamps and examine the foam piece. If the cut looks uneven or the piece is larger than what you need, draw another line, secure the foam piece with the clamps, and make another cut.
But if you're satisfied with how the cut looks, your rigid foam insulation is ready for use. Part 3. Use an electric saw instead of a knife if you need a precise cut. Although utility knives efficiently cut rigid foam insulation, table saws offer a cleaner, smoother incision.
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