How to Cut 14 Faux Brick Panel Sheets

Faux brick offers the same finished look as real brick.

Using faux brick offers many advantages over real brick, including weight, price and ease of installation. Faux brick literally means fake brick, but does not mean the clay and minerals are not the same as real brick. Real brick panels, known as brick veneer, are much thinner than standard bricks. Manufacturers make panels by molding resins or brick into large sheets. Cutting faux brick properly to fit your project is essential to the finished look. Cut each of the 14 panels separately, do not attempt to stack and cut all 14 at the same time.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Circular saw
• Masonry carbide tipped saw blade
• High-tooth count saw blade
• Sawhorses
• "C" clamps

Instructions

1. Measure and mark each faux brick panel for cutting. If possible, try to stay within the grout lines rather than cutting through the brick design. Cutting along grout lines offers a less-noticeable pieced together look on the finished project.

2. Equip a circular saw with a masonry carbide tipped saw blade when cutting brick veneer. When cutting manmade composite materials, use a high-tooth count saw blade. The higher the tooth count, the smoother the finished cut.

3. Set the blade depth to 1/8 inch deeper than the thickness of the brick veneer panel.

4. Lay the panel across two sawhorses and clamp it in place with "C" clamps.

5. Turn the circular saw on and allow the blade to reach its maximum speed, generally 10 to 20 seconds.

6. Place the saw up to the cutting line and follow the drawn guidelines on the panel. Do not forcefully push the saw through the cuts, gently guide the saw and allow the saw to do the work. Pushing a saw through cuts can cause the saw to kick back or the blade may break.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear safety goggles and a dust mask when cutting faux brick.

• Make cuts outdoors to reduce dust.

• Do not inhale dust from resin materials, as they are highly irritating to your lungs.

References

• "Masonry"; Time Life Editors; 1977
• "Home Repair and Improvement"; Creative Homeowner Editors; 2006