Cutting cement board

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Andywinds

Senior Member
Are there any competent DIY'ers or builders here?
I've got to fix up to cement board to a stud wall, done this before with plasterboard, but I've never cut to size cement board. Can I score it and snap or should I be using a saw of some kind?
 

DRHysted

Guru
Location
New Forest
It's been a few years since I used cement board, but at the time I was sold a special tool for cutting it. Was an absolute arm arch of a job, so they may have improved it. I simply asked the supplier at the time of collection.
 
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Andywinds

Andywinds

Senior Member
Its new board, I thought all asbestos was long gone. I might try and score/snap. It was about £8 a board so not the end of the world. Cheers

[QUOTE 4009853, member: 9609"]First thing you have got to ask yourself is "could it be asbestos"

then to cut it; I have had some that cut wonderfully by scoring and snapping, and I have used some where that does not work very well and have had to use an angle grinder. (you have to get it outside for the dust)[/QUOTE]
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
[QUOTE 4009853, member: 9609"]First thing you have got to ask yourself is "could it be asbestos"
[/QUOTE]
I was thinking that! I know several people who cut up a lot of asbestos products early in their working lives, not knowing at that time that they were entering a lifelong ill-health lottery. Fortunately, they have not yet got ill.
 

Thomk

Guru
Location
Warwickshire
Are there any competent DIY'ers or builders here?
I've got to fix up to cement board to a stud wall, done this before with plasterboard, but I've never cut to size cement board. Can I score it and snap or should I be using a saw of some kind?
You can score it and snap it which is preferable if you only have one or two "cuts" to make. Otherwise carbide tipped saws will be OK but wear a mask.

Ah just read your post again. You should pre drill holes for fixing as well.
 

lazybloke

Ginger biscuits and cheddar
Location
Leafy Surrey
Another vote for scoring (with Stanley knife) & snapping.

I seem to remember trying an old saw but giving up when it kept catching on the mesh.
 

Levo-Lon

Guru
Score ans snap on straight cuts..grinder etc for angles..
ive not had any probs with it ,but i recommend a good mask if cutting with grinders as cement dust is not a good dust either..
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
[QUOTE 4009873, member: 9609"]I'm in that boat, i'm full of the F'n stuff, no symptoms yet, but I get that dreaded panicky feeling everytime I cough or clear my throat (also was a very heavy smoker)[/QUOTE]
Fingers crossed for you!

It is outrageous how long the asbestos industry kept going after discovering how dangerous the damn stuff is! Hundreds died (and are still dying) after working in our local asbestos factory.
 
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Andywinds

Andywinds

Senior Member
Thanks all. In the end I cut the 1200mm length with a long Stanley wood saw, it did cut fairly easy as there is not mesh within the board. I do think the wood is blunt now. Pre-drilled with counter sunk to start and fitted to studs with stainless steel screws, this is never coming off. BTW - This is all new for a partition at the end of the bath which is getting tiled Friday.
 
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Andywinds

Andywinds

Senior Member
My father-in-law used to kick the stuff around when he worked in demolition, they never thought to wear masks etc.

Fingers crossed for you!

It is outrageous how long the asbestos industry kept going after discovering how dangerous the damn stuff is! Hundreds died (and are still dying) after working in our local asbestos factory.
 
I've been reading recently about Mr Fluffy in Canberra. They used to put a hose in your roof space, and pumped in blue asbestos powder. And this was during the 60s and 70s, continuing well after it was known to be dangerous. I saw an interview with a older guy - a victim, who as a young father would go into his ceiling to do home maintenance tasks, then come down and sit on his couch with his children, covered in the carcinogen. He is of course dying of mesothelioma, but what made it worse was worrying about what would happen to his now adult children, who had less but still very dangerous exposure.

Nothing to do with cement boards, though :smile:
 
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