We may earn revenue from the production available on this page and participate in affiliate computer program . Learn More ›
Polyvinyl chloride ( PVC ) pipe is atype of plumbery pipecommonly used for drains . These are the white pipes with purple primer often seen in residential basements . Ambitious DIYers who attempt a kitchen or bathroom renovation , as well as those who like to tackle their ownplumbing resort , will in all probability have to work with polyvinyl chloride organ pipe . proceed a shower , sink , or toilet — or even supplant a rusty sink trap — will also require some PVC know - how .
deal out with polyvinyl chloride can be a bit tricky . While you ’ll have no problem finding the necessary fittings and cements tobond pieces of pipe together , premature ventricular contraction pipe can be difficult to slue . miserable technique tends to leave the excision end off - square with pestiferous burrs that can blockade the progress of a haunt . The good news program is that with the proper method and tools , you may cut PVC organ pipe for straight , smooth results .
Photo: iStock
There are three prick that will countenance you to cut PVC organ pipe with enough accuracy to ensure a tight sealskin : a PVC stonecutter , a handsaw , and a mitre image . Depending on the blank space you ’re work in and your puff level with tools , you might find one a better scene over the others . Ahead , find pedagogy for how to cut PVC pipe with a form of tools .
Before YouBegin
Almost all materials benefit from a little lubrication during the cutting mental process , and PVC pipe is no different . lubricant keep friction down , which allow a sword to glide easier . lubricant can also keep junk and particulates from get into the aura .
When cutting polyvinyl chloride pipe , choose a lubricating substance with a silicone base , such asWD-40 Specialist Silicone Spray Lubricant ; you may also habituate a food - grade lubricant , like cooking oil . These oil are safe for charge card , so they wo n’t eat away at the pipe as some other dissolvent will . Applying a fast atomiser directly on the pipage is all it takes . Any more than a short burst will make the business messier than it needs to be .
The Best Tools for Cutting PVC Pipe
1. PVC Pipe Cutter
Using a PVC pipe cutter , which looks like a pair of pliers with a very sharp , thick leaf blade fitted on one side — is by far the fast , most convenient way to cleanly cut premature ventricular contraction pipe . TheRidgid ratchet pipe and tube cutter , one of the top pick in ourresearched guide to the good PVC tube cutters , exercise on up to 1⅝-inch pipage .
Operating a pipe cutter is unproblematic : Place the pipe on a stable open like sawhorses or a workbench ( even a console will do ) , trace the blade up on the cut mark , hold the tool square , and then squeeze the handles together to advertise the brand through the PVC .
Tried-and-True Advice
“ I extremely urge using a PVC pipage cutter . These amount with a ratchet system that helps grip the pipework and keeps it in place so the pipe does n’t roam around while you ’re essay to trim back it — bank me , it will roll up otherwise . The pipe cutter help attain a nice , directly turn off each time , something I regain gainsay with a hacksaw . They are deserving their weight in gold . ”
— Amber Guetebier , Contributing Writer
Pro tip : Keep the cutter blade crisp , and use it in temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit . In temperature frigid than that , PVC becomes brittle and a dull brand can crack the pipework .
Photo: iStock
Note : Squeeze - style cutters are only equal to of cutting PVC pipe with minuscule diameter . For tube 2 inch in diameter and magnanimous , you ’ll need a rotary - style cutter , which is a far more expensive tool . Ridgid ’s plastic and Cu tube cutter , for instance , will work on charge card pipe up to 4 inches in diameter .
2.Hand Saw
Just about every DIYer has a metal saw or carpenter’shand find . To successfully trim PVC pipe foursquare with either of these canonical instrument , employ a guide for the blade to fall out . One way to carry out this is with a mitre box , like theGreat Neck 12 - column inch miter box , which provides a built - in substantial angle to manoeuvre the saw blade . The in effect news is that most miter boxes come with a saw desirable for cutting PVC pipe .
Touse a miter boxwood , cut slowly — doing so will ensure that the blade stay perfectly on course . Do n’t jam the blade into the PVC tobacco pipe , either . manoeuvre it back and forth . This is what tradesmen have in mind when they say , “ permit the power saw do the work . ”
3. Miter Saw
Aquality miter saw , a sinewy electric car power saw typically used in woodwork , can abbreviate PVC pipage accurately . The cuts are just about guaranteed to be solid because miter saws shut away into place at preset angles , including 90 degrees .
To shorten a PVC tobacco pipe with a mitre joint sawing machine , put the pipe against the fencing of the mitre see so the cut soft touch is easy seen . Line up the blade with the desired cut mark , lift the saw up and start the blade , and slowly glower the leaf blade into the PVC pipe until it cuts all the way through . If the miter experience does n’t cut through the organ pipe on the first try , let the blade come to a stop , then twist the piping so the stay material can be cut with a 2nd bead of the blade . Twisting the pipe while the sword is function is unsafe and is barely ever accurate .
Pro tip : For fewer burrs on the cut ends of the tube , use a delicately - toothed blade , such as theFreud 10 - in sparse Kerf Plywood Blade , with the miter saw . To minimize burr even more , set up the blade backward and take down it through the PVC very slowly .
How toClean PVC Pipe Burrs
No matter which dick you use and how carefully you make out PVC pipe , there will still be some Burr left behind . Burrs can strangle a perfect fit and potentially clog pipe filter and screens . These are two nimble ways to remove these burr :
This Is the Year for a Kitchen Renovation
Whether you ’re selling or staying , everyone can get something out of a kitchen update . Learn why we consider this renovation the Most Valuable Project of 2025 and how to stay on budget .
Photo: iStock Photo: istockphoto.com
