Cutting and machining
General rules for working with mineral fibre cement boards. Specific machining parameters are given in the installation guide for each line.
Cutting and drilling generate dust containing crystalline silica. Work must be carried out with dust extraction or by a wet method, using respiratory protection of at least FFP2, safety glasses and gloves. Dry cutting without extraction in enclosed spaces is not permitted. Safety requirements are set out in the material safety data sheet.
Cutting
Boards are cut with a circular saw fitted with a carbide or diamond blade for fibre cement, connected to dust extraction. For small quantities a hand scoring tool with a carbide tip is used: the face is scored and the board is snapped along the line. Curved cuts are made with a jigsaw using a blade for hard materials.
Cut face up with hand tools and face down on a bench saw — this keeps chipping on the visible surface to a minimum.
Drilling
Fixing holes are drilled with a carbide bit without hammer action, at low speed, with the board fully supported. The hole diameter follows the installation guide and allows for thermal movement: the fixing must not restrain the linear movement of the panel.
Edge distances and spacing between fixing points are determined by the facade engineer's calculation and the technical data of the fixing manufacturer.
Edges
After cutting, edges are dressed with a sanding sponge or medium-grit abrasive paper. For coated lines, edges exposed by cutting are treated according to the instructions for that line — this affects edge water absorption and the appearance of the joint.
Storage and handling
- Store flat on a level pallet, under cover, without contact with the ground
- Protect from direct wetting and one-sided moisture uptake before installation
- Carry upright, two people, by the long edge; never drag face surfaces against each other
- Allow the boards to acclimatise to site moisture conditions before installation
- Do not store leaning against a wall at an angle — permanent deformation may occur
- Do not install frozen or over-wetted boards