How to cut polycarbonate?

The best way to cut solid polycarbonate sheet is with a fine-toothed circular saw for long, straight cuts or a jigsaw for curved and smaller cuts. Keep the protective film in place, fully support and clamp the sheet, and allow the saw to move smoothly through the material without forcing it. If you need to cut polycarbonate by hand, a fine-toothed handsaw can also be used for straight cuts. 

This guide covers cutting a solid polycarbonate sheet. Twin-wall and multi-wall roofing sheets have a different construction and may require different cutting and finishing techniques.

Requirements for cutting polycarbonate:

Cutting polycarbonate sheet with a circular saw or jigsaw

Polycarbonate sheets can be cut with either a circular saw or a jigsaw. A circular saw is the best tool for cutting larger polycarbonate lengths. Thanks to the properties of this material, polycarbonate won’t crack or splinter around the cut. Polycarbonate is also relatively insensitive to heat developed during the cutting process, whatever the cutting speed or the speed the saw is set at. But to get the best cut, it’s important to select the right circular saw and to pay close attention to the throughput and speed.

If you’re using a jigsaw to cut polycarbonate sheets, it’s crucial to hold the sheets firmly in position while sawing to achieve a good cut. The sheet must not move up and down as you saw so place glue clamps along the cutting line.

Step 1: Preparations for cutting polycarbonate

Before cutting polycarbonate, prepare some supplies. Make sure you’re using a saw with a variable speed. It’s also important to have a board that can support the polycarbonate sheet during sawing. We also recommend that you wear safety goggles when cutting to prevent any small chips of polycarbonate from getting into your eyes.

Step 2: Mark the cutting line on the polycarbonate

We can’t recommend it too strongly: when cutting polycarbonate, leave the protective film in place and stick some masking tape where the cutting line will be. Mark the cutting line on this. These tips will help to avoid any scratches. If you’re going to cut polycarbonate with a circular saw, go on to step 3. If you prefer to cut your polycarbonate with a jigsaw, please go to step 4.

Step 3: Sawing polycarbonate sheet with a circular saw

When everything’s prepared, set up the saw. For a circular saw, take a fine tooth saw blade. When using a standard-sized saw blade (250 – 300 millimetres) we recommend a speed of 4,000 revolutions per minute. This combination will give you a nice, smooth cut. The saw determines the cutting speed and therefore the throughput speed – this is around 8 m per minute or 10 to 15 cms per second.

Step 4: Cutting polycarbonate sheet with a jigsaw

If you’re using a jigsaw, use a saw blade with a fine tooth, for example, a saw blade for non-ferrous metals. Run the saw at medium speed and let the saw move smoothly through the polycarbonate sheet. Don’t put too much pressure on the saw but rather let the saw do the work and control the throughput. Ensure that the sole of the jigsaw remains flat on the polycarbonate sheet.

How to cut polycarbonate yourself

You can cut solid polycarbonate sheet by hand using a sharp, fine-toothed handsaw. Leave the protective film in place, mark your cutting line and clamp the sheet securely to a stable work surface. Make sure the sheet is fully supported close to the cutting line to minimise vibration.

Start the cut slowly to create a straight groove, then continue using smooth, controlled strokes without forcing the saw. A shallow sawing angle can make the cut easier and help produce a cleaner edge.

For longer straight cuts or thicker polycarbonate sheets, a circular saw will usually provide a faster and more accurate result.

Working with polycarbonate

Are you planning operations other than sawing? Check out our blogs about drilling polycarbonate, milling polycarbonate and glueing polycarbonate.

Plastic sheets cut to order

We’ll cut to size any of the plastic sheets available in our webshop free of charge. Of course, you can also saw them yourself. For tips and advice, check out our blogs about Sawing acrylic, Sawing Trespa®, Sawing Dibond® and Cutting and Sawing PVC. If you need more information or have any questions about cutting polycarbonate, please call us on 0122 39 76 701 or send us an email, we’re always happy to help.