CUTTING PVC WALL PANELS TO SIZE

Our PVC panels are easy to handle and can be cut with basic hand tools such as a Stanley knife, fine toothed saw, jigsaw or even a mitre saw. In this guide we outline the most popular methods used by both bathroom fitters and DIY. 

 

Cutting a PVC Wall panel to adjust the length

The most common cut will be to adjust the length of the panel to match your desired floor to ceiling height. There are a number of methods to cut a panel including a Stanley knife, a Fine Toothed Saw, a Jigsaw and a Mitre saw. Each method has its own advantages, the four methods to cut PVC Cladding are below.

Cutting a PVC Wall Panel - Stanley Knife

If using a Stanley knife simply score across the width of the panel, place the score line over the edge of a bench and then it should break off in a straight line. Please be careful when using a Stanley knife making sure your non cutting hand is clear of the blade travel.

 

Cutting a PVC Wall Panel - Fine Toothed Saw

If using a fine toothed saw (uPVC Predator Saw is ideal) always cut with the decorative face up. Using a saw gives you good control of the cut but we would recommend cutting slowly to give you a clean edge. Obviously, the thinner the PVC Cladding the less resistance so you adjust your cut accordingly, 5mm PVC Cladding is very easy to cut through and even the tougher 7mm PVC Cladding is very easy to cut with a fine toothed saw. 

We are often asked if its possible to use a general handsaw to cut PVC Cladding, the short answer is yes but we would recommend a test cut first just to assess the level of tear out you may get. Remember, most cuts will be covered with a trim which we just happen to stock in both PVC and Aluminium. 

Cutting a PVC Wall Panel - Jigsaw

Another popular tool is the jigsaw, this is great for straight cuts and curved or shaped cuts. Ideally you want a fine toothed blade here just to avoid tear out on the cut. PVC Cladding is very easy to shape around fittings and fixtures but a common theme with all of our cutting advice is to take it slow and this will give you a cleaner finished edge. 

If using a jigsaw, cut with the decorative face, face down. A jigsaw cuts on the upstroke which is why we place the decor face down. It is always good practice to use a scrap piece of PVC Cladding for a test cut or two, you can test different blades and speed of blade travel. 

Cutting a PVC Wall Panel - Mitre Saw

A Mitre Saw is the quickest method to cut PVC Wall Panels, you can even cut one pack of four panels with a single pass. We do recommend caution with this method as it really does come down to the blade, the more teeth the better when cutting PVC Cladding. A tip is to place the tongue side of the panel against the guard so you are cutting the tab on the groove first, this is to avoid excessive tear out on the rear tab. 

If using a mitre saw cut with the decorative face up, we recommend using a fine tooth saw blade and its good practice to do a test cut on a scrap piece of PVC panel before making final cuts.

What is the best method for cutting panels?

Every fitter has a personal preference, some use a Stanley knife, some use a fine toothed saw. Our recommendation is to use the tools you feel most comfortable with, try some test cuts and use that exercise to judge. Bathroom Wall Panels are very easy to cut due to their hollowcore construction but please be mindful of health & safety at all times, keep your non cutting hand well out of the way, especially when using a Stanley knife. 

Note - If you have questions, we have one of the best and certainly the largest customer service team in the industry, please call us or send an email and we will answer any questions you have promptly. 

 

Cutting down the length of the panel to adjust the width.

When cutting down the panel most fitters use a stanley knife as you are not cutting across the ribs. Use a straight edge, a long spirit level is ideal, score once or twice and snap off the scrap. Its always a good idea to cut the panel to length first before cutting to width, it makes it a lot easier. 

Please be mindful of health & safety at all times especially when using a Stanley knife, make sure the non cutting hand is well clear of the path of the knife.

 

Q. Are PVC WALL Panels easy to cut?

Yes.

A large part of the growing appeal of PVC Wall Panels is how easy they are to work with, there is very little resistance when cutting but with anything DIY measure twice and cut once.

Q. Can you drill Bathroom Wall Panels?

Yes, no problem at all.

We recommend puncturing the panel with a bradawl or very fine screwdriver prior to drilling, this will prevent the drill bit drifting. When fitting PVC ceiling panels a hole saw attachment will give a clean edge when fitting downlighters.

Q. Can you cut curves in a bathroom wall panel?

Yes.

PVC Wall panels are easy to cut due to the low resistance they offer to the saw or blade. This makes a panel ideal for when cutting around a bath or shower tray, very good for scribing into a wall as well. You can use any of the cutting methods described above for a curved or shaped cut, again we recommend proceeding slowly and its always good advice to creep up to your final cut to ensure accuracy.

Panels are the polar opposite of tiles when it comes to carrying out a curved or shaped cut, much easier material to work with.