1. Prepare
Cutting fiber-cement with a circular saw creates a large amount of dust.This dust has a 15-30% crystalline silica content, making it a serious health hazard. It can lead to the incurable lung disease silicosis If you repeated inhalation. So, When cutting fiber cement, it is important that you cut outdoors, that you wear proper protective equipment like safety glasses, ear protection and dust mask or respirator
2: Tools
You can use a circular saw with a fiber cement blade to cut it. It's best to use a 4 to 6-tooth polycrystalline diamond-tipped blade made specifically for fiber-cement. While this is the most common method of cutting, it produces the most dust.
In case you don’t have a fiber cement blade, a good alternative is special handheld electric shears , which work like motorized tin snips. While they cut slower than a circular saw, they can make straight and curved cuts without much dust.
3. Cutting
When you cut fiber cement, it is important that you cut it on the backsides. The way the circular saws rotate through it, the way the shears work through it. Try to get a cleaner cut on the backside of it and use a circular saw that's equipped with either a dust-collection bag or electric fan that blows dust into a bucket to keep the dust to a minimum
One tip DURAGREEN suggests you that, when you stack your material on your set up, try to put all the upside down. And that means, when you are raining dust down, it rains down on the backside and you get a cleaner cut.
