A guide on how to cut asphalt with tools you already have.

Personal protection equipment, such as safety glasses, ear plugs, and a dust mask, should be worn when cutting masonry with a circular saw.

When using a circular saw to cut asphalt, you'll need a diamond-tooth blade with the proper vent system.The removal of asphalt material can be accomplished with the help of the vents between each tooth.When cutting masonry with a circular saw, use a worm drive instead of a conventional saw as working with masonry can put a high amount of stress on a saw's motor.The worm drive may help prolong the tool's lifespan by taking some of the stress off the electric motor.

Use a bright colored crayon to mark the cut line on the asphalt.Use a chalk box to draw a line between the marks.

A circular saw is designed to cut asphalt material.Before using the circular saw, make sure the housing, cord and all safety features are in working order.

Align the blade with the indicated cut line by resting the front lip of the circular saw on the ground.The blade housing needs to be pulled back.Allow the blade to spin at full speed by squeezing the saw's powertrigger.

The blade should be swung into the asphalt.If you want to prevent kickback and blade damage, make the hole slightly bigger than the cutting blade by moving the saw in a back and forth motion.

If you hit dirt or stone, stop the circular saw.If you want the blade to only cut to the thickness of the asphalt, you need to adjust the saw's cutting table.

Raise the blade out of the cut and squeeze the saw's Trigger to allow it to spin.Push the saw forward slowly and swing the blade back into the cut to cut the asphalt.