Porcelain and sintered stone slabs, including Dekton and other ultra compact surfaces (UCS), are hard, dense and brittle. A blade that cuts granite well can chip the edge of a thin porcelain slab, so blade choice matters more here than almost anywhere else in the shop. These are the five things to check before you buy.
1. Match the blade to the material
Porcelain and UCS blades are built differently from granite or quartzite blades. On our porcelain blades the diamond height is 10H, while our quartzite and granite blades use taller 15H to 20H segments. Using a granite blade on a thin porcelain slab can lead to chipped edges, and a porcelain blade on very abrasive stone will wear faster than it should.
2. Slim or standard
Slim (extra-thin) blades remove less material and put less stress on the slab at the cut. Safety Kut Slim is an extra-thin blade made for porcelain, and The King is also offered in a Slim Silent version. The standard Safety Kut is the more conventional option for porcelain and UCS. Check that the arbor and flanges of the blade match your bridge saw before ordering.
3. Silent or non-silent
Silent blades are made to reduce the noise of the cut. Non-silent blades are a single solid block of steel, which makes them stronger: they resist vibration and bending better as they pass through the slab. Silent blades work without problems in normal use, but if either type is stronger, it is the non-silent one.
4. Diameter: 14, 16 or 18 in
All three diameters are used, and each has its reasons:
- 18 in: if your machine does not reach many RPM, an 18 in blade is the better choice, because it has more peripheral speed at the same RPM. It also helps on 45-degree cuts: the blade guard of the saw can touch the slab, sometimes even with a 16 or 14 in blade, and a larger 18 in blade solves that.
- 14 in: usually chosen by people who want more precision, because in theory a smaller blade bends less, although none of our blades bend.
Check your saw's maximum blade size before ordering.
5. Respect the RPM range whenever you can
Every blade has an RPM range, and it changes with diameter. Some machines only reach 1500 RPM. With a Safety Kut or a V-Array on one of those machines, an 18 in blade is the better choice: it gives the same peripheral speed with about 200 RPM less than a 16 in blade. See our bridge saw blade RPM guide for the exact ranges.
Blades for porcelain and UCS
- The King: Silent in 14, 16 and 18 in, and Slim Silent in 14 and 16 in.
- Safety Kut: Silent in 14, 16 and 18 in.
- Safety Kut Slim: extra-thin blade for porcelain.
- Performance: high diamond concentration, Silent in 14 and 16 in.
Browse the full porcelain blade collection. Always cut wet, follow your saw manufacturer's safety instructions and wear protective equipment.