# How to cut plastic gutters



## tripower (Nov 16, 2006)

I am having a hard time cutting/sizing my plastic gutters. I swapped out the 10 inch blade on my miter saw and no matter what it is just chewing this stuff to shreds. I have cut PVC pipe with no problem but this stuff is far thinner. What can I do here?


----------



## tripower (Nov 16, 2006)

I am having a hard time cutting/sizing my plastic.vinyl gutters. I swapped out the 10 inch blade on my miter saw and no matter what it is just chewing this stuff to shreds. I have cut PVC pipe with no problem but this stuff is far thinner. What can I do here?


----------



## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

Hacksaw is probably your best bet. A mitre box or other device to keep it straight is probably a good idea too.


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

#1 I would strongly suggest you not even use them. Take them back and pick up some Aluminum gutters instead.
I can list a number of reasons not to use them if you interested.

If your going to insist on using the plastic ones try installing a plywood blade and installing it backwards on the saw.
That's how vinyl siding is cut.


----------



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

I would think tin snips would do well?

DM


----------



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

My suggestion would be tin snips.  That's what I used on my vinyl siding and they worked fine siding my whole home.

DM


----------



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Put the blade in backwards and it will cut fine, same thing with vinyl siding.


----------



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Flip the blade, so the teeth are going in the opposite direction. Also using a finer tooth blade helps.


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Left and right snips ( aviation snips ) will work if you don't mind sacrificing an inch of material each cut*. *


----------



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

How would snips lose material? :huh: Measure, cut, done deal.

DM


----------



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Put the blade in backwards and it will cut fine, same thing with vinyl siding.


----------



## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

I don't think much of running blades backwards, especially carbide tipped ones. Not to likely with thin plastic I suppose but the forces would be such to try to knock the tips off. Not as likely with a HSS blade. I still like aviation snips for the job.


----------



## Davejss (May 14, 2012)

Hack saw. Better yet throw them away and buy seemless aluminum. Plastic gutters suck.


----------



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

jschaben said:


> I don't think much of running blades backwards


That's just fine and dandy but that's how you cut the stuff. I'ts more like a clean burn through the material than cutting.

+ 3 or 4 on plastic gutters are a bad choice to begin with.


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

A steel plywood wood blade running backwards will do it.
There still going to be to narrow, going to have to have ugly brackets to hold them up, leaking couplings and end caps, will break if someone leans a ladder againt them. 
But it will cut it.
And hold the gutter up side down when cutting.


----------



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Any blade backwards will do it, even the one that won’t cut wood anymore.


----------



## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

As noted above...put the blade on backwards.....it works just fine.....I did it with a 40 tooth carbide blade....not teeth lost.


----------



## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

I'd have to think you'd still get vibration cracking and/or chipping, especially in colder weather, using a saw.
Aviation shears or tin snips will not have this problem. Cheaper than a saw too if the OP does not own one.

DM


----------



## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

So, has anybody mentioned using a thin, cheap, fine tooth, plywood blade mounted backwards?
Dremel tool with appropriate cut off wheel.
Fine backsaw, hacksaw, or even coping saw with wide blade in miter box.
2X4 or other block inside gutter for suppert, using hand saws or even backwards blade skillsaw , set for shallow cut.

Snips, long bladed, off set, compound (aviation) snips, straight not left or right, which will cut straight but are made to cut curves. Double cut, or nibbler type give some suppert, bend or break the thin plastic less, you loose almost 1/4" of gutter tho. 

I think those left and right aviation snips are what are causing that lost inch, One Eyed White Wonder. They have that extra lift to curl metal out of way when turning snips to follow curve. Cutting straight across a flat sheet with them is not a prob. Waste side just lifts, but stiff box shape of gutter does not curl or lift, have to cut reliefs in to cut line at corners and ogee.

Plastic gutters are not my first choice, but I would not say they "suck." They can be easier to install for DIYer, less tendency for long pieces to bend and get a permanent kink in wide back wall. Properly installed plastic certainly better than improperly installed metal. Plastic is a bit cheaper.You don't want to lean a ladder against any gutter. Larger sizes are available if you look. Plastic does not rust or oxidize. easier to touch up paint, than galvanized, rusted, or oxidized aluminum. Long runs of "seamless" metal need an expansion joint, which is a seam and is basically the same as slip connecto rs used on plastic. The hangers are no uglier than some metal ones, there are hidden interior mounts, some of which allow for thermal expansion, and are "slippier" than similar metal ones. Logically compare advantages/ disadvantages of plastic vs metal, and make your choice.

I recently revisited an addition I built 25+ years ago, owner wanted cheapest plastic gutters back then, still in great shape.


----------

