Deep Member Grilles – Field Cutting
When it comes to field cutting deep member grilles that have a larger depth, say 1×4 or 2×6, you are going to have to use different tools at your job site in order to process them.
All of the processing to measure your cut location and to get your panel ready for cutting is the same as any other panel. You can watch our other field guides for that information.
We recommend starting with How to Square Cut Wood Grille Ceilings.
What if My Panel Has Scrim?
That being said, if your project does have scrim or any other fabric on the back, we recommend that you flip the panel over, and then razor knife and tape the scrim out of the way. We do not recommend that you try to process the panel with the scrim intact on the back because it will likely bind or fray in the saw while you’re trying to cut it. It’s highly likely that the scrim will not be cut in the right location.
What Tools Does 9Wood Recommend?
In order to process cuts on these deep members grilles, we recommend that you use a 14-inch or larger stand-up bandsaw. For blades, we recommend something that is 3/4″ wide, .035″ thick, and 6-10 teeth per inch (TPI).
When getting your deep member panel ready for cutting at the bandsaw, we recommend using a two-person team. This ensures that the cut location is going to stay parallel with the table of the bandsaw.
Always make sure that you’re cutting slowly and consistently through each piece before moving on to the next one. Once the entire panel has been cut, you can move it and do final measurement verification.
What About Cutting Around Columns?
An important note regarding veneer grilles that are cut at circular locations such as columns or light fixtures:
If the ends are going to be visible, we recommend segmenting the curve and cutting every deep member at a straight angle rather than attempting to curve each part to match the location. This is going to keep it much easier for you to end band when it comes to cleaning those parts up.
Learn how to apply End Banding after your cut.
Conclusion
If you need more information or have a specific question about a field-cut condition, your project manager would be happy to help you with that. Our field guides cover a variety of topics that might be able to assist you as well, so take a look at our website.
