Waterjet cutting is used for specific cut types. Below is what it covers and when it applies.
What Is Waterjet Cutting?
A waterjet cutter shoots a high-pressure stream of water mixed with an abrasive garnet sand. The stream exits the nozzle at around 3,800 bar pressure and can cut through almost any material — stone, metal, glass, even titanium. Because it's a cold process (no heat), it doesn't crack or warp the material being cut.
When We Use It
Most straight cuts and simple shapes on a benchtop are done with a CNC bridge saw, which is faster and cheaper. Waterjet comes into play when we need:
- Complex curved cutouts — like a curved sink cutout or a shaped corner
- Intricate inlays or decorative patterns on feature walls
- Very tight tolerances on cutout positions where a saw can't reach
- Cutting thin or fragile slabs that might crack under a saw blade
Cost Considerations
Waterjet cutting is more expensive than saw cutting per cut because the process is slower. For a standard straight benchtop with a rectangular sink cutout, we don't need waterjet — a CNC saw does it faster and cheaper. The extra cost only makes sense when the shape or detail genuinely requires it. We'll always tell you if a waterjet cut is necessary, rather than automatically adding it to every job.