To provide an efficient thermal cutting method for efficiently discharging gas and fume without much leakage, as well as for preventing occurrence of dirt and scratch attached to a material to be cut, and a cutting apparatus used for the same.

The cutting method is used for thermal-cutting a material to be cut such as a steel plate placed on a sheet or a film. When performing thermal cutting of the material to be cut which is placed on a sheet or a film 1 of an inflammable and non fire-spreading type laid on the top of a surface plate of the cutting apparatus, the sheet or film is set up in a shape of roll 2 on the side of the cutting apparatus or on a running platform of the cutting apparatus and is capable of being spread flat.