Methods of Concrete Cutting

What is Concrete Cutting

Concrete cutting is the process of sawing, drilling, and removing concrete. Special saws are used by skilled operators to cut concrete and asphalt with precision, accuracy, and fewer mistakes. They usually use diamond saw blades because they cut more quickly and create a smooth finish with less water

But the history of concrete cutting would date back to the time they would use jackhammers. They’d break up concrete with it, leaving everything dusty and messy.

Today, professional concreting services use cutting techniques that leave a smooth and attractive finish, whether that’s concrete, asphalt, rock or metal. 

 

Materials for Concrete Cutting and Price Range

There are many different material types and strengths. That’s why many professional concrete cutters use different specs of diamond blades. In this section, we’ll talk about the different materials needed for concrete cutting. You can use a high standard commercial saw or modern concrete saws depending on the type of project you do. Let’s dive into some of the materials you need for concrete cutting.

Here are some of the saws you can use:

 

• Early entry saw
  • This is designed to cut a control joint with a clean edge. With this tool, you can cut within one to two hours of concrete finishing. It’s the optimal solution for minimizing random concrete cracking. This is crucial as concrete cracking can be costly. 

 

• Walk-Behind Saws 
  • Concrete slabs can be grooved and inlaid with a walk-behind saw. Trenching, patching, and other concrete and asphalt procedures require these saws to be used frequently.  They are very effective on heavy concrete and stamped concrete as well.

 

• Cut-Off Saws
  • Chop saws are machines with rotating abrasives attached to hinged arms that are used to make cuts on fixed workpieces. Consequently, the term cut-off saw or parting-off saw refers to this power saw’s main use: cutting workpieces into the required size.

 

• Concrete rigs – 
  • These are used to drill holes in the concrete.

 

Here are the types of concrete cutting machines: 

 

• Electric saws
  • With an electric saw, you will be able to work in small spaces, be more comfortable, and have a more quiet workstation.
• Gas-powered saws
  • In general, these are the most popular. Its portability is one of the reasons for its popularity. Many professionals are also familiar with it. On the negative side, they require more maintenance.
• Hydraulic saws
  • Compared to other saw types, hydraulic saws are more powerful and convenient. They are, however, more expensive than pneumatic saws.
• Pneumatic saws
  • The air compressor is what makes pneumatic saws so convenient. As a result, it has simpler operations and fewer potential safety risks.

 

There are different types of blades you can use for concrete cutting:

 

• Wet cutting diamond blades 
  • Blades of this kind are available in two types. While the first has teeth, the second has a continuous, smooth perimeter. Unlike most blades, water cools the blade and keep the dust down. Using them is also suitable since they provide a fast and clean cut. Hence, you should use a saw that distributes water without causing damage to it. Make do by plugging your saw into a GFCI-protected extension cord and having a helper carefully direct a little water in front of the cutting blade. 
• Dry cutting diamond blades
  • Serrated or toothed rims on this were designed to help cool blades as they eject waste. By gradually cutting deeper, you can avoid overheating the blade. But the downside of this is the fine dust it produces.
• Abrasive corundum masonry blades 
  • These blades can cut through concrete, asphalt, and stucco. Despite their affordability, they wear out easily and are slow. Furthermore, they create fine dust, and they glow due to their high temperature. In spite of this, they are suitable for shallow cuts and smaller projects. 

Methods of Concrete Cutting

If you’re wondering how to cut your concrete whether it’s for DIY or for achieving a certain finish, this section can help. Discover some of the methods of concrete cutting.

 

• Flat sawing
  • When flat sawing, operators push a cart behind the saws. It’s mostly used in surface materials like floors, bridge decks and pavements. The technique is used for accessing pipes or wiring that are stuck under concrete floors. And, if you’re cut plumbing trenches or fixing a highway road, you can use this.  
• Concrete wall sawing
  • Cutting concrete walls is a process only circular blades on a track-mounted machine can handle. The track allows the saw to climb walls and cut ceilings. Walls between 16 and 36 inches thick can be cut using this method.
• Wire sawing
  • Whenever other methods fail or are impractical, commercial concrete cutters resort to wire sawing. Concrete cutting with this method is typically reserved for much larger jobs. Wire saws are complicated machines that should only be handled by professionals. These are cable-based systems that use diamond segments put through pulleys attached to hydraulics.
• Core drilling
  • This method is needed when creating openings for pipes, wires, ventilating or air-conditioning vents. Professionals will be able to use this technique to cut circles with precision. Often, core drills that are steel tubes with diamond-tipped bits are used.  The problem with this method is that it requires lots of skills and precision to do it yourself. So, they would need a skilled contractor.
• Diamond sawing
  • This method is faster and more accurate. They also require fewer operators. They are quieter and vibrate less than other saws, and they’re also capable of cutting rebar and other metals. But because they are so high-end, they’re mostly used by contractors.

Need professional concreting services?

A concrete company Sydney knows the best way to cut your concrete. They’re also the best at concrete honing, a concrete overlay and concrete polishing. For all your concrete cutting needs, send us a message.