Concrete cutting refers to the process that involves controlled drilling, sawing and removal of concrete. While jackhammers were used to pulverize concrete in the past, this method caused a lot of damage to concrete. Nowadays, concrete workers use a variety of specialized tools and techniques to ensure accurate and precise results.

Concrete Cutting Equipment 101

Concrete cutting tools are hand-held saws with diamond blades or abrasive wheels. A saw may be powered by an electric motor, air compressor, hydraulic power unit or a two-stroke engine. It can help cut concrete and asphalt without a hassle.

Specialized machinery can also be used for concrete cutting, which gives a smooth and attractive finish to concrete, rock and asphalt.

Concrete Cutting Techniques

Here are some of the most common concrete cutting techniques:

Concrete Wall Sawing

Cutting concrete walls requires the use of track-mounted machines with circular blades. The track allows the saw to cut ceilings and climb walls. With this method, skilled workers can cut concrete walls with a thickness between 16 and 36 inches.

Diamond Sawing

Diamond saws need fewer operators and are accurate and efficient. These saws are also suitable for cutting metals. They create less vibration and noise as compared to other machines.

Core Drilling

In this technique, a hole is drilled through concrete to create space for pipes, air conditioning vents, ventilation and wiring. Core drilling makes it possible to cut deep, circular holes accurately.

Concrete core drills employ steel tubes lined with diamonds to cut precise holes in concrete. Due to the level of difficulty involved, experienced and trained contractors should perform core drilling.

Flat Sawing

Also known as slab sawing, flat sawing is used to cut pavements, bridge decks and floors. Operators use cart-mounted saws for flat sawing. This method is used for accessing wiring or pipes underneath concrete floors. It is also employed for cutting plumbing trenches and repairing highway roads.

Wire Sawing

Commercial concrete cutters rely on wire sawing when no other technique is feasible. This technique is usually reserved for more significant concrete cutting projects. Since it entails the use of sophisticated machines that require a high level of skill, wire saws are used only by highly trained professionals.

A wire saw has a cable with diamond segments, which is driven by pulleys powered by a hydraulic drive.  

Different types of concrete cutting machines have their own set of advantages and are used accordingly.

· Electric saws are easy to use, less noisy and lightweight. Hence, they are suitable for enclosed spaces.

· Hydraulic saws feature the highest power-to-weight ratio. However, they are costly and require more considerable expertise.

· Pneumatic saws have fewer hazards, are easy to operate and more convenient due to the air compressor.

· Gas-powered saws are the most popular concrete cutting tool owing to their portability and low weight. However, they need more maintenance.

Conclusion

As concrete cutting is a challenging task, it must be carried out by skilled operators utilizing specialized equipment. Regardless of the size of your concrete project, you can count on CanWest Concrete Cutting and Coring for all your needs.