Cutting through concrete may seem like an intimidatingly hard job. Sure, it’s heavy-duty, weather-resistant, and the one thing that we can consider long-lasting. Of course, when we have to replace or repair it, that’s when it becomes tricky. But when you have the right tools and the proper techniques, it becomes a manageable task that anyone can do. You can do so with a concrete saw, or try other machinery that could make your life easier.
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The best tool for cutting concrete
When a love and hate relationship with this material seemed like an eternity, you can now breathe a sigh of relief. The use of circular saws is not limited to wood only. With the right type of blade, you can cut through anything, and that includes concrete. There are many types of circular blades for the circular saw. See below what you can use for a specific purpose.
Circular Saw Blade Types
Diamond blades consists of a metal sheet compositely bonded with diamond or with another metal. The diamond edges incorporated into the saw blade can be exposed when the metal composite wears as it keeps cutting. A seven-inch circular saw will benefit from the diamond blade’s durability and their longevity. Their capability to cut through concrete with minimal issues makes them more suited to the job.
Abrasive masonry blades are available in your local hardware store and are not expensive. These blades are very capable of slicing through concrete, asphalt, and stucco. Keep in mind though, that they are limited to cutting only up to ½ inches and are quick to wear down. The blade often needs adjustment as well, and these blades tend to emit fumes when they get so hot. Abrasive blades ate only for creating cuts that are shallow.
Use these types of blades depending on their capability to slice fast at the start of operation as well as the concrete’s state. The following actions must be avoided to save your machine and your time:
- Running your saw at high-speed
- When a ben spindle is on your saw
- Pushing the device more than you need to
- Using the wrong type of blade for a specific job
A one-time project is not good enough cause to make you buy your circular saw. You can go to rental shops or borrow from someone you know. Other than that, you must also take into consideration the factors that can affect the success of the concrete cutting task. The weather, the concrete mix, and toughness are just some of the elements. Feel some tangling if you start cutting too early or too late and cracking may come as well. When in doubt, do some test cuts to be able to determine the right conditions for cutting.
The right area for the cutting job
Before starting the actual job, you should be able to determine the right areas for cutting. A professional, an engineer to be specific, should be able to identify the joint spaces. In actual, the joints must be spaced up to 35, but typically it’s 10 to 18 ft. It will all depend on the reinforcement of the slab of concrete. One must lower the spacing if using cement with a high shrinkage. Here are some ideas on how to choose the area for cutting.
- Saw cuts must be continuous and not skip
- Create patterns in the square shape
- If you made tiny cracks, it’s okay. It is better than to keep joints at an expensive cost
- Avoid areas with some steel reinforcements among the square areas.
- To lessen the cracks that tend to happen in more significant areas, cut a bigger square when the weather is hot.
- How to proceed with the cutting
When you know how to choose which joints to cut, mark them appropriately with some chalk. If you’re going to use a water cutting diamond blade, there should be a continuous flow of water. Make sure that the blade gets to the depth that is needed then carefully push the saw while following the line of chalk. Here are some additional tips:
- Make sure that the blade doesn’t spin because this actions quickly wears the blade in use.
- The blade must not twist.
- Soft metal segment bonds must be incorporated with your blades when cutting rebars
.