Fixing Your Concrete Driveway

4 Different Methods For Cutting Concrete

by Gavin Jackson

Concrete is used for many different building purposes as it is a solid and durable material. Sometimes though, that concrete has to be removed for one reason or another. When it comes to cutting concrete, there are different methods for achieving this task.

Concrete Slab Cutting

When working with an existing structure, sometimes you need to cut through the solid slab. This is common when you need to add things such as power lines, sewer lines, and water lines to an existing building.

When you need to add new lines through a concrete slab, you can jackhammer through it, but that can destroy the concrete. Instead, when you need to put wires through an existing concrete slab, you need to use concrete slab cutting. With concrete slab cutting, you can make a precise cut through an existing concrete slab, protecting the overall integrity of the slab while giving you the access you need.

Wall Sawing

Next, there is wall sawing. Wall sawing is done when you need to cut a large hole in a concrete wall. For example, you may need to cut a large hole in a concrete wall to add a new window, door, or archway. Or you may need to cut a hole in the concrete wall to install a new HVAC system.

With this type of situation, you are going to need to use a wall saw. A wall saw will cut all the way through the wall, and you are going to need to make an excellent, clean cut.

Wire Cutting

Wire cutting is not used to cut wires. Rather, wire cutting is used when you need to cut down a large portion of concrete into smaller pieces. With wire cutting, diamond-edged wires are used to help cut the concrete from a large chunk into smaller pieces of concrete. The wires can make really deep cuts, which is excellent when working through a large and deep piece of concrete. This cutting method requires the use of water to keep things cool.

Hand Saw Cutting

Hand saw cutting is used when you need to make a shallow cut in concrete. With a handsaw, you can cut through cinder blocks. This is great when you need to create a small opening in a cinder block or share a little concrete off an existing structure. Hand sewing is for simple concrete cuts.

When it comes to cutting concrete, how you cut the concrete depends on what you are cutting through and the purpose of the cut. When in doubt about how to handle a cut, you will work with a professional cutting service to get the exact amount that you want. Contact a concrete cutting service for more information. 

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