The presence of concrete does not have to put an end to your home renovation plans! It might be hard for you to deal with yourself, but there are professional companies that can be a successful part of your concrete cutting solutions! Concrete cutting is the process of using special tools by trained and skilled operators to saw, drill and remove unwanted concrete from the home. You might want to build an addition to your home, or you might be renovating the basement. Sometimes this means there is a need to cut into a concrete foundation before the new room, passage or entry can be put in. During the construction process or before, you can hire experts who use modern methods to cut into the concrete using modern tools rather than the old and less effective jackhammer option. There are several types of concrete cutting, but the three more common are flat or slab sawing, wall sawing and core drilling.
Flat or slab sawing
Flat sawing also known as slab sawing is the process used to cut flat concrete horizontal surfaces like pavements, bridge decks and floors. These saws use a diamond blade on a machine the professional walks behind. While they can actually reach a depth of as much as 33 inches, in general floors cut need just 6 inches at the most in most home renovating situations. Slab sawing is one of the best concrete cutting solutions for making openings in concrete floors to say access a broken sewer line, or water pipe so that important repairs can be made. Other examples of common uses are;
- When cellars or basements need renovation and remodelling and a bathroom is part of that, the concrete needs removing to add those new pipes for the new bathroom fixtures.
- Breaking up and removing patio, or driveways that are no longer wanted or are cracking and need replacing.
- Altering the landscape of a garden by removing paths no longer wanted.
Homeowners are often tempted to hire a piece of equipment and attempt these things themselves to save money, but there is risk involved, especially when you are not experienced at using such machines. A professional company can also do a job that looks a lot better and get it done quickly with minimum fuss.
Wall sawing
Wall sawing is the process of cutting openings in concrete walls for example usually for a door or window. While some cases it can be up to 24 inches thick, in most cases, it is less than 12 inches. A saw then attaches to a wall track to achieve this sawing process. The diamond blade is large at 30 inches or more. This type of cutting takes more skill and is definitely one to leave to the experts in concrete cutting solutions. Sometimes wall cutting is just about openings in walls but other uses include;
- Lowering the elevation of the foundation.
- Removing foundation completely.
- Cutting concrete walls down completely or partially for other reasons.
You will want your walls to look their best so experience and proper knowledge in the use of the wall saw is essential for a smooth and level cut.
Core drilling
Core drilling is when you need perfect round holes drilled into a concrete floor or wall. The size of the hole might range between an inch to 12 inches, but the average size for a lot of homeowner needs is 5 inches. A lot smaller than commercial drilling where holes can reach up to 60 inches or even more! Most common uses for core holes include;
- Utility needs such as heating, plumbing and electrical.
- Venting for clothes dryers and furnaces.
Conclusion
Concrete does not have to stand in your way if you have a project in mind for your home. Your best option for concrete cutting solutions is to find and hire experienced and skilled professionals who have the right equipment, know how to use it, and can do the jobs well and safely!
