Concrete cutting saws are one of the top must-have tools in the construction industry. Whether you're cutting concrete, bricks, tiles or any other hard materials, having a concrete saw with a diamond blade should be at the top of your list.
To cut through reinforced steel concrete, you will need to use the right tools and diamond blades are the best choice. Diamond blades are designed specifically for cutting very hard materials, and steel most definitely fits the bill in this regard.
Most diamond blades are used to cut through concrete, brick, tile, and asphalt. But, not all blades are the same. Each blade comes with a different styles, shape, and grooves which come into play in it's ability to cut.
Saw cuts are a used to create control joints in concrete, which help control where cracking occurs due to shrinkage. The cuts should be made at a predetermined spacing and only after the concrete has obtained sufficient strength but before internal cracking begins.
There are several benefits of wet cutting concrete, including: Health and safety: Because a constant stream of water turns airborne dust into a slurry, it reduces the risk of respiratory dust exposure. The water cools down the tool more effectively, so there is also a smaller risk of overheating-related hazards.
Safety: The lack of silica dust makes wet cutting safer than dry cutting in that sense. Wet cutting also makes it easier to see what you're cutting, and you have far more control over the blade and are less likely to encounter kickback from the saw.
Use a standard circular saw, equipped with a corundum or diamond blade, for small tasks. For slabs, it's best to cut through the top inch, then use a sledgehammer to break off the rest. The jagged edge left below the cutting line provides a good rough edge for the new concrete to bond to.
Dry-Cutting Diamond Blades
Diamond blades have a diamond and metal composite on the edges that cuts concrete much better than corundum blades since diamond is a harder material. Dry-cutting blades usually have a serrated edge to help cool the blade while cutting.
Therefore, cutting high-strength concrete requires a high-power laser. Consequently, the greater the concrete strength, the higher its denser is, and the thermal conductivity it becomes [17].
Wet concrete is very difficult to cut, and fully cured concrete can fracture as it's being cut. So if possible, cut concrete when it's hard but only half cured. The cut will come out smoother with less dust.
To these standards, some materials are natively “bulletproof”: a foot-thick concrete wall or two inches of solid steel will withstand many shots from a handgun, sub-machine gun, or rifle.
Jackhammers are the preferred tool for breaking concrete over three inches thick. You can use electric jackhammers or pneumatic jackhammers, both of which are just as effective at breaking up concrete.
Segmented rim: The segmented rim is also known as the dry cutting blade because it works with many dry applications. This blade also offers the roughest cut of the three options, making it ideal for concrete, brick and limestone. Turbo rim: This is the go-to blade for the fastest cuts in wet or dry applications.
To break off large pieces, make a series of blows in a line to create a stress crack, then strike in the middle of the area you want to remove to break the concrete along the line.
Rebar is the backbone of concrete construction and the bane of bits and blades alike. If cutting rebar when exposed, a diamond blade will make quick work of the cut, but it greatly reduces the life of the blade. This is because diamond blades “cut” by grinding the material as opposed to other blades that rip and tear.
Depth of Cut
In case the cut is too deep, the interlocking may not be sufficient enough for transfer of loads. On the other hand, if it's too shallow, it might result in random cracking. The contractor should also make sure that the concrete cut depth meets the appropriate structural engineering specifications.
Cutting Depth
When cutting concrete with a circular saw you don't want to cut too shallow or else risk random cracking. If you are cutting control joints too deeply then aggregate interlocking will not be sufficient to transfer loads.
For most concrete work, cutting should take place within the first 6 to 18 hours and never beyond 24 hours. Smaller early-entry saws are available, which may allow cutting to begin within a few hours after placement.
The general rule of thumb is that concrete takes about 28 days to dry for every inch of slab thickness. Within 24 to 48 hours, the concrete will be ready for foot traffic.
Joints should be sawed as soon as the concrete will withstand the energy of sawing without raveling or dislodging aggregate particles. For most concrete mixtures, this means sawing should be completed within the first six to 18 hours and never delayed more than 24 hours.
Cutting concrete without proper dust controls can generate high levels of silica-containing dust. Breathing in this fine dust can cause a serious lung disease called silicosis, which is characterized by scarring and thickening of the lungs, and can result in death.