Designing a new driveway

« Back to Home

Concrete Cutting: Doing it like a Pro

Posted on

Concrete cutting is a laborious task that is probably best done with the help of contractors. There are many things that can go wrong with your home DIY concrete cutting project. Big projects like concrete cutting to access utilities, large-scale remodeling, cutting pavers, and more usually require an experienced expert's skills and the right tools for a successful job. For those, however, who feel like their concrete cutting requirements fall under simple DIY tasks they can comfortably undertake, you still need some pro-tips spanning from the right concrete cutters to the right methods of cutting. Read about some of the basic concrete cutting tips that can enhance both a professional or DIY concrete cutting job.

Working with diamond blades

Diamond blades, to concrete cutting DIYers, are a necessity. Working with these concrete cutters separates the pros from the novices. The first general rule when using these concrete cutters is to avoid overheating the blade. To do so, it is recommended that you make repeated series of gradually deeper cuts punctuated with cool-off periods for the blade. Do not try to make one long and deep cut because this may cause overheating. This rule is especially necessary when using dry-cutting concrete cutters.

Another useful tip most pros know is that to sharpen your blades, you should make some cuts on a harder material than the surface you are cutting, and then proceed with your cutting. When diamond blade concrete cutters stop working, it sometimes means that the surface is soft. Cutting a harder surface reveals new harder diamond edges on the blade, hence sharpening the blade.

Using dry-cutting cutters with water

The problem with dry-cutting tools is the amount of dust that they produce, making any concrete cutting job quite the difficult endeavor. If you lack wet-cutting concrete cutters, you can also try employing some tricks with a dry-cutting cutter. This should, however, be done with extreme care. You can have someone directing a small stream of water some paces in front of the saw while you cut the concrete. This would considerably reduce the dust produced.

Another tip when trying this out is to connect your saw to a GFCI-protected extension. The GFCI stands for ground fault electrical interrupter. This interrupter detects electrical leakages in wires. On detection, the GFCI trips and stops electrical transmission towards that circuitry. The presence of water when using dry-cutting saws connected to electricity may trigger such electrical leakages and the interrupter is your safety net. Otherwise, maybe try gas-powered or pneumatic-powered concrete cutters so as not to mix electricity and water.

Finally, professionals know that when cutting concrete, irrespective of the concrete cutters you use, the trick is to let the weight of the machine plus the blade do the cut. Don't push the blade into cuts.


Share