Cutting concrete requires highly specialised equipment and machinery. This is particularly true if you want to make sure that the concrete is cut cleanly and smoothly, with minimal waste.
Using the wrong tools could damage the concrete or make the job take much longer than it should. At MegaSaw, we specialise in concrete cutting and drilling, and have ten fully equipped vans available to cover your concrete cutting needs.
Common Concrete Cutting Tools
Cut-Off Machines
We use several different kinds of machines for concrete cutting. The industry standard is the cut-off machine. This is the go-to tool for most small concrete cutting jobs.
A cut-off machine is a powerful hand-held saw that can be used to cut into asphalt, metal and concrete. Depending on the job that the cut-off machine is being used for, the tool can be equipped with a resin abrasive cutting wheel or a strong and sharp diamond blade.
Cut-off machines are usually powered by a two-stroke gasoline engine, but there are some variants that are powered by hydraulics, air compressors or electric motors.
If the concrete cutting job must be carried out indoors, then an electric cutter is the best choice because of limited ventilation. Electric cutters tend to be less powerful than gas powered cutters, but the safety of the person operating the tool should never be sacrificed for speed.
Diamond Chainsaws
Diamond chainsaws are more powerful than cut-off machines and are also able to make deeper cuts. Unlike cut-off machines, which cut across the material, chainsaws plunge deep into the material being cut.
The cut-off machine has a circular blade, and even a 14 inch circular blade can cut only 5 inches deep – less than half of the diameter of the blade. On the other hand, even small chain saws can cut up to 10 inches deep, while bigger saws can plunge as much as 16 inches into the concrete.
For most jobs, a gas chainsaw that can cut 12 inches deep is good enough. However, for the most demanding jobs there are hydraulic chainsaws with diamond blades that are capable of making 25-inch incisions.
Diamond chainsaws use long, narrow guidebars that allow people to make deep cuts with no overcut. It is easy to cut square corners with them – something that you cannot achieve with a circular blade. Diamond chainsaws can also be very precise, when used correctly, and can be used to make relatively small openings.
Choosing the Right Tool
At MegaSaw, we emphasize the importance of choosing the right tool for the job. It is not enough to simply purchase a large, heavy chainsaw if you want to make small cuts, for example.
Most people who are serious about their construction work will need both a chainsaw and a cut-off machine. At MegaSaw, we use the Husqvarna variety of hand saw, and we also have tools for core drilling, rock drilling, ring sawing and road sawing as well as wire sawing and diamond grinding.
In addition, we understand that after you have finished cutting your concrete you may have some waste material that may need to be removed.
Concrete is heavy and must be disposed of correctly.
We offer concrete removal services in addition to our concrete cutting services. If you have a major job that you need to get completed, get in touch with us today.
No job is too big or too small for us. We would be happy to work with you to discuss both your equipment and your service needs in person.