In the construction industry, concrete sawing is an everyday need.
It is critical for cutting and removing concrete in a safe and precise manner and is often used in building and remodelling work.
Concrete saws, however, come in many different types, all suited to different purposes.
There are also several different concrete sawing techniques.
To help you determine which saws and sawing techniques would best fit your needs, here is a brief guide to concrete saws and sawing.
Concrete Sawing Methods
Concrete sawing methods commonly used include;
Dry Sawing
This is a concrete sawing method that typically produces a lot of dust on-site, which makes it suitable for outdoor projects only.
A diamond blade is ideal for dry sawing since it stays cool even in the absence of water and can contribute to less dust build-up.
Dry sawing requires making many small, brisk cuts that become deeper gradually to ensure that the blade does not overheat.
Wet Sawing
This is a concrete sawing method where water is used to help lubricate and cool the saw blade, resulting in a cooler blade and less production of harmful dust.
It not only helps prolong the blade’s lifespan but it is much better for your health and environmentally friendly.
Concrete Saw Types
Concrete saw types include:
Wall Saws
Wall saws are also referred to as ‘track saws’ and are primarily used to make an opening in walls for the purpose of creating doors, windows, or even ventilation ducts.
The wall saw works by being secured onto the target structure, on a track mounted system, to make accurate, precise, and clean cuts.
Floor Saws
Floor saws are designed for cutting into flat concrete surfaces such as concrete roads, floors, and roads.
Quite often, the floor saw is used for pavement and road work as well as demolition, joints, and trenching work.
Chain and Ring Saws
Chain and ring saws are both handheld and used for small to medium sized projects.
The key benefit with these saws is their compact design, which makes them ideal for cutting through concrete pipes, floors, and walls.
There are many different types of chain and ring saws depending on the job you wish to undertake.
The concrete cutting contractor you choose will advise you on the type of chain or ring saw that’s needed for your concrete cutting project.
Chain saws have an oblong blade that’s bordered by a diamond impregnated chain and are ideal for jobs where overcuts are not needed.
Ring saws, on the other hand, have a round blade and are ideal for making cuts in places where other saws cannot access but require deep cutting.
Wire Saws
Wire saws are essentially diamond-laced cables pulled through the target material while being cooled down with water.
This approach to concrete sawing offers flexibility, less wastage, and does not usually cause many vibrations, which means that there’s less chance of cracks appearing around cuts.
No job is too big and no structure is too large for a wire saw. It is designed for cutting precise openings in steel or reinforced concrete.
The wire saw is ideal for projects where unusual or awkward shapes have to be cut.
The Bottom Line
Concrete saws play an important role in the construction industry. Concrete cutting is an integral part of most construction projects.
It is thus critical to understand concrete sawing techniques and the types of concrete saws to ensure correct and safe usage.
Whatever concrete saw for sawing method you choose, it is always important to ensure that you hire a professional for the job.
Otherwise, you risk ending up with poor quality results and may even damage your structure.
If you are looking for a specialist concrete cutting company who uses only the best practices to get the job done right, then please call us at Megasaw on 1300 920 419 or contact us through our website www.megasaw.com.au/contact-us/