A concrete saw (also known as a consaw, road saw, cut-off saw, slab saw or quick cut) is a power tool used for cutting concrete, masonry, brick, asphalt, tile, and other solid materials.
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.
Sawcutting involves the formation of joints or breaks in a PCC mass (slab) by the use of mechanical cutting tools.
Concrete slab sawing is the process that cuts the upper portion of existing concrete to an even, flat plane. This technique is used to level damaged pavement, provide control joints or lay underground wires and pipes.
Demolition saws have been the traditional tools workers have used to cut through the tough jobs. Yet they do have their drawbacks. When it comes to deep plunge cuts, carving out small openings for mechanicals, exact cuts on corners, and irregular shapes, a circular demo saw just won't cut it.
Cut joints 25% of the depth of the slab. A 4" thick slab should have joints 1" deep. Groover tools cut joints in fresh concrete. Saw cutting cuts joints as soon as the concrete is hard enough that the edges abutting the cut don't chip from the saw blade.
Cuts should be approx. 2-3 times the thickness of your slab in feet. For example, a 6” slab would have cuts 12' – 18' apart.
tool joint in concrete. Tool joints are commonly used in sidewalks. This type of joint is fairly thick, and has a relatively unfinished appearance. making a tool joint in concrete. In contrast, saw cut joints are thin and offer a very clean finish.
Always let the saw do the work; simply guide its direction, but don't push it down into the concrete. You only need a quarter-inch cut at this point, but if the saw bites in a bit deeper, that's fine too. This first guided cut will ensure you keep your cuts straight during the rest of the project.
Joints should be sawed as soon as the concrete can withstand the energy of sawing without raveling or dislodging aggregate particles. For most concrete work, cutting should take place within the first 6 to 18 hours and never beyond 24 hours.
Definition of masonry saw
: a saw used to cut masonry units (as brick and tile)
With a 14-inch circular blade on a cutoff saw, the maximum depth is about 5 inches.
Contractors and homeowners use circular saws to cut large pieces of wood, metal, brick, plastic and even concrete. These saws provide a great deal of capacity and precision, but cutting concrete with a circular saw is not an easy job for beginners.
They can cut through 12 to 14-inches of concrete. It is wise to use a strong power source for cut-off machines to increase their speed. They also become simpler to use and are less noisy. This is even more so if the main focus is on the depth of the cut as opposed to the noise created when in an enclosed environment.
A concrete chain saw contains diamond grit to give it the strength and durability required to cut tough surfaces. Concrete chain sawing is ideal for small openings or on odd shaped materials. This technique works on brick, block and concrete up to 25 inches thick.
Timing is very important. 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.
Once you have drawn your line, place the blade of your unstarted concrete saw on top of the line you have drawn. From there, slowly push the blade through to make sure that it is lined up properly before starting back and forth motions to ensure you have the blade set on the line.
Control joints can be isolated within the plane being treated (brick facades, concrete sidewalks) while expansion joints must bisect the entire structure thereby creating a gap throughout all of the building elements—foundation, walls, curtainwalls, plaza decks, parking decks, floors, and roof.
You can use a dry-cutting diamond blade with or without water. A wet blade must be used with water.
Although the various concrete cutting saw is available, an angle grinder is the most convenient tool for small concrete cutting work.