How to cut concrete - the basic rules for choosing a tool

13-08-2018

Building

Very often there is a need to cut any concrete structures, it can be a variety of work: shaving, cutting into elements, device opening and so on. It is impossible to do this work without the use of special equipment, so in this review we will look at the simplest and most effective options with which you can perform certain tasks.

You do not know how to cut the concrete of small thickness? For these purposes, a small grinder is well suited

The main features of the process

Depending on the specifics of the work, a wide variety of devices can be used: from widespread options to special equipment. In addition, the type of concrete that will be processed is of great importance. The criteria by which the instrument is selected are as follows:

Material type	This may be an ordinary concrete screed, reinforced concrete structure, facing elements, claydite-concrete blocks, as well as aerated concrete and cellular concrete.
Cutting depth	The deeper you need to cut the material, the more powerful the tool will be. If small angle grinders are suitable for shallow cuts and strobing, then for larger-scale work you will need a cutter for concrete or special installations, but their price is very high.
Workload	The larger the scope of work to be done, the more powerful the equipment will be required. It should not be forgotten that a liquid-cooled concrete cutter is much more efficient than a conventional one.

Tip! When determining one or another option, you should definitely take into account whether there is a reinforcement in the design, since it will disable conventional cutting discs in a very short time.

Work Methods

Consider what should be used and how to organize the workflow, depending on the specifics of an object. Not only the quality of the result, but also how much effort will be spent depends on the right choice.

Concrete cutting

In this case, first of all, you should decide how deep the slit should be made.

Depending on this, the following options exist:

For shallow cuts from one to several centimeters a small Bulgarian with a circle diameter of 115 to 125 millimeters will also be suitable.. The tool is very light, so working with it is very convenient and comfortable. The disadvantages include the lack of power and overheating of the equipment during a long working process.
For deeper cuts with a not very large amount of work suitable Bulgarian with a disk diameter of 230 millimeters. This option is much more powerful, which reduces the risk of overload and allows you to significantly increase productivity. But due to the large weight it is less convenient to work with this option with your hands.
If the volume of work is large and you need to cut to a greater depth, then you need a special cutting machine for concrete. Such equipment is characterized by high power and performance. It’s quite difficult to work with him, so it’s better to entrust this work to professionals.

Whichever option you choose, instructions for using the tool are required to study before starting work. This ensures compliance with safety procedures during the cutting process.

You should also choose the right cutting disc, how effectively a concrete cutter or grinder will work depends directly on the correct choice of a cutting diamond wheel.

There are the following options:

The segment disc is designed to work at low and medium depth. In this case, the concrete must be without reinforcing elements, as they break the segments, which disables the disc and creates the risk of injury.

Segments cut concrete well, but do not do well with reinforcement.

Solid circles are designed for cutting concrete tiles, facing plates, as well as in places where a very accurate, accurate cut is required. A one-piece strip prevents the formation of chips, but for long work this option seems to be bad.

Full coverage is a great solution where accuracy is important.

Turbo-coated wheels work best with complex jobs, some of the options do an excellent job with rebar, which makes it possible to effectively cut reinforced concrete.

Note! Never save on consumables, as high-quality products last at least several times longer, and ultimately use them much cheaper.

Cutting of aerated concrete and cellular concrete

Working with light concretes is completely different from what we have discussed above.

The most commonly used options are:

For industries and organizations in which it is often necessary to cut concrete blocks, the best option would be a cutting complex for foam concrete. This equipment will cut the material very quickly and very accurately, and several blocks can be processed at once.

In the photo - special equipment, which is characterized by high speed

If the question arose of how to cut aerated concrete blocks at a construction site, then there is one simple, but very effective option - a special handsaw with a taper. With its help, the work is done fairly quickly and does not require much physical effort. It is important to choose a quality product with strong taps, as there are many cheap and unreliable products on the market.

To make the cut perfectly smooth, it is best to use a special square that can be purchased at a store or made by yourself

Conclusion

Processing of concrete products without the appropriate fixtures is almost impossible, so it is very important to choose the optimal solution. The video in this article will tell some features of the process in more detail.