Concrete can be an obstacle in home improvement procedures. Sometimes, concrete needs to be removed and this is where concrete cutting methods come in. A little knowledge would help the homeowner in deciding which services he requires for home improvement.

Concrete cutting is a procedure applied for concrete structures. It involves sawing, removal and drilling of concrete. It is performed by operators with the help of special saws. These saws have blades that have diamond embedded in it. This is a skilled job and would also need to get the supervision of experts and a structural engineer. The new improved concrete cutting method uses water so that not much dust is released and it leaves a better finish. The most common types of concrete cutting seen are core drilling, slab or flat swing and wall sawing.

Wall Sawing

As the name suggests it is the process of cutting openings in concrete walls as thick as twelve or twenty four inches. These openings may be for doors or windows. This requires saw that attaches to the track on the wall to be cut. The diamond blade required in this case may have a diameter of thirty inches or more. The cutting may be for removing concrete foundations, lowering the elevation of concrete foundation, etc. The home owners may need to add connecting doors between basement rooms which might need the removal of concrete structure and this is where wall sawing is required. The procedure requires skilled persons to build as the work should have a neat finish and without creating much dust and mess.

Core Drilling

This is a procedure of drilling holes through concrete floors and walls. The trick is to get a perfectly round hole. The size of the hole for household applications usually ranges from 1 to 12 inches and in contrast to this the commercial applications may need holes from 60 inches and upwards. These commercial application holes are mostly for utility requirements. These may be for plumbing, clothes dryer, venting furnaces, electrical and heating purposes. Core drilling can be done by amateurs where they can rent out the machine at tool rental stores but these are easily and preferably handled by professionals for a charge.

Slab or Flat Sawing

This technique is used to cut horizontal flat concrete surfaces, like pavement, floors etc. The procedure requires the use of saws which have diamond blade mounted on it. A depth of thirty three inches can be cut with these, but home improvement procedures do not require a depth of more than six inches. This procedure is useful for making openings in the concrete floor. These openings may be required to repair damaged water pipes or broken sewer lines. The demolition of driveway, walkway or the removal of unwanted construction needs slab sawing. It is required for landscaping where a portion of a concrete structure needs demolition or alteration. If the basement requires an additional bathroom, slab sawing may be needed to remove the concrete and add new plumbing lines. This procedure is quite dangerous and time consuming for an inexperienced hand.

Everything said and done, all these procedures require skilled work and are best left to professionals as these are time consuming and may eventually need the help of a professional to give it the desired look.