Flat Sawing
Your Choice For Flat Sawing Services
Flat sawing (also called slab sawing) is one of the most common applications of concrete cutting and involves making cuts from 1/2 to 24 inches deep into concrete or asphalt on roadways, sidewalks, or other flat surfaces. Here is a little about what flat sawing is used for and how it’s done. Flat saws can be used for moving toilets and sinks, adding or moving floor drains in basements, kitchens, and other spaces, adding showers and sinks, and giving homeowners more control over what rooms you can add and where during a remodel.
How is flat sawing done?
A flat sawing machine is a large, diamond blade mounted on a machine that the operator walks behind with handles that allow it to be driven by a single operator along a set path. There are two types of flat saw machines:
- Heavy-duty, Hydraulic, Gas, Propane and Diesel saws: These are saws used for reinforced concrete in well-ventilated areas.
- Lighter, electric saws: More mobile, these can be moved up and down stairs and used in indoor areas with little ventilation.
While diesel engine saws are reserved for the tougher jobs, electric saws are more easily transported and used when a project is either in an area of low-ventilation (diesel exhaust can be a hazard if improperly ventilated) or difficult to access. An electric engine is much lighter than a diesel-burning engine, so electric saws can be transported up and down flights of stairs inside buildings.
The diamond blade used for flat sawing can be cut from 1/2 to 24 inches.
What is flat sawing used for?
Flat sawing is commonly used for a variety of applications on residential and commercial properties, as well as in government contracts for infrastructure.
Residential: Driveway entrances, patio entrances, patio slabs and residential walkways are commonly cut with standard flat sawing techniques.
Commercial: Commercial sidewalks and roadways are cut with a flat saw to create safe paths for patrons to a business.
Flat sawing roadways and large slabs
Government contracts typically deal with concrete and asphalt slabs of a large surface area, placed on a reinforced barrier over the ground. This puts stress on these surfaces from both sides because tree roots and shifted landscapes under large concrete slabs combine with the wear and tear of daily foot traffic and the weight of vehicles to cause cracking and bowing. A way to counteract this is to cut expansion joints that allow the surface to strain and manipulate itself, slightly out of its original structure in a way that it is less likely to crack, extending the life of the surface. This is a major consideration for why using a professional flat sawing team is beneficial to working with large areas of asphalt or concrete slab.