If your concrete patio is getting in the way of your landscaping ideas, you always have the option of making it smaller by cutting the slab. A concrete saw will allow you to make clean cuts in the slab with minimal risk of spreading cracks. Read on to find out how to cut your concrete patio with one in order to make it smaller.
Preparing to Downsize Your Patio
A concrete saw is the only way to efficiently cut through your patio, and you'll most likely need to rent one from a home improvement store. These saws have diamond-edged blades that easily cut through concrete, rebar, and steel mesh without becoming damaged. In addition, they also constantly spray water onto the saw blade in order to prevent it from overheating. Constantly spraying water onto the saw blade also wets the concrete, which helps to cut down on dust. However, cutting concrete will still release a small amount of dust into the air. You'll need to wear a respirator, eye protection, and ear protection in order to protect yourself from all the concrete dust floating around in the air while you're sawing your patio.
You also need to call your utility company and have them mark sewer or electric lines that may be running underneath your patio. You'll need to take extra care while cutting these areas in order to avoid damaging the wires or pipes underneath the concrete slab.
Cutting the Concrete
Using a concrete saw to cut your patio is a fairly easy process. Draw lines on the area you'll be cutting using a piece of chalk, turn the concrete saw on, and gently guide the saw blade along the slab. Make sure that the saw blade is pointing directly towards the ground—sawing at an angle can damage the blade.
Concrete saws are fairly large, so you may have difficulty cutting the portion of your patio that's directly adjacent to your home. If you can't maneuver your concrete saw into the small space, you can cut this portion using a rotary saw with a masonry blade. You won't need to cut through much concrete, so a rotary saw will work for this purpose. The rotary saw will heat up quickly, so take frequent breaks while cutting with it in order to let it cool down.
Removing the Concrete
Once you've separated the unwanted portion of your patio from the rest, it's time to remove the excess. You'll most likely need to further break up the remainder in order to dispose of it since lifting a large concrete slab will be impossible. For this task, you can make more cuts in the unwanted portion using your saw. You can also use a sledgehammer or jackhammer to break apart the concrete since it's no longer attached to the rest of your patio, you won't risk cracks spreading towards the part of your patio you want to keep. After breaking apart the unwanted concrete, place it in a wheelbarrow and throw it out.
If you need more help, reach out to a professional who provides concrete cutting services.
