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Even though a segmented blade will cut
faster, decorative concrete contractors are looking for a
smooth, crisp edge. 'A segmented blade tends to chop, as opposed
to cutting or grinding. They leave a rougher edge," Skaff
says. "That's why we recommend turbo blades, and to break
that down even further, a narrow-slot turbo blade is cleaner
still. The closer the slots are together the cleaner the cut
is going to be."
Soff-Cut International Inc., the industry
leader in manufacturing green concrete saws, is offering blades
that "chase" existing cuts, carve V-shaped grooves
or create rounded edges that produce a hand-tooled effect,
says Soff-Cutt's Brenda Nabarette.
Soff-Cut offers an "ultra early
entry" dry-cutting system that controls random cracks
because control joints can be cut within an hour or two after
the finishing process. This relieves internal stresses in
the concrete before it dries out and cracks on its own. The
profile blades are used after the initial cut to create a
decorative look, saving contractors time and money over doing
it by hand, Nabarette says.
Rudy Tena, owner of Tennaco, Concrete
in Eugene, Ore., specializes in large slabs and swears by
Soff-Cut as a magic bullet against cracking. "The surface
tension isn't there yet because there's still enough water
inside the slab, as opposed to if you wait until the next
day and try to wet cut it with a water saw, most of your surface
tension has cracked." He's cut a floor in a 20,000-square-foot
building without a crack. A common problem with green cutting
is spalling, but Soff-Cut's skidplate prevents that. Tena
advises contractors new to green cutting to be careful when
making cross cuts. When you're making a T in the slab, those
little comers can break off easily, so make sure to use plastic
joint protectors and slow the saw down one or two speeds,
he says.
Other early-entry saws include N-E-D
Corp.'s Robo-Kut saw, with an adjustable speed blade that
reacts to the load on the motor. Torque control keeps a constant
load on the blade, even while running through a hard spot.
Besides the walk-behind saws, contractors
are using hand-held Skil Saws, grinders or Dremel tools with
diamond bits for fine control. Star Diamond Tools offers a
convex blade used with an angle grinder that can cut circles.
Their diamond engraving pins can create scored lines and reach
tight comers.
Ralston, who often cuts with a handheld
saw, advises contractors to use a guide if they're not sure
they can cut a straight line. He also suggests that contractors
use an eighth-inch round diamond bit on a Dremel tool to get
close to a wall without damaging it. And Of course, always
use a sharp blade.
"Figure extra blades into
your bid so you can always have an easy, fast and straight
cut," he said. "If you allow your blade to get dull,
it can wobble on you and you'll get a real crooked line."
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