The emergence of cracks is a common occurrence in concrete slabs. Crack sealing is often only a viable option if the cracks are narrow and shallow. Cracks that are deep and wide often make it necessary to remove the affected slab(s) and to install a new slab.
The hands-on kind of homeowner can easily undertake this activity without professional help. Here are three things that you should remember as you plan for the mentioned activity.
Jackhammers
Pneumatic and electro mechanical jackhammers are often the most commonly used for residential concrete removal. The difference between the two is that pneumatic jackhammers are powered using compressed air while electro mechanical hammers run on electricity. The pneumatic version of the jackhammer is often considered to be more powerful than that which relies on electricity. Thus, they're likely to be more expensive than electro mechanical hammers.
If you choose to go the pneumatic way, ensure that there's sufficient space around the work area for the portable compressor that delivers compressed air to the hammer. If you choose to go with an electro mechanical hammer, you need to ensure that there's an external source of power close to the work area.
It's important to point out that a jackhammer is likely to cause massive destruction to the concrete slab. This might not be ideal if you intend to re-use or recycle the slab. For less destructive and more precise slab removal, consider using concrete saw blades.
Corundum Blades Might Not Be As Cheap As They Seem
Corundum masonry blades and diamond saw blades are the two types of blades commonly used to cut through concrete. You'll probably pay much less for a corundum masonry blade than you will for a diamond saw blade.
However, the lower initial cost shouldn't fool you. Corundum masonry blades are often only suitable for making shallow cuts on a concrete slab. If the concrete surface to be cut is thick, you'll end up spending much more time on concrete removal if you settle for corundum blades.
Additionally, the material used to make corundum blades wears off faster than that used to make diamond saw blades. You'll probably need to change the saw disc more often.
Dust Control Is Vital
Cutting or drilling through a concrete slab is bound to release clouds of dust into the air. This could easily trigger allergic reactions during slab removal.
Diamond saw blades are either dry-cutting or wet-cutting. Wet-cutting blades use water to lubricate and cool the diamond-tipped disc. Water also helps to suppress dust particles, thereby preventing their release into the atmosphere. You might want to consider renting a wet-cutting diamond saw blade even if it might be slightly more expensive.
Share4 August 2016
We have had a space out by the back of the shop for parking since the shop opened. But we noticed that fewer and fewer customers were using it and more customers mentioned the lack of parking in our area. It turned out that they didn't like parking on the back, unsealed lot as this made their shoes muddy and their car dirty. We used a concrete contractor to come and seal the carpark as well as mark out defined parking bays. The customers love it and we have noticed an increase in business. This site talks about how small businesses can create parking spaces with concreting to improve their customer experience.
