Concrete and Children's Safety: A Blog for Parents and CaregiversConcrete and Children's Safety: A Blog for Parents and Caregivers


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Concrete and Children's Safety: A Blog for Parents and Caregivers

You love your kids and don't want them to get hurt. I certainly know that I feel that way. Hi, my name is Jenici, and I am a safety advocate. Some of my kids even tease me about it and call me a fanatic. However, I have never taken my kid to the emergency room, and I plan never to be in that situation. If you are a parent or a caregiver, this blog is devoted to you and your kids. Here, I look at concrete and children's safety. I provide tips and ideas to help you. Please look around – I hope you enjoy this blog.

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Tips For Efficiently Making Cuts To Concrete

There are a number of scenarios that require you to make efficient and attractive concrete cuts. For example, if you are creating a different look for your patio or if you have to remove any excess concrete. It is not as easy as just taking the saw you have and putting it to work; there are several tips you should know and use to help you create efficient concrete cuts. This article suggests some ideas for cutting concrete.

Know Your Saws

Efficiently cutting concrete relies on you knowing which type of saw is best suited for the job. Here is a look at the four main saws and what they are good for:

  • Cutting edge saw – used for making flush cuts and difficult corner cuts. These saws can also cut through rebars.
  • Walk-behind saw – this type of saw is best used for cutting entire slabs of concrete.
  • Diamond bladed saw – use for making decorative cuts to conspicuous concrete features. Diamond bladed saws cut cleanly, giving you a great looking finished cut.
  • Wet saw – uses a fine mist of water to dampen the concrete as you cut; great for cutting down on the dust produced.

Blades

There are two main things to do regarding the blades you use to cut the concrete. The first is to closely monitor the blades as you are working. Dull blades will increase the chances of you fracturing the concrete as you cut it. Replace the blade on the saw as soon as you see any damage, even minor damage. Second, try to keep as many different blades in your toolbox as your budget will allow. Although a diamond coated blade will cut through reinforced concrete better, a wet blade can be used for jobs that are sensitive to dust, such as cutting an indoor work-top. Keeping a good stock of different blades will save you from making repeated visits to the hardware store.

Cut At The Right Time

The last tip may take a little trial and error, but it is worth the effort. Timing your cuts so that the concrete is fully dry – but only around half cured – is the ideal time to cut. Excessively wet concrete will fray and split if cut, while fully cured concrete will tend to fracture. Calculate the day when the concrete is fully dry, but only about half cured. The texture of the concrete is ideal for making efficient cuts at this stage.

These tips should help you in all of your concrete cutting tasks.