Either you are a bit familiar with construction projects or not; you probably know by general knowledge that cutting concrete is a jiff tough. But it certainly does not have to be challenging or very hard with the perfect plow tool for cutting concrete.
Whether you’re cutting concrete blocks or slabs, walls or floors, or you simply want to shape an existing piece of concrete, you would only require the best circular saw the market has to offer for cutting concrete, those are going to make these cutting tasks a piece of cake.
5 Best Circular Saws for Concrete Cutting Reviews 2022
And even though getting one circular saw might sound easy, but because of how oversaturated the power tool market is, it could be a little difficult for you to get the perfect one for yourself in reality.
But with this article, you need not worry anymore because a detailed description of the 5 best circular saws for cutting concrete, we will make the selection simple and open for you.
1. Makita 5007MG – Best Choice for Novice Users
Makita provided a valuable solution with its circular saws built with Magnesium components, which are well balanced and durable however less in weight to deliver consistent performance for cutting metallic sheets and lumber.
However, when you need to cut through concrete, you really need a power cutter. The Makita 5007MG is a 7 1/4 inch saw which features a powerful 15 AMP Makita-built industrial motor that easily delivers 5,800 RPM for proven performance and strength with great safety features, which is required for cutting concrete.
A built-in dust blower clears the line of cut while the two built-in L.E.D lights illuminate the line of cut for increased visibility offering ease of cutting when working with concrete.
This circular saw also includes a high-grade C-3, fine-grain Tungsten carbide tipped M-shaped 24 tooth blade which provides the speed of 24 teeth but the finish of 48 teeth.
It is built for framing walls, floors, and roofs using a range of dense lumber, including veneer, headers, and microlam; as well as ripping panels or plunge and bevel cutting on plywood, OSB, board, and other dense structural panels including concrete slabs and beams with a great beveling (56°) and cutting capacity (2 1/2 inches vertically).
2. SKILSAW SPT70WM-01 – Best for Professional Users
This SPT70WM-01 from SKILSAW, Combines Worm Drive gearing with all metal constituents and its 15 Amp dual field motor is built to be relentless on about any material.
True to their line of work since 1924, SKILSAW with its legendary worm drive power can cut through wood, metal, or concrete. The dual field motor generates high power up to 4700 RPM while keeping the motor cooler simultaneously, providing increased productivity and longer life of the saw.
D1040WP Diablo blade comes with this SAWSQUATCH circular saw which is 10 ¼ inch in size with a 40 tooth design that’s great for framing uses. Since this is a miter saw size blade, even a 40-tooth design won’t compare to a finish blade so this blade is a perfect blend for ripping and crosscutting in about any type of wood.
However, there are many diamond concrete blades that will suit this model so get a concrete diamond blade to have it work perfectly with the sole purpose of concrete cutting. Because the Sawsquatch chews through the 4″ x 4″ fence posts set into dried concrete just and other 4x concrete slabs in a single pass making nice cuts and saves time as well!
3. XtremepowerUS 50118 – Recommended for Cutting Concrete
It is a compact yet powerful industrial quality saw with the ability to cut 2X materials. The low vibration and excellent power to weight ratio of this lightweight tool are designed for maximum productivity with minimal strain.
With its 15 amperes (2600 Watts) powerful motor operating at 4300 RPM and 14-inch blade, it can basically cut anything tough from granite to porcelain to concrete, etc. with comfort and ease. It features a double protection switch which provides an additional layer of safety by averting any accidental opening.
With 14 inch blade at its disposal, this saw can easily slice through 5 inches thick concrete slabs. It also features a metallic guard to cover any sparks generated during cutting by providing personal safety.
The ergonomic handle gives it a comfortable control grip for easy operation during tough concrete cutting.
It has a dual dust management system comprising both a built-in dust extraction port for collecting cutting debris/sawdust and a water line that feeds water to the blade for a wet cut. When the water line is used, it also serves the purpose of keeping the blade cool thus increases its performance and service life.
4. Milwaukee 2830-20 – Ideal for Off Site Jobs
Equipped with an efficient POWERSTATE 15 amp motor capable to rotate the blade at a maximum of 5800 RPM, this corded circular saw can also be attached with Milwaukee’s standard M18 battery packs.
This 18 Volt patented battery pack is compatible with all Milwaukee tools and can deliver 50% more power and more than 550 cuts on a single charge with this particular circular saw. Peculiar worm drive design delivers more torque and power to the blade than any other 15-ampere circular saw so you can cut faster and smoother.
It is integrated with intelligent REDLINK PLUSTM which protects your tool from overheating and overloading issues and provides you the maximum performance on tough materials with a longer life span.
The magnesium guard and shoe along with electric blade brakes give this saw additional stability and safety against any accident. It also features an LED work light to illuminate the working/cutting area.
This in addition to the dust collection port with a vacuum adapter makes the cutting process accurate and smooth. Its 7-1/4 inch blade can easily cut up to 2 inches deep in the concrete slabs.
With just 12.7 pound weight and a comfortable rear handle, it can be used in complicated nooks and corners. This saw is designed to cater to the needs of pros including contractors and carpenters.
5. Stark 50120 – Recommended for 6 Inch Concrete Slabs
The 15 amperes (3200 Watts) powerful motor can rotate a 16-inch giant diamond blade at a whopping 4700 RPM to cut anything and everything like butter.
This beast can cut 2X material in one go with its huge heavy-duty blade and has a maximum cutting depth of 6-inch concrete slabs which is the largest in this category. Despite its size, it produces little vibration, and weighing only 40 pounds, it provides excellent power to weight ratio for outstanding productivity.
The safety features include Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) system for a quick shut down and a double protection switch for protection against accidental opening.
It also includes a metallic guard that covers the sparks generated during cutting concrete thus ensuring enhanced personal safety.
Similar to other Xtremepower circular saws, it also features a dual dust management system with both a built-in dust extraction port for debris collection and a water line for wet cuts which keeps the blade cool consequently increasing its performance as well as service life especially for tougher materials such as concrete and granite.
Its ergonomic handle is designed to give a comfortable grip to the user for flexible and easy concrete cutting.
How to Cut Concrete Blocks Using a Circular Saw?
When it comes to cutting concrete, you can use any powerful enough circular saw with diamond or corundum blades to cut through this hard and tough material. If you need to cut thick slabs of concrete, the most suitable practice is to cut through the top 50 millimeters of the slab to make a line and then use a sledgehammer to clear off the rest below.
This practice holds the effect of smooth and clean cutting at the top yet providing rough edges underneath for good bonding with new concrete.
Following is a step by step guide to help you cut concrete slabs easily and efficiently:
Step 1:
First thing first; when using a power tool, the very first preference should be given to personal safety measures. Therefore, wearing protective gear is step one in any cutting procedure which can create a lot of sawdust/chips and noise.
However, in the case of concrete, this sawdust may contain chips / small fragments of rocks, steel, and /or silica due to which wearing safety goggles is absolutely necessary. Also, you would need to wear hearing protection to safeguard against loud noise which could be harmful to your hearing sense.
Step 2:
Measure and mark the cut line where you would be cutting the concrete using chalk. This chalk line will be your guide during the cutting operation, especially in cases where you need to change blades in the middle.
Step 3:
Make appropriate depth and/or other adjustments as required by your workpiece geometry. Align the blade to the marks and adjust the depth to your requirement which generally is the depth your saw is designed to do.
However, we should once again emphasize on best practice to cut a top line, 50 millimeters to an inch deep, and then use a sledgehammer to break off the lower layers. Once you are satisfied with the settings/adjustments, power up the saw and wait until it reaches its maximum speed / RPM.
Step 4:
Once the saw starts rotating at the maximum speed, you can start cutting operation by gently leaning it on the concrete without putting on any excess pressure. It will make its way down slowly until it reaches the adjusted cutting depth. After that slowly move the blade along the line marked earlier, as described in step 2.
Remember, the blade will cut steadily but slowly, so you should let it cut at its natural pace to avoid any miss-happening or tool damage.
Step 5:
Cutting concrete generates a lot of heat and sawdust which might affect the working of your blade negatively. Additionally, you also want to keep the dust cloud in check while working in a residential area. Here is when a small water stream dripping over the blade tips comes in really handy. Not only does this water cool the blade down, but it also dissolves much of the sawdust without letting it spread all around.
During this step, you have to adjust the amount of water being dripped to appropriate levels. This feature sometimes requires the need of a helping hand.
Additional Considerations
In addition to the above-mentioned steps, you should carefully observe the following considerations for quick and efficient cutting as well as the long service life of your tool.
- Make sure to give your tool a break after every minute to avoid building up excess heat from the cutting procedure.
- Always use Diamond blades for cutting concrete as they are strong and can easily handle tough cutting jobs including concrete cutting. Also, Diamond blades fall into two categories: Dry-cutting diamond blades and Wet-cutting diamond blades. Wisely, choose the one that suits your requirements.
Things Consider When Buying a Concrete Circular Saw
Power tools used for cutting hard materials, especially for concrete, require power and precision. If you are looking for a circular saw for cutting concrete, you should take the following factors into account:
- Power of the saw
The first and foremost thing to consider when buying a power tool is to carefully look for the power ratings of the saw which are generally mentioned in terms of current (amperes) or wattage (Watts). Also, a powerful motor usually rotates the blade faster giving a high RPM value. So, simply, the higher these numbers are, the more powerful your circular saw will be.
Since this circular saw is meant for the demanding job of cutting concrete slabs, you cannot skim anything when it comes to the power of the saw.
- Types of Motor
In addition to the power of the motor, the cutting ability is also affected by how much efficiently the power is transferred to the blade. Generally, motors used in power tools include cheaper brushed motors or efficient and costly brushless motors.
Brushed motors are the most commonly used component in various saws due to being cheaper. These, however, are relatively less efficient as compared to brushless motors, which are costlier, and tend to get overheated quickly.
- Power Transfer mechanism to the blade
The next thing to consider is the mechanism to transfer the power from the motor to the blade, also known as the drive mechanism since a lousy power transfer system will result in a less efficient saw for concrete cutting. Generally, circular saws are designed around two types of drive mechanisms.
First is the most common and cheaper sidewinder mechanism where the motor is directly connected to the blade via a spur gear. This arrangement allows the saw to have more RPM but less torque.
The costly worm drive mechanism on the other hand is designed around worm gears to transmit more torque to the blade. For a circular saw to be used for cutting concrete slabs, you should look for the most power transferring mechanism to the blade and should choose a saw with a worm drive.
- Cutting Blade
The cutting blade holds the second most important place when it comes to power tool components. Sometimes, however, the saw package does not include a blade and you have to purchase it separately. So you should go for the toughest diamond cutting blades which will last relatively long and is ideal for cutting the hard concrete slabs.
- Blade Change / Spindle Mechanism
Since concrete consists of a variety of high as well as low-density areas, the blade would be wearing out fairly quickly. Also, the steel bars within would also require a blade with different specifications such that frequent blade change is a norm for concrete cutting.
Therefore, the spindle mechanism for quick and easy blade change must also be kept into consideration.
- Cutting Capacity
Last but not least is the cutting capacity of the saw which usually is a function of blade size and saw the design. For deeper and larger cuts, you typically have to choose a larger blade which however can to some extent be complemented by the design of the base plate and arrangement of the motor within.
While looking for a circular saw for cutting concrete slabs, you should look for a design that offers the deepest cutting ability in a specified blade size regime.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, you will able to make a pick from the circular saws that we have included in our article about the Top circular saw for cutting concrete.
However do remember, that cutting concrete slabs and blocks is a common activity, therefore investing in the right blade is necessary. If you desire superior results and have a flexible budget, then you must consider buying diamond blades for your circular saw precisely for this application.
People Also Asked For Best Circular Saws For Concrete
I have compiled the most asked questions that people ask about at different platforms;