Your complete source for dry cutting concrete
Is it okay to cut concrete without using water? Yes. In fact, when your job site or application demands it, dry cutting concrete may be preferable to wet cutting. Sometimes, for example, using water is impractical or impossible, such as when you’re working with drywall, near electrical wire or in other sensitive areas where moisture isn’t safe or allowed. And sometimes the dry method is simply more comfortable, such as when you’re cutting overhead into a ceiling.
There are other advantages as well. The dry method is quicker and simpler to set up because no water supply is needed. There’s no slurry or splashing water to deal with, which gives you a better view of the work surface and enables faster clean up. And because there’s no risk of water damage, dry cutting is more practical in indoor environments.
When dry cutting is the right choice for you, count on us to help you get the job done right. Our complete solutions include everything from power cutters, diamond blades and dust extractors to accessories like air cleaners, adapters and cables.
Let's talk: dry cutting concrete
Watch this short video from our “Let’s Talk” series for tips on dry cutting concrete. Learn when and where to do it, get equipment recommendations, and more.
Dry cutting applications
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Dry cutting vs. wet cutting concrete
Dry cutting or wet cutting: which is better? Both are valuable techniques, and it’s a good idea to know when and where to apply them.
The three main advantages of wet cutting have to do with efficiency, dust management and blade life. Water usually allows you to work faster because it helps drive the blade through the concrete and cools the diamonds. Water also helps control the dust by capturing it and turning it into a slurry. This also helps keep the blade sharp for longer.
Dry cutting is usually preferred for quick jobs, especially ones that are indoors, and whenever water or moisture could be harmful or create a disturbance. Examples include:
- Renovations in occupied buildings: in schools, offices, or residential spaces where water use could cause damage or disturbance
- Concrete wall or floor cutting: in areas where water from wet cutting might cause structural or moisture issues
- Tile, stone and masonry installation: in finished or furnished indoor spaces where cleanliness and precision are crucial
- Drywall and plaster cutting: for clean, accurate cuts in interior walls without introducing moisture
- Electric and plumbing installations: for creating channels in concrete or masonry indoors for cables or pipes without a wet mess
Power cutters for dry applications
The dry method is often preferred for cutting indoors, so it makes sense to invest in a power cutter that can get the job done without exhaust emissions and a lot of noise.
Battery power cutters
A battery power cutter such as K 1 PACE is ideal for tough dry cutting jobs in heavily regulated, enclosed spaces. It delivers the same performance as a petrol power cutter, but without direct CO₂ emissions and much less noise and vibrations.
K 1 PACE has now been updated to automatically optimise your power cutter’s performance for the battery you’re using. This means you now get even more power with the B750X battery, and a longer runtime with the smaller, lightweight B350X battery. As a result, you have even more flexibility to tailor your power cutter to the demands of your job.
K 1 PACE also comes equipped with the X-Halt™ blade brake function, which stops the blade almost instantly if any abnormal blade speed is detected.
Use a vac attachment to connect K 1 PACE to the dust extractor.
Petrol power cutters
When it comes to petrol power cutters for dry applications, Husqvarna K 770 Dry Cut is an excellent choice. With a maximum cutting depth of 122 mm, this lightweight machine has many of the proven qualities of the standard K 770 with the added benefit of dust extraction.
K 770 Dry Cut is equipped with an integrated fan housing, and the strong airflow (100 cfm) effectively removes the dust and transports it to a reusable bag where the integrated nozzle keeps it contained.
Diamond blades make the difference
The right diamond blades can ensure a smoother, more efficient experience when dry cutting concrete. For optimal performance with your battery power cutter, use a blade that’s specially designed to match the power and torque of a battery-powered machine.
Tacti-Cut™ S35S PACE is part of our line of diamond blades for battery power cutters. It offers a good balance between performance and cost as well as low noise and vibrations. It’s suitable for dry cutting anything from concrete blocks, bricks and granite to heavily reinforced concrete.
Like all our diamond blades, Tacti-Cut™ S35S PACE is designed and quality-tested in-house at Husqvarna.
Choose the right dust extractor
Without water to control the spread of dust, dry cutting is especially dependent on effective dust management. Be sure that the dust extractor you choose for your power cutter has a high enough airflow to avoid exceeding the limits for dust exposure set by regulatory agencies.
Based on current OSHA guidelines, we recommend combining dust extractors and power cutters as follows:
- K 1 PACE with DE 120 H PACE
- K 540i with DE 110i H or DE 110 H
- K 4000 with DE 120 H
- K 770 Dry Cut with DE 120 H
For most jobs, the DE 120 H PACE battery dust extractor is a great choice. Featuring a compact, mobile design and reliably excellent performance, DE 120 H PACE is a perfect match for dry cutting with K 1 PACE. Because both machines run on the same battery platform, you can do the whole job without relying on grid power.
DE 120 H PACE also features e-flow, an innovation that acts as a gearbox for your dust extractor: as the machine runs, e-flow increases the power as necessary to keep the airflow at a stable, high level until the machine needs to be purged. This has been shown to prolong the time until filter saturation by up to 30%, extend battery runtime per charge by up to 30% and reduce noise levels.
Use a vac attachment to connect DE 120 H PACE to K 1 PACE.
Air cleaners to filter airborne dust
Construction sites are always prone to airborne dust, even with efficient dust extraction. This is why air cleaners are essential.
Husqvarna air cleaners are easy to transport, set up and use, as well as an efficient way to filter out the airborne particles that the dust extractor doesn’t catch. They feature two-stage filtering to capture silica dust and dust from wood, metal, gypsum and other materials. You can also add an optional carbon filter for three-stage filtering.
Follow the link below to learn more about our air cleaners, or to try our air-cleaner calculator and get a fast recommendation on the optimal air-cleaner configuration for your specific job.
New possibilities in dry core drilling
Did you know that you can now do dry core drilling in reinforced concrete with excellent results? All you need is the right equipment.
Visit our page on dry core drilling in reinforced concrete to learn how our complete solution can help you get the most out of this game-changing development.