How to Sawcut and Remove Concrete

Rent a walk-behind sawcutting machine. These machines look far more intimidating than they actually are. The larger the blade and engine, the easier the work will be for you. Rent the largest machine you can comfortably maneuver in the space in which you are working. Make sure the blade is in good shape before you check out at the cash register.

Lay out your saw cuts with a tape measure so that your trenches will be uniform in size. Mark the concrete with a pencil and then spray orange marking paint to outline the cut areas. The orange paint is easy to see and follow when walking behind the concrete cutting machine.

Don jeans, boots, gloves, ear and eye protection, and a dust mask before starting the cutting process.

Hook your concrete cutting machine to a garden hose, following machine directions, if the unit allows for it. Without water, the amount of dust created is unbelievable. The dust is also so fine that it will inevitably get in your eyes, nose and mouth, regardless of your protective apparatus.

Line up the blade with your orange spray paint mark, turn on the machine and slowly lower the blade. There will be a hand crank on the handlebars. This allows you to raise and lower the blade. Crank it down slowly and let the blade gently sink into the concrete. You may not know the depth of the concrete you are cutting, so just keep lowering the blade until the fender over the blade is parallel with the ground.

Move forward a few feet and then turn off the machine. Use a thin piece of metal to slide into the sawcut line and check to see if you cut all the way through. You'll know you're through the concrete if you feel yourself poking semi-firm dirt, which will give as you push into it.

Maintain continuous pressure on the handlebars to help the blade chew through the concrete. The concrete saw cutting machine naturally stays in a very straight line. Don't force it and don't push hard -- this is a finesse game and you need to help the machine do the work and not manhandle it.

Rent a jackhammer to break up the concrete for removal. It is possible to dice up the concrete and remove squares, but it is extremely hard to do unless you are a pro. Place pieces into a wheelbarrow as you progress to enable easier cleanup.