Chasing Concrete Walls

[ldoodle]

As in channeling for trunking/pipes/cables etc. How difficult compared to bricks and morter.

Cast in situ, not pre-fab blocks, 75mm thick.

 

[Wahreo]

Hmmm, proper cast concrete walls might not be ideal to start chasing out IMO.

It's going to be a lot harder than bricks plus 75mm isn't exactly thick so pipes need a certain depth and sleeved with felt to prevent plaster cracking.

 

[Dave]

Virtually impossible without the proper kit or several years.

You'll need a diamond blade cutter and some sort of mechanical chisel.

 

[Member 639844]

Its not too bad with the right tools, you have to cut slits in the concrete with a saw like the one dave mentions, then use a chisel to chisel it all out, again like dave says, you can get drills with a chisel mode and chisel attachments. Its a very dusty job though, so be prepared for a bit of a clean up job.

 

[ldoodle]

I have a 4.5" grinder with diamond blades from when I did my current house (brick).

I normally mark the outer lines and grind those first, then one or two between and bash out with a hammer and bolster.

Just want to know if I'd have any luck using that 'technique' with poured concrete?

 

[Dave]

Just want to know if I'd have any luck using that 'technique' with poured concrete?

Yeah it can be done but I doubt you'll do it in one, two or even three diamond blades. Concrete is literally rock solid and ideally you need a petrol saw with a hose attachment which will lubricate as you cut and a powered chisel.

You can do it with an angle grinder and chisel but I wouldn't make any plans where you need to use your arms for a week or so.

 

[blue max]

Ah, the dust. Gotta love the dust from an angle grinder.

 

[Dave]

Ah, the dust. Gotta love the dust from an angle grinder.

Not as bad as the dust from spray paint, I'm still finding patches of blue in hidden places after spray painting a bike frame a year ago. Perhaps the kitchen wasn't the ideal place to do it.

 

[John]

Not as bad as the dust from spray paint, I'm still finding patches of blue in hidden places after spray painting a bike frame a year ago. Perhaps the kitchen wasn't the ideal place to do it.

 

[Sanders79]

Ah, the dust. Gotta love the dust from an angle grinder.

The dust will be incredible, will take days to settle and will get everywhere. I remember chasing the brick walls in my living room, just glad we were living elsewhere at the time!

Hopefully not much of that now for me to do, just the extension to wire up so can be planned ahead.

 

[Wahreo]

I'd think about what you're doing before you attempt to chase out a 3" concrete wall. If the wall has been plastered then bury the pipes in the plaster and then dot and dab P/board over them.

 

[Dony]

Stupid question time, but are concrete walls any more difficult that a concrete floor.

This took 45 mins maximum with no dust at all. We used a Metabo wall chasing saw with a hoover attached and there was practically no dust at all.

http://www.metabo.co.uk/Product-catalogue-handheld-powertools.23958+M5e9c969a10a.0.html





These pictures were taken within minutes of the job being done.

 

[Wahreo]

I would have thought so.

Generally a floor screed is sharp sand/cement which isn't build for strength, it's laid to flatten and to bring the level up.

 

[ldoodle]

3" concrete wall

This is my biggest concern. I know the maximum chase depth is 1/3 for a vertical, so a 25mm back box would hit that no problem, and maybe even breach it by a mil or 2.

 

[Just call me Al]

We are renovating a Wimpy No-Fine house. That is basically poured concrete. The electricians used hammer & chisel/bolster & electric hammer drill with chisel. They had no problems.