Wall sawing is how CDS creates clean, square openings in concrete walls, elevated slabs, and steep or vertical surfaces that a floor saw cannot reach. Working across Hamilton and all of Ontario since 1967, we run a track-mounted circular blade to cut doorways, windows, and mechanical penetrations — and to size large concrete sections down for controlled removal. Every opening is squared to your layout and scanned first with GPR.
What Wall Sawing Is
A wall saw is a diamond blade mounted on a powered head that rides a track anchored to the wall or slab. The track guides the blade along a precise line, so the saw can cut vertical, inclined, or overhead surfaces to full depth from a single face. The result is a straight, square opening with clean edges — no over-cutting, no hammering, and no shock to the surrounding structure.
Wall sawing does one of two jobs: it creates an opening in a wall or deck, or it cuts a large concrete section into controlled pieces so that section can be lifted out. It does not build, replace, or finish anything — CDS cuts the opening and hands off a clean, dimensioned edge for the next trade. Typical work includes:
- New doorways, windows, and pass-throughs in existing walls
- HVAC, mechanical, and louvre penetrations through structural walls and decks
- Elevator, stair, and ventilation shafts in multi-storey buildings
- Sizing thick walls and slabs into liftable sections for removal or demolition
How CDS Wall Sawing Works
Scan first
Before a blade touches the wall, we run GPR scanning to map rebar, post-tension cables, conduit, and voids behind the surface. Cutting blind into a live cable or a PT strand is an avoidable disaster; scanning takes minutes and is standard on every CDS wall cut.
Set the track and lay out the opening
Operators anchor the track to the structure and snap the opening to your drawings. Because the blade follows the track, tolerances stay tight and the corners come out square — which matters when a door frame, window unit, or duct has to seat into the opening later.
Cut, contain, and hand off
Water cools the blade and controls dust and slurry at the cut line; interior work gets poly containment and HEPA vacuums where required. We cut the section free, coordinate the lift, and leave a clean, square opening swept and ready for the following trade.
Hydraulic and Electric Wall Saws
CDS runs two wall saws so the power source matches the site, not the other way around:
Hydraulic wall saw
Our hydraulic wall saw delivers maximum blade depth and torque for the thickest, most heavily reinforced walls and foundations. When the cut is deep, the concrete is dense, or there is heavy steel to get through, the hydraulic saw is the tool that finishes it in fewer passes.
Electric wall saw
Our electric wall saw produces zero exhaust, so it is the right choice for openings cut inside occupied or enclosed spaces — hospitals, schools, condos, food plants, and live commercial buildings where engine fumes are not an option. Electric equipment also runs quieter and cleaner, keeping neighbouring tenants and operations undisturbed while we work. Choosing electric where it fits is part of how CDS keeps job sites lower-emission and safer for the people already in the building.
Either saw cuts a lot of steel: rebar, embedded plate, and dowels come out with the concrete, so a heavily reinforced opening is no obstacle.
Where Wall Sawing Gets Used
Wall sawing shows up on almost every kind of concrete project. CDS crews cut for general contractors, mechanical and electrical trades, restoration firms, property managers, and industrial plants, including:
- Doorway and window openings in basements, foundations, and precast panels
- Mechanical, HVAC, and plumbing penetrations through structural walls and decks
- Elevator pits, stair shafts, and ventilation openings in multi-storey buildings
- Loading-dock and overhead-door openings in warehouses and plants
- Sectioning bridge abutments, retaining walls, and thick slabs for concrete removal and demolition
Wall Sawing vs. Flat Saw Cutting
Wall sawing and flat saw cutting are complementary. A flat saw handles horizontal slabs and pavement; a wall saw takes over the moment the cut leaves the floor plane and has to run up a wall, along a steep face, or overhead. On many jobs we use both — and where an opening is boxed in on all four sides or access is tight, we switch to a diamond wire saw. All of these fall under our full concrete cutting services.
Why CDS for Wall Sawing
We are the oldest concrete cutting company in Ontario, family-run since 1967, and we have never changed what we sell: quality cuts at a fair price, on time. Four things set a CDS wall cut apart:
- Two saws, one call. Hydraulic for depth and power, electric for zero-exhaust work in occupied spaces — we bring the one your site needs.
- Scan-before-cut standard. GPR on every structural cut, so openings go exactly where they belong and nothing hidden gets hit.
- Certified, full-time operators. Every CDS saw is run by a trained employee, not a sub.
- Fully insured and compliant. $5M liability coverage and WSIB compliance on every site.
Serving Hamilton and All of Ontario
From our Hamilton shop at 276 Ferrie St E, CDS crews reach Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge, St. Catharines, Niagara, London, and every point between. For projects in Northern or Eastern Ontario, we mobilize with self-contained power and water so wall sawing does not stall on site access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a wall saw and a floor saw?
A floor saw cuts flat, horizontal slabs and pavement. A wall saw is track-mounted, so it can cut vertical walls, steep faces, and overhead surfaces to full depth from one side — the right tool for doorways, windows, and shaft openings.
When do you use the electric wall saw instead of the hydraulic one?
We use the electric wall saw for openings cut inside occupied or enclosed spaces because it produces zero exhaust and runs quiet and clean. The hydraulic saw comes out for the thickest, most heavily reinforced walls, where maximum depth and power matter most.
Can a wall saw cut through rebar?
Yes. Our diamond blades cut straight through rebar, embedded steel plate, and dowels along with the concrete, so heavy reinforcement in a wall or foundation is not a problem.
How thick a wall can you cut?
Wall thickness rarely limits us — the hydraulic saw reaches deep in a single pass, and we can cut from both faces on very thick walls. During your quote we confirm depth, reinforcement, and access so the opening is planned before we mobilize.
Do you scan the wall before cutting?
Always. GPR scanning to locate rebar, post-tension cables, and conduit is standard on every structural wall cut, so openings are positioned accurately and hidden services are avoided.
Need a wall-sawn opening in Hamilton or anywhere in Ontario?
Concrete Drilling & Sawing Ltd. (CDS) has served Hamilton and all of Ontario since 1967. Hydraulic and electric wall saws, $5M insured and WSIB compliant, ready to mobilize on short notice — residential, commercial, and industrial.
Phone: (905) 529-6029 | Toll-Free: 1-800-241-5708
Shop: 276 Ferrie St E, Hamilton, ON L8L 3T7 · View on Google Maps
Ready to open a wall? Call CDS in Hamilton at (905) 529-6029 or toll-free at 1-800-241-5708, or request a free quote for wall sawing anywhere in Ontario.