Slab & Pavement Sawing in Little Rock, AR

Slab-on-grade, parking, apron and roadway sawing for utility trenches, control joints and repairs.

Slab & Pavement Sawing for Little Rock Projects

Slab and pavement sawing covers a range of cuts in horizontal concrete and asphalt: trenches for utilities, expansion and control joints, removal sections for repairs, and openings for new equipment. It is done with walk-behind saws and larger flat saws using diamond blades, usually with water to control dust. In Little Rock the work is seen at the port's industrial slabs, in downtown parking decks and plazas, in west Little Rock parking lots, and inside buildings where plumbing or mechanical changes need trenches.

Control-joint sawing is one of the most time-sensitive jobs in concrete. New slabs and pavement shrink as they cure, and the joints need to be cut within a limited window so that cracking happens at the joint instead of across the panel. In hot, humid weather the window can be short, so saw crews are typically scheduled alongside the placement crew. Late cuts risk uncontrolled cracking and callbacks that could have been avoided with better coordination.

Repair and trench cutting is a different kind of work. Straight, neat cuts make for cleaner patches and help limit the area that has to be removed and replaced. Scanning ahead of the saw reveals rebar, conduit and post-tension tendons, and a utility locate through Arkansas 811 should precede any excavation that follows a cut. Slurry should be vacuumed and disposed of rather than washed into storm inlets.

Little Rock-Specific Considerations

• Slabs in the Port industrial park and other river-bottom areas often sit on alluvial soils with shallow groundwater, so trenches can fill with water and slurry control is important. Expansive clays in parts of west Little Rock can cause slab movement that leads to joint recutting and repair strips. Summer heat shortens the time window for joint sawing on new work, and occasional freezing rain can delay outdoor work in winter. Pavement in public streets generally needs City approvals; confirm which agency controls the pavement before cutting.

Our Slab & Pavement Sawing Process

1. 1. Review plans and scan

   Joint layouts, trench lines and slab thickness are reviewed, and GPR scanning is used where reinforcement or tendons may be present.

2. 2. Locate and mark

   Arkansas 811 locates are requested where excavation will follow, and cut lines are marked on the slab or pavement.

3. 3. Set blade depth and water supply

   Blade depth is set for the slab thickness and joint type, and a water supply and slurry-capture plan are established.

4. 4. Saw and control slurry

   Cuts are made in the planned order, with slurry vacuumed as the work progresses and traffic or access controlled around the cut area.

5. 5. Remove sections and clean up

   Cut sections are lifted out, edges are inspected, and slurry is disposed of before the patch or utility trade proceeds.

Reference Specifications

• Typical equipment: Track-mounted wall saws, walk-behind pavement saws, wet core drills and handheld ring saws
• Cut accuracy: Straight cuts to the layout line with depth matched to slab thickness and reinforcement
• Pre-cut scanning: Concrete scanning (GPR) and utility locating before coring or sawing slabs, walls and decks

Industrial Corridors We Serve

• Downtown & River Market District
• Port of Little Rock Industrial Park
• Rock Creek & West Little Rock Commercial Corridor
• UAMS Medical District