People often ask us: “Can I cut a wall with an angle grinder?” The answer depends on the wall. If it’s brick, the grinder will help you. If it’s reinforced concrete, the grinder won’t get all the way through, and you’ll have to finish by breaking. Here you’ll learn how far an angle grinder can cut, its risks, and when you need to move to a concrete saw.
What is an angle grinder?
An angle grinder is the handheld tool fitted with a small disc. Anyone cutting brick or concrete with it fits a diamond disc made for masonry, not a metal-cutting disc.
How deep can an angle grinder cut?
The cutting depth is set by the disc diameter: a large grinder cuts deeper than a small one, but in the end both cut only a few centimetres. A concrete wall or slab is much thicker than that, so the grinder alone won’t get through it.
When does an angle grinder work?
- Marking the cutting line before any work, so the edges come out straight.
- Brick walls: you cut the plaster and brick along the line, then gently break out the part inside.
- Surface cuts: such as a shallow chase in the plaster for a cable or a small pipe.
When won’t an angle grinder work?
- A reinforced concrete wall or slab: the grinder only cuts the surface, and you’ll finish the rest by breaking with a hammer. Breaking causes vibration and cracks around the opening, broken edges that need repair, and hours of noise.
- A beam or column: they have a lot of steel and a large thickness, and any cut in them must be reviewed by a structural engineer first.
- An opening that needs accurate edges, such as a door or window that will have a frame fitted.
The risks of using an angle grinder on buildings
- Kickback: if the disc jams in the concrete or on a steel bar, the grinder can kick back violently in your hands. Hold it with both hands, don’t force it, and don’t stand in line with the disc.
- Dust: dry cutting makes a huge amount of dust. Wear a mask and goggles, and work somewhere ventilated.
- The guard: never remove the disc guard, and use the right disc for your grinder’s size and for the type of work.
The right tool for a concrete wall: a concrete saw
A concrete cutting saw mounts on a track fixed to the wall, and cuts concrete, rebar and all, in a straight line, with no breaking and no vibration. The 1 m saw with a 1 m diameter blade cuts from one side up to 41 cm deep, and the cut is made in two stages on the same track so it stays on one line. The edges come out level, so the frame goes in straight away with no repair.
| Wall | The right tool |
|---|---|
| Brick | An angle grinder to mark the line and cut the surface, then gentle breaking |
| Reinforced concrete up to 41 cm | A concrete saw on a track |
| Thicker sections (massive beams, columns, concrete blocks) | A concrete wire saw |
Important: any cut in a beam, column or load-bearing wall must be reviewed by a structural engineer before you start, whatever the tool.
Want the steps in detail? Read opening doors and windows in concrete walls with a saw and the complete concrete cutting guide.
The saw pays for itself
If opening doors and windows and cutting walls is regular work for you, your own saw pays for itself from the jobs you used to pay others for, and after that every cut costs you only the blade and the time.
Frequently asked questions
What if I cut the concrete wall with a grinder from both sides?
The grinder will cut the surface on both sides, but in reinforced concrete walls a part in the middle usually remains, and the steel slows the cut and wears the disc. Any part that isn’t cut you’ll have to break out, and you’re back to the same problems.
Can I open a door in a brick wall with an angle grinder?
Yes, that’s the kind of job a grinder is good for: mark the opening, cut the surface along the line, then gently break out the bricks inside. And before you open any door, ask an engineer: the opening usually needs a lintel (a small beam above it) so the wall above doesn’t collapse.
A grinder is much cheaper than a saw. Why not just buy a grinder?
Because a grinder won’t do a saw’s job. The grinder is for marking, brick and light cuts; the saw is for reinforced concrete. If your work involves concrete walls and slabs regularly, the saw is what saves you the time, the breaking and the repairs.
What power does the saw run on?
220 V. And if the site runs on a generator, it must suit the saw and be stable, with no welding machine on it at the same time.
Need to know which saw suits your work? Tap here to message customer service on WhatsApp, or visit our showroom in Nazlet El Mohandeseen. We’re open every day, no days off, from 10 AM to 8:30 PM. Fast shipping inside and outside Egypt.
