Concrete remains the leading choice for construction. This is because of its considerable strength and durability at an incredibly low cost. Therefore, when running a construction company, you should have the best techniques and supplies for handling concrete constructions. One of the things that you should pay attention is the ability of your structure to withstand various adverse elements. The leading one that destroys concrete structures is water in their joints.
A waterstop for concrete joints is the ideal choice for stopping the passage of fluids into your concrete structure through the joints. The right tools will also guarantee that your structure holds up to different elements. People will pay attention to the massive machines for their construction while forgetting that the hand tools will also make a significant difference. Here are the must-have hand tools for all concrete buildings:
Bolt Cutters
These are also called bolt croppers. They are commonly used for cutting padlocks, bolts, and chains, making accurate angular slices and cutting rebar sections in hard-to-reach spaces. Bolt cutters come in different blade types and handle lengths. Clipper, shear, angle, and centre-cut blades are among the most common. Each of them handles a specific task. Hence, it is prudent to have them all at hand on your site. Angle blades, for example, are used for angled cuts between 25 to 35 degrees, while clipper blades suffice for cutting flat surfaces.
Hickey Bars
Concrete contractors have come up with methods of moulding and bending rebars into a proper shape, but nothing beats a hickey bar. This is a long-handled bar measuring 30 inches on average and comprising a thick steel tubing. It can easily bend rebars measuring 16 millimetres or 5/8 inch in diameter. Hickey bars are lightweight and versatile despite being one of the types of heavy-duty hand tools.
Rebar Cutters
You will need to trim off excess lengths off your rebars to get them to fit in your construction. For this task, a rebar cutter guarantees you a quick and effective cut. Some contractors will opt for saws and blowtorches for this, but these tools will take too much time. Manual cutters have a slip-free 12-inch handle on platforms made of solid wood to guarantee their maximum durability. They are also fitted with interchangeable saws, lift chains, and rings for their easy transportation.
Chalk Lines
You cannot afford to rely on your judgment to make accurate measurements when handling a concrete construction. A chalk line is an ideal tool for creating straight lines across flat and long surfaces. This is a mandatory step when laying down the rears for your structure. A string from the tool is laid on your surface then pulled tight, thus causing it to snap and leave a chalk line in your surface to guide the rebar’s installation.
You might not be guaranteed of a construction contract every other day. Furthermore, the tools mentioned above might cost a fortune for someone just starting out in the construction industry. These reasons do not mean that you should do without the tools. You can now hire them from a supplier at a fraction of the price needed to buy them.
