Concrete Skylight & Roof Hatch Openings
Introducing natural light or roof access to commercial buildings requires cutting large, precise penetrations through elevated concrete roof slabs. Using heavy impact tools like jackhammers on a roof deck guarantees structural micro-fractures, inevitably leading to extensive water leaks and compromised load-bearing strength. At Concrete Cutting Miami, we utilize advanced diamond tooling—including our 20-inch Wolverine hydraulic hand saws and zero over-cut chainsaws—to extract thick concrete roof sections with absolute precision, ensuring your new skylight or roof hatch frame drops in with a perfect, watertight seal.
Max Slab Depth
Up to 24"Heavily Reinforced
Corner Plunge
Zero Over-cutPerfect 90° Angles
Equipment Weight
LightweightProtects Roof Load
Power Source
Remote PowerNo Roof Fumes
Natural LightCommercial Skylights
Creating openings for massive architectural skylights in existing concrete roof slabs requires exact dimensional accuracy. We map out the cuts and use diamond-bladed slab saws or track saws to sever the heavily reinforced concrete. By isolating the cut, we ensure the remaining roof deck is completely undisturbed, which is crucial for the roofing contractor applying the final waterproofing membrane.
Facility AccessRoof Hatches
When HVAC teams or facility managers need reliable roof access, standard square hatches must be installed. Our ICS hydraulic chainsaws allow us to plunge cut the corners of the hatch opening perfectly square. This eliminates the "over-cuts" typical of standard circular blades, preventing weak points that could eventually harbor water intrusion.
Rigging & RemovalSafe Extraction
A cut section of a 10-inch concrete roof slab weighs thousands of pounds. We don't just let it fall. We utilize our Weka or Husqvarna core drills to create lifting holes in the center of the block. We then rig the concrete "slug" to an industrial gantry crane or material lift, safely lowering the multi-ton section into the building for safe demolition and removal.
Mechanical RoutingRoof Penetrations
If you are upgrading commercial HVAC units or running new ductwork from the roof down into the facility, we can execute precision cuts for mechanical chases. Similar to our wall cutting for HVAC, we slice exact-dimension rectangles through the elevated slab, allowing ductwork to pass through without battling jagged concrete edges.
Vibration-Free Cutting
Using impact breakers on a roof deck is a recipe for disaster, as the vibrations loosen adjacent structural joints and crack existing waterproofing. Our diamond tools rotate smoothly, slicing cleanly through rebar and concrete without sending destructive shockwaves through the roof.
Remote Hydraulic Power
Hoisting heavy, gas-guzzling equipment onto a roof is dangerous, and exhaust fumes can easily be sucked into a building's HVAC intake. We solve this by keeping our Merit 12 gpm power pack safely on the ground or a sturdy deck, pumping clean, fume-free hydraulic fluid up to our cutting heads.
Perfect Framing Clearance
Because we use chainsaws to finish the corners of our cuts, we deliver a 100% square opening. Your structural steel frames and the aluminum curbs for your skylights will drop in effortlessly, meaning faster installations and less time the interior is exposed to the elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you prevent the concrete slab from crashing down when cut?
When cutting elevated slabs for skylights or roof hatches, we never allow the concrete to free-fall. Before the final cuts are made, we core drill precise lifting holes into the block. We secure rigging through these holes to an overhead gantry crane or heavy material lift, carefully lowering the concrete to the floor once it is fully severed.
Can you cut through Post-Tension (PT) roof slabs?
Yes, but it requires extreme caution. Before any cutting occurs on a PT slab, the area must be mapped using GPR concrete scanning to locate the high-tension cables. Once it is safe to proceed and engineers have approved the structural modifications, our post-tension cutting procedures safely penetrate the roof.
Do you install the skylight or handle the roof patching?
We are highly specialized concrete cutting and demolition contractors. Our sole focus is the precise, safe removal of the concrete to create the rough opening. We do not install glass, framing, or apply roofing membranes (like TPO or tar). We coordinate our cutting schedule directly with your roofing and general contractors so they can immediately weatherproof the new opening.
Why use hydraulic saws instead of standard gas saws on a roof?
There are three main reasons: weight, safety, and torque. Lugging a heavy gas engine around a roof is dangerous. Furthermore, gas saws emit toxic carbon monoxide, which can easily be drawn into nearby commercial HVAC intakes, endangering building occupants. Our hydraulic saws are lighter, deliver far more torque for cutting #8 rebar, and produce zero emissions because the power pack remains safely out of the way.
What is an "over-cut" and why does it matter for roof hatches?
Because wall and slab saws use circular blades, the blade has to travel past the corner to cut all the way through the bottom of the thick concrete. This creates an "over-cut" beyond the dimensions of your hatch. On a roof, over-cuts are dangerous because they create immediate weak points and pathways for water intrusion. We eliminate this by finishing all corners with a plunge-cutting chainsaw.
Recent Concrete Penetrations
