Concrete Siding

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dan55

Member
Location
South Dakota
Need a 3 1/2 hole to set a pan box into Concrete siding. Any body found anything that works good for this purpose. (other than destroying a hole saw bit) . Does somebody make a hole saw for concrete siding?
 
e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
Cold chisle and some skill...

Dry core saw...

Diamond grit hole saw...

Carbide tipped 1/4' hammer drill and a bunch of holes in a circle...

All of the above...
 
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e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
Thinking - if you don't have a tool for most of the bits that could be used - it' will be an expensive hole... That and the possiblity if doing damage even with the right tool. - Weigh that agains replacement of the siding though.... I once busted an aspestoes/concrete tile and the owner hated me for the rest of time... There was no way to get a replacement, or anything that came close to matching.

I have in the past also cut slots like 1/4" apart vertical/horizontal in that type of siding in the pattern of the hole - much like the hammer drill method. But an angle grinder does not impact. And the same way - just knock out the small pieces - but boy is it messy...

Just recently Fien tool added ( and I have been waiting for it) a diamond and a carbide grit blade for the multimaster. If you don't have one of these yet - it might be a good investment... They are made for tile and grout - but depending on the thickness and material density - and of course how many you need to do - it might not be a bad option either????
 
ceb58

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
The carbide grit hole saws work very well with the Hardy Plank ( concrete) siding. I cut the hole in the siding first exposing the OSB or plywood underneath then change to a regular hole saw to cut hole out. It seems the grit hole saw do not do as well in wood and create a lot of heat.
 
T

ty

Senior Member
Location
3rd Rock from the Sun
another work around is to cut a rectangle using die grinder, then using alzac, make a lighting block, which you can cut a hole into for light box. caulk around alzac.
We've have many builders do this, or use cedar, or other materials.
We've had some use a router and give it curved edges.
We've even had some outline the lighting fixture so the alzac was shaped like the light.
 
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c2500

Senior Member
Location
South Carolina
Some of the newer hole saws..and for the life of me I forget the brand (bosch maybe?), hold up cutting fiber cement siding. I know I bought one with carbide tips a while back for $60 or so and it was fine after a few cuts that would destroy the $30 4" regular hole saw.

On a slightly different material subject, the newer rotozip x-bits for porcelain do a jam up job of cutting through hard tile.

c2500
 
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c2500

Senior Member
Location
South Carolina
ty said:
another work around is to cut a rectangle using die grinder, then using alzac, make a lighting block, which you can cut a hole into for light box. caulk around alzac.
We've have many builders do this, or use cedar, or other materials.
We've had some use a router and give it curved edges.
We've even had some outline the lighting fixture so the alzac was shaped like the light.
Click to expand...

Ty,

Do you me Azek trim? If so, and alternate will be Miratec.

c2500
 
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danickstr

Senior Member
ceb58 said:
The carbide grit hole saws work very well with the Hardy Plank ( concrete) siding. I cut the hole in the siding first exposing the OSB or plywood underneath then change to a regular hole saw to cut hole out. It seems the grit hole saw do not do as well in wood and create a lot of heat.
Click to expand...

this is the way to go.
 
M

macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
When you cut anything other than drywall with a rotozip, do not try to cut the full width of the material on the first pass. And slow down a bit so you do not overheat the bit. Works wonders. And yes, the rotozip tile bit works great for that type of siding.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
A carbide hole-saw drilling tip: they cut both equally well turning clockwise or counter-clockwise.
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IrishRugger

Senior Member
ceb58 said:
The carbide grit hole saws work very well with the Hardy Plank ( concrete) siding. I cut the hole in the siding first exposing the OSB or plywood underneath then change to a regular hole saw to cut hole out. It seems the grit hole saw do not do as well in wood and create a lot of heat.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing this works great I have had my same Lennox carbide grit hole saws for six years now. I have a 3 1/2" for lights and a 4 1/4" or 4 1/2" for dryer vents and bath fan vents. I usually set up two drills when I cut in lights in the hardy board, one with the carbide hole saw and the other with the wood hole saw save time
 
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