A laminate floor is one of the most popular types of flooring for use in the home. It is also one of the easiest to install.
You don’t need any type of specialty tools to cut laminate floors. Any type of saw that can be used for cutting wood can typically be used for cutting laminate planks. One important consideration to ensure that the job goes as smoothly as possible is to choose a blade that is made for cutting laminate.
Along with choosing a proper blade, it is also important to select an area where you will be cutting the material as well as coming up with a game plan as to how it will be laid in advance.
This article talks about cutting laminate flooring, if you by any chance came to this article looking to cut vinyl planks or cut vinyl tile be sure to head over to those articles. Those articles will be more specific to those types of flooring materials.
What Can You Use To Cut Laminate Flooring (How To)
A laminate floor is often made of multiple layers that include compressed wood with a laminate finish on top. As such, it is important to consider how you are cutting it perhaps just as much as what you are using to cut it.
One of the biggest problems that most people experience when cutting laminate flooring is splintering. One way that you can avoid this is to use tape on the laminate side of the floor that will reduce that possibility.
You also need to think about whether you are going to be cutting the laminate floor with the finish side up or with the finish side down. In part, this depends on the type of blade you will be using.
Most blades cut on the upstroke, which means you would be cutting with the laminate side down to reduce the amount of splintering. Laminate blades, on the other hand, are made with the cut on the downstroke.
Not only will you find it easier to cut through the laminate flooring with a blade specifically made for that type of material, you will also find it easier because you would cut with the finished side up.
There are also going to be some specialty tools that are necessary for cutting in certain circumstances. For example, if you cut around a pipe, you would use a hole saw to do so.
Another factor to consider is where you are going to be cutting the laminate. It is best if you don’t cut it in the same room where you are installing it. Why?
Cutting laminate generally creates a lot of sawdust and there will be some pieces of floor that may be left over. You will constantly have to clean up after yourself if you were to cut the floor in the same room where you are installing it. Choose another area for cutting.
Finally, plan everything out well in advance. A laminate floor may be easy to install but it is also something that requires careful planning.
The planning process starts when you are purchasing the floor. Don’t buy exactly enough to do the floor, buy at least 10% more than what you need. This will allow for any mistakes that are made as well as for any repairs that may be necessary in the future.
You should also let the laminate acclimate to the room for at least 72 hours prior to installing it. This would help to keep the laminate from expanding or contracting and ruining the floor in the process.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Circular Saw?
One of the most common questions when installing laminate is if you can use a circular saw to cut the floor.
A circular saw is one of the most versatile tools that is an excellent choice for cutting laminate floor. It is still important to use a blade that is specific for cutting laminate and to cut with the finished floor up, because the blade cuts down.
One factor to consider when using the circular saw is always going to be safety. You need to be careful that you are cutting in such a way that you don’t get any body parts in the way of the blade.
In addition, if you are using a standard circular saw, you need to be cautious that you don’t cut through the electric cord in the process. It is a much better option to use a cordless circular saw if one is available.
Generally speaking, you are going to be making cuts with a circular saw that are going to be hidden at the edge of the room. If you are fairly confident with your abilities, you may not even need to use a straight edge.
That being said, if you get the cut too close to the edge of the room, it may appear from time to time as the floor expands and contracts due to the humidity changes in the environment.
Circular saws can be used easily for making cross cuts as well as for making long rip-cuts in a laminate plank. As long as the right type of blade is used, it is one of the better choices for the job.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Hand Saw?
Would you like to use a hand saw for cutting laminate floor? It may be a good choice, depending upon what you are doing.
Hand saws are an excellent way to cut laminate floor and to do so with precision. You can make short cuts easily but it may not be the best choice for making a long rip cut. It is also best if you use a straight edge to keep on track during the cutting process.
Before you use your hand saw for cutting laminate floor, it’s important to understand exactly how it cuts. This is something that differs from one hand saw to another.
Most hand saws are going to cut on the downstroke, which is why you would make a short downstroke to begin the cut and then continue to make rhythmic sawing cuts as you go through the laminate board.
There also some hand saws that cut on the upstroke as well as some that cut on both the upstroke and the downstroke. Knowing which is which will help you to know which way to put the laminate floor when you are cutting.
If your hand saw cuts on the down stroke, you should cut with the finish side up. If it cuts on the upstroke, you should cut with the finish side down.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Miter Saw?
Do you have a miter saw available? It can easily be used for cutting laminate floor.
A miter saw is one of the best choices for cutting laminate floor, particularly if you are cutting planks. It is able to cut a flawless 90° angle, and some miter saws can even cut 45° angles or any angle in between. If you need a straight cut running across the plank, a miter saw is an excellent choice.
There are some considerations to ensure that you are getting the most out of the miter saw usage. This would include choosing the proper blade, cutting with the laminate on the right side, and choosing the area where you will be making the cuts.
As far as the blade is concerned, you can use any type of saw blade but it is best if you used either a fine toothed blade or preferably, a laminate blade. Laminate blades are specifically made for the purpose of cutting laminate floor.
One of the reasons why a laminate blade is best is because it will cut on the plank with the laminate up. Since it will be cutting forward into the plank from that point, you will have very little splintering.
One other factor to consider is where you are going to be cutting the laminate. A miter saw is generally going to make a lot of saw dust, so it is going to be counterproductive to cut the planks in the same area where you are installing the floor.
Try to have the saw in a convenient place where you can clean up after the job is done. It should be close to the room but not close enough that it will create the dust that would cause a continual cleanup effort on your part.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Razor Blade?
Are you thinking about cutting a laminate floor with a razor blade? The possibility of doing so may surprise you.
A razor blade can be used to cut laminate floor and it makes a nice cut when doing so. As long as you are careful with the blade, both for your personal safety and for the precision of the mark, you could easily cut across the board and snap it off to size.
The first step in the process is to mark the board. You should mark it on the laminate side and use a straight edge to mark from one edge of the board to the other.
After marking the board, you can use your razor blade to cut across the board. You need to be cautious if you are just using a blade, because it can be easy to cut yourself.
The laminate may be difficult to cut so it is possible to use a razor blade but it is better if you use a utility knife
After you score the laminate completely through to the underlying layer, you can snap the board cleanly and install it.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Stanley Knife?
Do you have a Stanley knife available? It may be a good choice for cutting a piece of laminate floor.
Laminate floor can be cut with the Stanley knife but it is not able to cut the whole way through the floor. Rather, the Stanley knife is used to score the laminate side of the floor and then the floor is snapped off at that line.
Most people tend to interchange the use of Stanley knife and utility knife. Although it certainly is true that Stanley make some good utility knives, they are also known for their quality. Not all utility knives are quality knives.
A Stanley knife is a good choice for cutting laminate floor but it is a better option to use a Stanley knife that is a carpet cutting tool. Carpet cutting knives are sharper and they are shaped in a way that gives you a better grip for greater precision.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Utility Knife?
Are you thinking about using a utility knife to cut your laminate floor? It may be a good option.
A utility knife is a good tool for cutting laminate floor, but only for a short duration. It can easily be used to score the laminate finish so that the board can be snapped and installed into place.
Any type of utility knife can be used for this purpose but a carpet knife is perhaps the best option. The reason why that is the case is because a carpet knife is sharper than most standard utility knives and it offers you a greater degree of precision because of the way it is designed.
After marking the board on the laminate on the plank, you can use the utility knife to score a line directly across the plank. It is best if you use a straight edge for this purpose and you can even slightly move the straight edge about 1/16 of an inch to make the cut a little wider.
After scoring the plank a few times, you can then put some weight on the back of the plank and pull the short edge up to snap it off.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Box Cutter?
Box cutters are used for a variety of purposes although their original purpose was simply to open a box. Can you cut laminate with one?
Box cutters were not designed to cut laminate. You may be able to cut a short run of laminate but eventually you would ruin the blade. Since the blade is small and not likely to stay sharp, you are also running the risk of hurting yourself when using one.
The design a box cutters is very similar to a utility knife, which is one convenient option for cutting laminate. Since they are made for light duty work, however, they are not well suited for scoring the floor.
If you have to cut a small piece of laminate, such as a 2 inch wide plank that has been ripped, you may find that a box cutter works quite well. They will do the job, but they only do a small portion of it and then they will quickly get dull.
For the most part, you should avoid using a box cutter as a laminate cutter. It just wasn’t built to do the job.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Dremel?
There is no doubt that a Dremel tool is handy to have around. Is it also handy enough to cut laminate?
The right type of Dremel tool can easily cut laminate and it was even designed to do so. This is the DSM20, a side cutter Dremel tool that can easily and quickly cut laminate. A standard Dremel tool that is used for crafting purposes is not the right tool for the job.
Sometimes people get confused about the possibility of using one of these tools since they are marketed as being able to do practically anything. Although they can do many things around the home, a standard Dremel tool is not going to be the right tool for the job.
You may be able to cut a short piece of laminate with a hobby Dremel tool but eventually, it is going to wear out and you will shorten the lifespan of the Dremel. It’s better to use the right tool for the right job and for laminate floor cutting, that would be a power saw, such as a chop saw or a jigsaw.
That being said, if you do happen to have the DSM20 or a similar model, it is a good choice for cutting laminate flooring.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Jigsaw?
We often hear that you should use the right tool for the right job. It is a portable jigsaw the right tool for cutting laminate?
The use of a portable jigsaw for cutting laminate is probably one of the best options available. You can use such a saw to cut a long straight line, to crosscut a plank or even to cut an odd shape when necessary.
Although a jigsaw can be used for this purpose, there are also some considerations to ensure that you are cutting things properly. Perhaps the most important thing to consider is the use of the right type of blade.
A rough cut blade is going to cut through the laminate quickly but it is also going to run the risk of splintering the laminate. Always use a fine tooth blade and make sure that you are changing the blade on a regular basis to avoid using a dull blade.
An even better option is to use a blade that is specifically made for cutting laminate. The reason why this is important is because it cuts on the downstroke rather than on the upstroke. What does that mean?
Quite simply, you will cut from the laminate side of the board and it will cut down through without splintering in the process.
Just make sure that you continue to make your cuts in a different area of the home so that you aren’t having to clean up sawdust every time you put a new plank down.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Multi-Tool?
Are you thinking about using a multi tool to cut laminate? You might want to think carefully before doing so.
Multi-tools are excellent for cutting in very specific circumstances but they are not going to be right for every job around the home. That is especially true of laminate, which is harder than most surfaces. More than likely, trying to cut laminate floor with a multi tool will only damage the floor.
Another reason why you may want to think twice about using a multi tool for cutting laminate is because of the price of the blades. You may go through a number of blades when cutting a piece of laminate and that can get expensive very quickly.
Rather than using a multi tool, you should consider getting a jigsaw or perhaps a portable circular saw. In either case, it will cut through the laminate quickly and it was designed to do the job, rather than trying to force using a tool that was not designed for that purpose.
All that being said, if you only have to cut a single piece of laminate and you don’t have any other options available, a multi tool may serve the purpose. Just make sure that you are using it properly and that you check the blade to ensure that it doesn’t need replaced.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Reciprocating Saw?
If you are accustomed to using a reciprocating saw, you might also think about using it for laminate. Can a reciprocal saw cut through laminate flooring?
A reciprocating saw is not a good option for cutting laminate flooring. It can be used in a pinch to cut a piece or two of laminate but you are likely to be unhappy with the edge it leaves behind. Reciprocating saws are known for cutting a rough cut, and that is what they were designed to do. They are not designed for the delicate work of cutting a laminate floor.
One of the primary reasons why you would not want to use a reciprocating saw is because they need to get a bite before they begin cutting. The hard and slick surface of laminate make it the wrong choice.
Even if you are able to get into an edge and begin the cut, you are still going to damage a lot of the laminate in the process. It may splinter the laminate enough that you can’t even hide the damage under the baseboard.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Table Saw?
Do you have access to a tablesaw? It may be one of the most perfect options for cutting laminate floor.
A table saw is used to produce an accurate cut that is straight, even over a long distance. You can use the table saw for cutting across a piece of laminate flooring or even ripping a long plank down to size. If you use the fence, you can get great accuracy out of the cut.
There are some reasons why you may want to consider the use of the table saw and some reasons why it may not be a good choice. If you are doing a larger job and need to cut a significant amount of flooring, then you can set up a table saw and get to work.
On the other hand, if you have to set up a large table saw just to make a few cuts, you are better off using a jigsaw or a portable circular saw for the job.
Another consideration is the amount of dust that is created using a table saw. It would be counterproductive to have the saw set up in the same room where you are installing the floor. Otherwise, you would have to continually sleep up sawdust.
If you have a portable table saw that can easily be set up in an adjoining room or perhaps outside on the porch, it provides the ideal option for cutting laminate floor. It will produce some of the cleanest cuts possible.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With An Angle Grinder?
Are you thinking about using an angle grinder for installing laminate floor? Make sure you read this before you do it.
Angle grinders are not a good choice for cutting laminate floor. The blades that are typically available in such a grinder will quickly burn and would shred the floor so that it does not make a good edge. Although there may be some blades that can cut laminate easily, an angle grinder is still not going to be the best choice.
The only reason I would use an angle grinder for cutting laminate floor is if I had absolutely no other option. I would get the closest thing to a laminate blade and cut very slowly to ensure that I was not tearing up the edge of the laminate to the point where it was ruined.
If at all possible, purchase a portable jigsaw or circular saw for the job. They do not cost much money or you can always borrow one from somebody to get the job done right.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Chop Saw?
If you have a chop saw and need to install laminate floor, can you use it for making the cuts?
A chop saw can be used for making quick, convenient cuts across the grain of the laminate plank. In most cases, even a chop saw with an 8 inch blade will be large enough for doing the installation of the laminate floor. If you are using the chop saw to make 45° cuts, you may want to invest in a 10 inch blade.
Earlier in this article, we discussed the use of a miter saw and mentioned that it was a good choice for cutting laminate floor. Some people use the terms chopsaw and miter saw interchangeably, but they are actually two separate tools.
A miter saw is built to be more accurate and it can typically cut on an angle, both horizontally and vertically. A chop saw, on the other hand, is a simple tool that just cuts at 90° or perhaps at 45°.
That being said, you should ensure that you are using the proper blade for the chop saw and a laminate blade is the best choice. It can be used to cut through laminate quickly and easily without dulling the blade quickly and costing you excessive amounts of money.
A chop saw is also going to make a lot of dust so make sure you use it in a separate room.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Hacksaw?
Most people have a hacksaw around the home but is it a good choice for cutting laminate floor?
A standard hacksaw will not be a good choice for cutting laminate. The teeth tend to be to rough and it will damage the laminate finish, splintering it and perhaps ruining the piece. If you must use a hack saw for cutting laminate, it’s better to choose a fine tooth blade.
It’s unfortunate, because a hacksaw seems as if it is made for cutting laminate. It can be used for a variety of materials, but the standard blade is not going to be the right option.
Look for a blade that is either designed for cutting laminate or choose one that has very fine teeth to avoid damaging the laminate in the process.
Can You Cut Laminate Flooring With A Tile Cutter?
If you have a tile cutter, you may be wondering if you should use it to cut some laminate floor. Can you do it?
A tile cutter with a diamond saw blade is a good option for scoring laminate floor but not necessarily cutting the whole way through it. You need to be cautious that you don’t burn the saw blade in the process.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on February 9, 2022.
If you are accustomed to using a tile saw, you already know that you must use water to keep the blade from burning. This is not only true because of the type of material you are cutting but it is also true of the blade itself.
There are plenty of diamond blades that would work well for cutting laminate but not in the way that you think. Typically, you would only use it to score the top of the laminate and then you would snap the board at the score line.
It’s also important to use a blade that has not been overly dulled in the process of cutting. If you get the right type of blade from the start, it will last a very long time.
How To Properly Cut Laminate Flooring?
Are you ready to cut some laminate floor and install it? Cutting it properly is half the battle.
The proper way to cut laminate floor is by using a saw or laminate cutter that is properly suited for the job. You need to ensure that the blade is the correct choice, in many cases a laminate blade, and that you change the blade regularly. Take your time and take all of the safety precautions necessary to cut the floor properly.
One important thing to keep in mind is that the floor must be acclimated to the room before you cut it. If you begin cutting the floor in advance of the acclamation process, it is going to cause problems.
The reason why that is the case is because laminate flooring will expand and contract as the moisture level changes in the room. What may be the proper cut one day is not necessarily going to be the proper cut the next day. You would be surprised with how much of the difference it makes.
After acclimating, you then need to choose the tool you will use for cutting the laminate. In many cases, this is going to be a power saw, and there are a number of options available.
If you want a portable option, then you can use a circular saw, a jigsaw, or perhaps even a Dremel tool. These have the convenience of allowing you to cut the laminate anywhere, but they should still not be used in the room where you are installing the laminate because of sawdust.
If you are looking for an option that is more stable and will do a more professional job, then you should consider using a table saw, miter saw or chop saw. These power tools can easily cut the laminate down to size and will make quick work of any cuts that are necessary.
If you’re going to be doing any ripping of laminate planks, you will have to use an appropriate saw for that purpose. The best options are a tablesaw or a portable circular saw.
You also have the option of scoring the laminate floor and snapping it. This is not something that can be done for a long cut but it can be done if you are cutting across a plank.
Draw a line, score it with a utility knife or carpet knife and then lift up on the short end of the plank to snap it at that location. It makes a clean cut and in most cases, it is going to be hidden under baseboard anyway.
Using the wrong tool to cut laminate is a bad idea on numerous levels. Not only are you running the risk of damaging the laminate and splintering it, you are also putting yourself at risk because the wrong tool is always a safety hazard.
One other suggestion is to keep the old axiom in mind, measure twice, cut once. Once you cut a piece of laminate you can’t go back and undo it.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on February 9, 2022.
The best method for cutting laminate floor is to use a saw appropriate to the task. This would include a jigsaw, circular saw, table saw, or miter saw. Some saws are specifically suited for the cross cuts and others for the long cut.
Related Articles
How To Transition Laminate To Hardwood/Doors/Stairs/Concrete
How To Transition Laminate To Tile/Carpet/Linoleum/Vinyl Plank
What Is Better Laminate Or Vinyl Plank Flooring?
How To Repair Laminate Flooring
ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on February 9, 2022.