How to cut a laminate: choose the right tool for cutting

In order to properly lay the laminate on the floor, you need to be able to not only connect the laminate panels, but also properly cut them. Otherwise, "fit" into the area of the room, as well as to comply with the traditional chess pattern of the coating will be impossible. Since you can’t take laminated boards with your bare hands, you can entrust them to cutting with one of the hand or electric tools.

Selection of cutting tools for laminate flooring

The main characteristics that a tool for cutting a laminate at home should have are:

the convenience of use
compact and light weight
the possibility of obtaining a smooth cut, without cracks and chips

The last point, the meaning of which is not to spoil the appearance of the laminate board after cutting, is crucial for most home masters. However, its significance is still exaggerated. In any case, chips up to 5 mm in size on the finished coating will not be noticeable - defects along the edge of the panels will disappear behind the skirting boards.

So, which tools are most suitable for cutting laminate?

Tool number 1. Jigsaw

The best result in cutting a laminate can be achieved by applying an electric jigsaw for this purpose. This is an easy, very convenient tool to use, to which any newcomer will quickly find an approach. Even a woman or a teenager. Sawing with a jigsaw is performed at high speeds, which avoids damage to the structure of the fiberboard. If you act quickly, confidently, then the cut will be almost perfect.

The main thing in using a jigsaw is choosing a file. A modern tool is usually initially supplied with special files for cutting laminate. They are distinguished by a special shape, pitch and method of tooth alignment. However, ordinary metal saws - narrow, with small teeth, can do this worse.

In order not to damage the decorative surface, the cutting line is applied (in pencil or chalk) to the wrong side of the laminate board. It is laid on the table (chair) with the wrong side up so that the part to be cut is suspended. The laminate lying on the table is fixed with one hand, and the other part is quickly cut off with the other.

Jigsaw - a safe tool for cutting laminate

The fret saw allows to cut a laminate quickly and safely

Tool number 2. A circular saw

A neat cut along the edge of the laminate can be obtained using a circular saw with a metal blade. Working with a circular saw is more difficult than with a jigsaw, so this requires some skills. If you have them, then it will be possible to saw through the laminate quickly, evenly, practically without chips.

The laminate board is laid on a hard surface with the pattern facing up, fixed. You need to cut it carefully, with a little pressure, moving the disk along the drawn line, trying not to slow down in one place.

A circular saw requires dexterity, but helps to cut out a large amount of laminate in a quality manner.

Tool number 3. Angle grinder (grinder)

The Bulgarian is a convenient tool indispensable in the home master's drawer. It can cut almost everything, including the laminate. For a beautiful edge, without cracks and chips, when cutting, you need to turn the laminate board with the front surface. In this case, discs are used for metal, for concrete or for ceramic tiles.

The disadvantage of using a grinder (and a circular saw too!) Is the large amount of dust that will be released when cutting a laminate.Also, this action may be accompanied by the smell of a burnt tree. Therefore, you need to engage in cutting on an open balcony or on the street.

You need to cut the laminate with a grinder on the front side

To avoid chips, you need to cut the laminate with a grinder only on the front side

Tool number 4. Hacksaw

Laminate can be successfully sawn with a regular hacksaw on wood. But it will take a lot of effort, because her teeth are large enough and will bite into the laminate, and not cut it. Smaller teeth in a hacksaw for metal - and it must be used for cutting.

Hacksaw is often used for cutting with small amounts of work. In construction teams, this method is not used, due to the increased time costs and complexity.

Cutting a laminate with a hacksaw - a laborious process

Tool number 5. Laminate cutter

The cutter for the laminate, on the contrary, allows for cutting at a professional level. Most often, this tool works like a guillotine - a knife, which, with the help of a handle, is lowered to the surface of the laminate and cut it. The cutter operates easily, without chips and noise. To use it, you do not need to use force and possess skills. Perhaps this is the easiest tool to use, which allows you to get an excellent result in any conditions.

The cutter is able to cut the laminate in the transverse direction

The design of the cutter allows you to cut the laminate only in the transverse direction

Since this cutter is used exclusively for laminate flooring, it makes sense to buy it only with professional installation. For finishing several rooms of the apartment, this option is considered impractical.

Tool number 6. Construction knife

An ordinary construction knife can also be used for cutting a laminate. For example, if you have almost finished the flooring device, it remains to cut one board, but the grinder suddenly broke. There are no other tools at hand, but cutting needs to be done urgently. Then a construction knife will come to the rescue. Put a ruler on the front side of the laminate board, draw a deep cut along it with a knife. While holding the board on one side of the cut, push the other side. The laminate should break, just like ceramic tiles under the influence of a tile cutter.

A construction knife can also be used for cutting laminate

For lack of other tools, a construction knife is suitable for cutting a couple of three laminate boards

As an epilogue

The choice of tool for cutting laminate is large enough. Indeed, qualitatively cutting laminate boards, with experience, can be done with almost anything. Only the amount of time and labor spent will be different. Therefore, when deciding in favor of one of the tools, focus only on your own preferences and needs.

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George
3 years ago

Yes, the jigsaw helped me, but it wondered - the mount of the file broke. But it is necessary to report the laminate in the dressing room ... I will try all the proposed options. I'll start with the grinder, because she is at hand.
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Andrew
4 years ago

At home, it is convenient to use a jigsaw. It is clear that longer, but more reliable. Less likely to spoil the panel, no chips when cutting. Even my son helped me with this: he cuts, I do the styling. It is a good and proven way. We have a lot of saws, even if one breaks, the other goes to the course, so there were no problems when sawing a considerable amount of material.
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Barmaley
5 years ago

A jigsaw is usually gorgeously sawn, the cut is obtained without chips. Just wash up the saw.
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Vladimir
6 years ago

For me, the most convenient tool for cutting a laminate is, of course, a jigsaw.Thanks to it, you can cut the laminate in different directions - in the longitudinal, transverse, as well as cut the necessary sections of different shapes. However, in this article I was very interested in the cutter for the laminate, I did not even imagine that there are such, since cutters for tiles (tile cutters) are mainly known. However, each master chooses a tool convenient for him, since there are enough options, the main thing is the quality laying of the laminate. Small errors during cutting can be hidden with the same baseboard, since the cut sides are mainly adjacent to the wall.
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