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If you are doing a laminate flooring installation that only requires making straight cuts, you will need a circular saw. You might be able to get by with a handsaw for a small job. If you also need to cut laminate flooring in a curve, such as around pipes coming out of the floor or pillars, you'll need a jigsaw. Learn how to do both these methods by scrolling down to Step 1.
Steps
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Use a circular saw or a handsaw with at least 18 teeth per inch to avoid chipping it.
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Mark the line on the laminate flooring. Make a small mark on the edge of the laminate, so you know where to cut or use a chalk pencil to draw your measurement line across the face of the laminate . You can easily wipe the chalk off the surface after you are done cutting. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Leave the laminate facing right-side-up and cut it with a circular saw or handsaw. [2] X Research source
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Choose a jigsaw with a standard blade or one with a laminate flooring jigsaw blade with fine teeth. The fine teeth will allow you to cut the laminate flooring face up without chipping it. [3] X Research source
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Make a paper pattern to help you make curved cuts and avoid wasting laminate flooring.
- Hold a piece of paper around the pillar or pipes and trace around the objects.
- Cut out the paper pattern, and then lay it back down to test for accuracy. This may take a few attempts to get the exact shape you want the laminate to be. Once you can successfully place the pattern around the obstacle, you're ready to draw the shape onto the laminate flooring.
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Cut out the curved shape.
- With a standard jigsaw blade, flip the laminate plank upside down. Place the pattern on the backside of the laminate, making sure to flip the pattern, so your cut laminate is positioned to come out correctly when the plank is flipped face up. Hold the jigsaw vertical, so the blade runs smoothly from one edge of the laminate to the other.
- If cutting the laminate face up, place painter's tape on the laminate along the pattern to keep it from chipping. Mark the cut line on top of the tape and cut with a jigsaw with a special blade.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I cut laminate flooring accurately?Jacob Pischer is a Home Improvement Specialist and the Owner of Helpful Badger, a home repair service in Portland, OR. With over four years of experience, Jacob specializes in a variety of handyman services including pressure washing, cleaning gutters, repairing drywall, fixing leaky plumbing fixtures, and repairing broken doors. Jacob studied at Madison Area Technical College and has a background in real estate investment.Always check your measurements multiple times throughout your project because rooms are usually not perfectly square.
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Tips
- Cut laminate flooring in a different room or outside whenever possible. The dust from cutting can scratch the floor you already have in place.Thanks
- Remember most cut laminate edges are hidden by molding or trim at the edges of a room, so tiny abrasions on the laminate from cutting can be covered easily.Thanks
- Put painter’s tape over the cut you’re going to make. Make the cut and then remove the tape.Thanks
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Warnings
- Wear protective goggles and ear plugs or muffs while you cut laminate flooring. Also use a face mask to avoid breathing in the fine dust created from sawing laminate flooring. [4] X Research sourceThanks
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Things You'll Need
- Circular saw or handsaw
- Tape measure
- Chalk or pencil
- Jigsaw
- Paper
- Scissors
- Painter's tape
- Goggles
- Ear plugs
- Dust mask
References
About This Article
Article Summary
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To cut laminate flooring, measure and mark the laminate's surface so you know where to cut, then use a circular saw or a handsaw with at least 18 teeth per inch to make straight cuts. If you need to make curved cuts, create a paper pattern first and place the pattern over the laminate to ensure accuracy when you're cutting. Then, use a jigsaw with a standard blade to cut out the curved shape! For more tips on making paper patterns, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "This article helped to simplify my floor project in my mind, so it doesn't see like such an insurmountable task now. I am going to be starting with a small area, a hallway, and working up to large rooms in my house. Thank you!" ..." more
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"This article helped to simplify my floor project in my mind, so it doesn't see like such an insurmountable task now. I am going to be starting with a small area, a hallway, and working up to large rooms in my house. Thank you!"
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