The best way to cut laminate flooring at home

21st September 2021

How to choose the best tool?

The choice is guided by two groups of factors. Firstly, on the characteristics of the material, the conditions of laying and the amount of work. Secondly, on the parameters of the instrument itself. For example, how to cut laminate flooring at home? In this case, it makes no sense to arm yourself with productive electrical equipment, since a small volume of panels for household laying will also be processed qualitatively by a guillotine with a hacksaw. If you plan to design a huge office space using a wear-resistant laminate model, then a circular saw or an angle grinder would be a good choice.

Pro Tricks for Cutting Laminate Flooring

Features of cutting vinyl laminate

If commercial panels are characterized by high strength, then vinyl material, on the contrary, is made with the expectation of creating an original decorative effect. In addition, vinyl makes it easier to clean the floor, which is why housewives appreciate it. Such lamellas are also convenient in terms of cutting. As a rule, it is a relatively soft material that lends itself to cutting with a hand tool. So how to cut vinyl laminate? It is probably not worth using these tools. It is more expedient to use a clerical knife, which has a high cutting ability, almost like a blade. Soft vinyl panels are sensitive to mechanical stress, so a sharp knife is a better choice than a rough angle grinder or a hacksaw.

Find out how to cut laminate at home?

Laminate panels allow you to create an original appearance of the floor in any room. On the market, lamellas are presented with various patterns that imitate not only the traditional texture of wood, but also stone, metal and leather. That is, in terms of stylistic diversity, this material surpasses even natural parquet. It would seem that in terms of laying lamellas, they require much less effort, but this is not so. Simple typical installation can be complicated if non-standard decking configurations arise. In such cases, the question arises of what the laminate is cut with. Fortunately, no specialized tool is required to accomplish this task. You can limit yourself to the usual inventory, which is likely to be found in the household of many home craftsmen.

Hacksaw as the most affordable option

If there is not much work, and we are not talking about obtaining an ultra-precise cutting result, then you can limit yourself to using the simplest tool. a hacksaw. In the process of cutting, the main thing is to ensure the integrity and evenness of the edge, if possible, and also to observe the correct cutting of the mowing line. In this case, much will depend on the quality and sharpness of the saw itself. But this option will not work if the question is about what the laminate is cut with in large quantities. Technically, a hacksaw effectively handles wood-based materials, which include laminated panels. And with its help it is quite possible to cope with a whole batch of material, even alone. But the problem is that it will be very difficult to maintain a more or less decent cut quality throughout the entire process.

Guillotine cutting for laminate

This method can be called optimal for the average home craftsman who plans to improve one or more rooms in the house with laminate flooring. The guillotine for lamellas is a special cutter, the design of which is designed not only for the direct provision of an effective mechanical effect on the material, but also for the convenience of the user. To understand what the laminate is cut with in a domestic environment, this tool should be considered first of all. Unlike a hacksaw, it performs the operation faster and more accurately, and compared to powerful grinders and circular machines, it costs much less and requires an order of magnitude less hassle in maintenance.

Angle Grinder Cutting

We can say this is the opposite of the previous tool. Provided that the angle grinder is equipped with a high-quality cutting wheel, you can get not only a productive, but also a neat assistant. But cutting the laminate with an angle grinder without experience is still not recommended. There is nothing particularly difficult in handling an angle grinder, but at least before work it is worth practicing on rough panels. As for the equipment itself, experienced parquet flooring specialists recommend using a disc with 48 teeth in a 160 mm format. This cutter will allow you to perform serial cutting, which is useful not only as a way to save time, but also from the point of view of maintaining even edges. at least, the cleanliness of the cut will be ensured in the lamellas located in the middle of the opened batch. By the way, to obtain a 100% accurate cut, you can install the same rough elements in place of the outer panels.

Using a circular saw for cutting

The advantages of this tool include high cutting speed and the ability to work with several panels at the same time. It has already been noted that the angle grinder is distinguished by similar performance, but the circular grinder also has serious features. Its cutting power is much higher, therefore, if you are thinking about what is the best way to cut a laminate from a commercial or semi-commercial series, then this method cannot be found better. Such panels are characterized by high strength, hardness and rigidity. Therefore, even in piece processing, not every jigsaw or hacksaw will cope with this task. An angle grinder will undoubtedly do batch cutting, but not as quickly and efficiently as a circular saw.

Open with a jigsaw

If you still have to resort to some tricks with an angle grinder to achieve the cleanest result, then in the case of an electric jigsaw this is not necessary. Even with piece cuts, this tool will deliver impressive results. An example of working with a jigsaw also shows the depth of the question as to what the laminate is cut with if it is necessary to get true shape cutting. Of course, making a straight cut is the most common operation. But non-standard styling, involving installation with curved panels, is practiced. Another thing is that the implementation of this method can be trusted by professional parquet flooring. The advantage of a jigsaw is that a model that is suitable for its characteristics, even in the hands of a beginner in such works, can provide a very decent result. To do this, initially you should purchase a multifunctional device, the design and saw blade of which allow you to carry out figured cutting.

Complete list of available tools

Today it is not difficult to purchase a laminate of any strength class. Differences in the material can be in the thickness, quality and strength of protective and decorative coatings. There is also a difference in the main board, which provides rigidity.

They produce both a laminate according to the classical scheme, from Fiberboard, covered with several layers using lamination technology, and a one-piece vinyl finishing material, which has only one outer protective layer.

A complete list of how to cut the board to the desired size (the sizes of standard planks) for laying the flooring looks like this:

hacksaw for metal;
saw on wood;
jigsaw;
construction or office knife;
knife for plastic;
angle grinder, she is also an angle grinder;
a circular saw;
special guillotine for laminate;
blade cutter.

Each of the devices differs in both availability and convenience and speed of work. The decision, the better to cut the laminate, is made on the basis of the requirements for the volume of work, the quality of the cut obtained, as well as the accuracy of processing. If we are talking about small repairs and want to know how to cut laminate at home, the list will be significantly reduced.

angle grinder or angle grinder

A rarely used tool. It is quite simple to work for them. the cutting line is marked and traversed with a disc. But there are also disadvantages. Laminate flooring burns, dirt may form at the edges of the cut, the angle grinder is noisy and quite dangerous to use. In order to do work quickly and at the same time with high quality, skill and experience are required.

Hacksaw for metal and saw for wood

A hacksaw for metal allows you to get a clean cut without tearing off the decorative coating. And if a decision is made to act with a saw for a tree, it is advisable to choose a tool for gardening, designed for pruning branches and twigs. Working with a hand tool looks like this:

6 Ways to Cut Vinyl Plank Flooring | Beginners Guide

using a pencil or marker, mark the cutting line;
if you need a right angle of a cut, it is recommended to use a carpenter’s marking corner;
first, a decorative and protective coating is cut through. This must be done carefully, minimally damaging the edges.

Then a saw or hacksaw cuts through a board made of fibreboard. These tools are the most common option when deciding what to cut laminate flooring at home.

Jigsaw

Using a power tool allows you to achieve high speed and, with a certain skill, the quality of the cut. But when working with a jigsaw, you should follow some rules.

To make it convenient to work, markings are made on the front side of the laminate board. In order to prevent tearing of the decorative coating during cutting, a saw with a reverse tooth direction is chosen. Standard. picks up material from below and can damage the upper layers of the laminate.
If it is not possible to use a saw with a reverse tooth direction, the markings must be done from the back of the board. In this case, the decorative coating will remain intact along the edges of the cut.
At zero feed and high rpm, special straight tooth saws can be used.
If you want to achieve very high accuracy and cleanliness of the material passage, it is recommended to use special thin saws for curved cuts.

They work with a jigsaw according to the expected scheme: they draw a cutting line depending on the type of saw and pass the material. The advantage of using a power tool is that you can make long cuts, for example, along a wide strip. This will require care or support along which the sole of the jigsaw will move.

A utility knife or utility knife is a very successful tool for cutting laminate flooring. This should be done according to the following scheme:

after marking the future mowing line of the cut on the front side, install a support, preferably a metal corner or ruler;
with a blade with strong pressure, slide along the laminate along the support.

It is necessary not to move the support and make several passes of the knife until the blade has passed more than half the thickness of the laminate board. After that, it is broken with a slight swing. It is not recommended to use excessive force in order not to deform the edge with a decorative coating.

A knife for plastic (along with construction and clerical) looks like the answer to the question, what is the best way to cut vinyl laminate. This material is quite ductile and lends itself easily to a steel blade. The special plastic knife, thanks to the curved tip, allows for a deep passage without excessive pressure, helping to maintain a straight direction.

How and how to cut the laminate. All techniques: from knife to guillotine.

The decision to decorate an apartment or house with the help of such a flooring is taken by hundreds of people every day. For beginners, there is usually no question of how to do the installation, since the laminate manufacturer provides detailed instructions and offers all the necessary consumables. But it can be difficult for a home craftsman to decide what to cut a laminate with.

A circular saw

The hand-held circular saw has an impressive list of benefits. Among them:

the ability to adjust the depth of cut;
high purity of processing;
acceptable noise level;
relatively low hazard indicator, controllability;
no smoke, no dirt. only small sawdust.

It doesn’t take much skill to work with a hand-held circular saw. Recommended action for beginners includes setting up a secure foot for movement of the tool sole and working on a table.

By adjusting the immersion of the saw blade, you can cut the laminate without damaging the surface of the workbench or other support. The main disadvantage of a circular saw is that not everyone has such a tool; it is irrational to buy it specifically for laying laminate flooring.

Guillotine and blade cutter

Two tools that are specialized. These devices work like this:

a strip of laminate is laid into the guillotine, with a cutting line directly under the blade. After that, pressure is exerted on the working body using a long handle. The disadvantage of the guillotine is the small length of the cut; difficulties may arise when cutting a wide board at an angle;
a blade cutter is similar to a photographic cutter. Hybrid technology is used. simultaneously scissor and guillotine. The advantage of the blade cutter is the ability to make long passes of the material, which, with a certain skill, will allow you to process some dimensions of the boards along.

The guillotine and cutter are professional tools. They provide extremely high cleanliness and accuracy of cuts, allow you to process a huge amount of material with consistent quality.

But the main drawback of a professional tool is that it is expensive, it can perform only one, precisely indicated operation. Therefore, it makes no sense for a home craftsman to look for such devices for a one-time repair.

How to choose a hacksaw?

Often, when carrying out work on laying out the laminate, they resort to using such a popular tool as a hacksaw. However, to cut panels efficiently and quickly, you need to choose the right model. Of course, in the absence of others, you can use a hacksaw for wood. But in this case, the process will be laborious, since the hacksaw for wood has large teeth. Due to these features, the hacksaw will not neatly cut the canvas, but dig into it.

The best option would be to choose a hacksaw for metal. It has fine teeth and is able to cut the panel evenly.

However, it is worth remembering that the use of a hacksaw for metal should only be used for small amounts of work. Unlike power tools, this one takes more time to cut and requires more effort, so professional builders do not use a hacksaw for this purpose.

How to trim on the floor?

Sometimes there are situations when it is necessary to trim laminated panels that have already been laid on the floor. Usually, people with insufficient experience in carrying out construction work in this case ask themselves how to do it correctly.

In addition, you can turn to a safer, but at the same time laborious method. using a cutter. In order to cut the laid laminate, you need to arm yourself with a professional wood cutter. According to the advice of experienced people, you need to make two parallel cuts along the width of a narrow chisel, then select the cut piece with a chisel. And so slowly remove the length of the panel to the desired size.

How to cut without chips?

In order to carefully saw off the laminate of the required length, you need to carefully prepare for the start of work.

Initially, you need to decide what kind of tool from the ones described above will be done. And you need to be guided when choosing not only the availability of the device, but also the existing skills in handling it.

After that, you need to accurately measure the length of the panel to be cut. In this case, you should not rush, because a mistake is fraught with damage to the material. At the same time, do not forget about the thickness of the blade, which will cut the blade, and take it into account when measuring.

When the measurements are made, and the place of the cut is marked with a pencil, you need to draw a straight line along which the laminated panel will be cut.

When all the preparatory work has been done, you can proceed directly to the sawing process.

The better to cut laminate flooring?

In the process of laying the flooring, namely the laminate, it is important not only to be able to correctly connect the panels to each other. It is also necessary to correctly measure the size of the panels in accordance with the area of the room, and also not to disturb the traditional masonry in a checkerboard pattern. In such a situation, the question naturally arises. how to cut the panels measured to the size? Let’s try to figure out the situation.

Coating types

The choice of tools for cutting laminated panels largely depends on the type of lamella used. If you plan to lay the floor yourself and without the help of specialists, then it is better to pay attention to soft types of laminate.

At home, it will not be difficult to cut soft cork or two-layer vinyl laminate. Such types of laminated panels are distinguished by high indicators of wear resistance and moisture protection, as well as fast masonry.

To cut this type of lamella, you do not need a special tool, it will be enough to arm yourself with an ordinary ruler, pencil or pen and a construction knife. First, the cut line is marked with a pencil or pen, and then a knife should be drawn along it. After that, you just need to bend the canvas. If you need to make a curly cut, then you can use large scissors for this action.

However, for sawing other types of sandwich panels, which include high-strength Fiberboard or Particleboard, you need to choose more serious tools.

What to use at home?

When choosing a tool that is supposed to cut laminated panels, several factors must be taken into account:

The tool should be easy to use and not cause discomfort. It depends more on personal preference and handling skills.
Compact and lightweight items are much easier and faster to handle, and during repairs, every minute counts.
Another most important point of all is that with the help of the selected tool, you should get a smooth cut without chips or cracks. However, you should not focus too much on this factor, since minor irregularities will quietly disappear under the baseboards.

Having familiarized yourself with the main characteristics, you can proceed to a more detailed study of tools for cutting laminate.

One of the easy-to-use tools with which you can cut the lamellae is the electric jigsaw. The device is lightweight and even a teenager or girl can quickly figure it out. The jigsaw operates at high speeds, so the cut is accurate. One of the important factors when using this tool is choosing the right jigsaw file. Modern models are usually equipped with special removable files for working on laminate. They differ from other files in the shape, location and size of the teeth. However, in the absence of specialized attachments, narrow files with small teeth are also suitable for cutting metal products.

To avoid damage to the decorative side of the mark, all manipulations with the panel with the jigsaw should be carried out from the wrong side. It is necessary to position the canvas on a table or chair so that the cut piece of lamella is in a suspended state. Firmly pressing the panel with your hand to the table, you should quickly move the jigsaw along the cut line with a jigsaw.

A guillotine is quite suitable for cutting the required pieces of laminated panels. Unlike the previous device, the guillotine has a mechanical device. In appearance, it can be compared to large scissors. This cutter is quiet, uncomplicated and accurate to operate. With the help of it, it is easiest to cross-cut the laminate, but buying a cutter for repairs in an apartment will be impractical. Such a device is suitable for those who are professionally engaged in laying flooring, so it can be found for temporary use from familiar repairmen.

In order to cut the lamellas using a professional machine, you need to lay the panel on the guillotine support. Then adjust the blade so that the notch for the cut is aligned with the cutter blade. After that, you need to lower the guillotine handle, cutting off exactly and neatly the required piece of the panel. To get an even cut when sawing laminate, you can use a circular.

However, in this case, the circular saw must be equipped with a special blade for metal cutting. In addition, unlike a jigsaw, working with a circular saw requires some skill in order to easily and quickly cut straight pieces of panels.

To work with circulars it is necessary to lay the laminated panel face up and secure it securely. During work, you need to act carefully, slightly pressing during the movement of the disc and not staying for a long time in one place. Also, do not forget about the elementary safety rules: the sleeves of clothes must be buttoned up during work, and you must also take care of your hands.

Another tool that requires working skills is a router. A manual design with replaceable cutters is unlikely to be found in every home, but it can be found in those who are professionally assembling furniture. The cutter is able to leave behind a perfectly flat and smooth surface, in addition, the tool can cut out various shapes.

Sometimes an ordinary construction knife can become an assistant when cutting laminate. It can be used for small volumes of work, for example, for cutting one or two panels, when there is no time to look for another tool.

When using a knife, lay the laminate face up, then make a deep cut in the marking area with the knife. Then, holding one side of the panel, it is necessary to press on the other part of it until it breaks in the place of the cut.

Can I use an “angle grinder”?

Also called an angle grinder, this tool is great for sawing a variety of materials, including laminated panels. With this device, you can get an even and neat cut. To properly cut the laminate with an angle grinder, you need to lay the panel with the decorative side up, and also use special replaceable discs with fine teeth for working on metal, ceramic surfaces or concrete.

Since when working with an angle grinder, a large amount of dust and dirt is formed, and you can also smell an unpleasant burning smell during the sawing process, it is better to carry out all manipulations outdoors. On the first floor, you can stretch the extension cord through the window and work on the street, on the upper floors an unglazed balcony is the best fit.

Another nuance when working with an angle grinder, as well as in handling a circular saw, is that you need to have at least a little experience with this tool. Uncertainly guiding the hand during sawing can lead to an uneven edge or it can be completely frayed.

Hacksaw as the most affordable option

Angle Grinder Cutting

Open with a jigsaw

If you still have to resort to some tricks with an angle grinder to achieve the cleanest result, then in the case of an electric jigsaw this is not necessary. Even with piece cuts, this tool will deliver impressive results. An example of working with a jigsaw also shows the depth of the question as to what the laminate is cut with if it is necessary to get true shape cutting. Of course, making a straight cut is the most common operation. But non-standard styling, involving installation with curved panels, is practiced. Another thing is that the implementation of this method can be trusted by professional parquet flooring. The advantage of a jigsaw is that a model that is suitable for its characteristics, even in the hands of a beginner in such works, can provide a very decent result. To do this, initially you should purchase a multifunctional device, the design and saw blade of which allow you to carry out figured cutting.

How to cut laminate at home?

Features of cutting vinyl laminate

Using a circular saw for cutting

The advantages of this tool include high cutting speed and the ability to work with several panels at the same time. It has already been noted that the angle grinder is distinguished by similar performance, but the circular grinder also has serious features. Its cutting power is much higher, therefore, if you are thinking about what is the best way to cut a laminate from a commercial or semi-commercial series, then this method cannot be found better. Such panels are characterized by high strength, hardness and rigidity. Therefore, even in piece processing, not every jigsaw or hacksaw will cope with this task. An angle grinder will undoubtedly do batch cutting, but not as quickly and efficiently as a circular saw.

Guillotine cutting for laminate

This method can be called optimal for the average home craftsman who plans to improve one or more rooms in the house with laminate flooring. The guillotine for lamellas is a special cutter, the design of which is designed not only for the direct provision of an effective mechanical effect on the material, but also for the convenience of the user. To understand what the laminate is cut with in a domestic environment, this tool should be considered first of all. Unlike a hacksaw, it performs the operation faster and more accurately, and compared to powerful grinders and circular machines, it costs much less and requires an order of magnitude less hassle in maintenance.

Hacksaw for metal

It is very convenient to carry out small cuts with a hacksaw for metal due to the fact that:

Laminate is easy to cut by hand;
The fine tooth of the hacksaw guarantees no chips;
If you do damage the edge, you can easily close the flaws with a skirting board.

Sawing should be done according to the following instructions:

First, make a clear marking on the lamellas, remembering that it should be bright, because when sawing it will be covered with a thin layer of dust.
To get a good edge, cut the sheet face up.
Do not apply too much force to the tool so as not to damage the edge to be finished.

How to cut laminate flooring at home: tools and methods

Laminate is a floor covering that is increasingly found in every home. Its installation always requires adjustment in length and width, because the lamellas should be laid, observing the rule of brickwork. Accordingly, the question arises from this: “How to cut the laminate at home?” In this article, you will learn about the different tools and how to fit using them.

A circular saw

A circular saw is not something that you can cut a laminate with at any time, however, if you are a happy owner of such equipment, then feel free to start sawing:

Slide a fine-toothed disc onto the shaft.
Draw the cut line on the lamellae.
If the cut is carried out along the plank, then set the width on the machine.
Saw the lamella by pushing in front of you.

The main advantage of the circular saw is its speed, which allows you to cut the lamella lengthwise in a matter of seconds, however, due to the dimensions that you can see in the photo, it is rarely used, in addition, you cannot cut certain pieces of laminate on it, for example, under a column or a ledge in the wall.

Jigsaw

This is a more expensive tool, but its choice is the best answer to the question of what is the best way to cut laminate flooring. A jigsaw is worth buying only if the volume of work is too large to saw everything by hand, or if you do not mind the money for its purchase.

Install a reverse fine tooth blade into the jigsaw. If the canvas comes with an expensive and high-quality tool, then you can use it, otherwise purchase it separately.
Draw a lamella.
In this case, the lamellas must be sawn, laid face down and secured to a hard surface.

Another advantage of the jigsaw is that it can cut not only along a straight mowing line.

About choosing a tool

Cutting the laminate must be done with good quality so that the line of the cut is straight and even and the edge remains intact. All of these steps are fairly easy to accomplish by choosing the right laminate cutting tool. An example of the right choice is the fact that not every person can cope with a professional tool, so he should use simpler tools with which he will do this work more accurately.

The simplest tool that absolutely everyone has, but it is not the best solution. A laminate knife is only suitable if you want to make a small cutout for a ledge in the wall. If it is still possible to cut the lamella across, then it is almost impossible to do it along, because you will spend a lot of time and effort, and the cut will turn out to be of poor quality and curve.

If you decide to use a knife, then check its sharpness, because with a blunt sheath you will do much more flaws in your work than with a sharp one.

What a professional uses

In any case, an amateur can be easily distinguished from a professional, not only by the speed and quality of work, but also by the tool used. This also happens with the installation of laminate flooring. Professionals use a laminate cutter to cut in a very short time.

As you can see in the photo, this cutter. it is a hand-held machine equipped with a sharp blade that is fixed to the base. The blade is easily adjustable for different types of cuts. With the help of the machine, you can cut lamellas along, across and at various angles, without spending a lot of effort and energy.

The lamella is placed on the machine support in a horizontal position.
The cutter adjusts to the layout.
The builder applies force to the handle and the blade gradually cuts the lamella.

A professional machine is what it becomes very easy to cut a laminate without chips, so everyone who is engaged in laying laminate is trying to get it.

You can use any of the tools presented, but remember that the most important thing in sawing laminate is the quality of the edge. Remember the advice: in order to make as few chips and irregularities as possible, do not put much effort on the sawing tool, because this will force the tool to pull the fragments out of the material body, and not cut them.

Now you know all the sawing methods, so you can decide on your own the question of how to saw off the laminate.

Can an angle grinder cut laminate flooring

Yes, you can, but you should not work with an angle grinder without experience. First, you still need to learn from unnecessary boards.

There are different discs for the device: for working with wood, for metal, etc. Experts advise to cut the laminate with an angle grinder using a disc for metal, which has small and thin teeth, this will help to avoid the formation of cracks on the board.

How to cut a laminate with a jigsaw correctly

We must say right away that this is the most optimal and fastest way of cutting lamellas, after all, the manual method is quite laborious and inaccurate. If you intend to continue to carry out all kinds of repair work in the house, it is worth having an electric jigsaw in your arsenal.

With this electric device, it is easy to make a cut along or across the lamellas, at any angle. There are devices that will allow you to make cuts located at the same distance from the edge of the board, even without marking.

Even with a single cut, such a tool shows excellent results. The answer to the question, the better to cut the laminate with a curly cut mowing line, becomes clear: with a jigsaw. This tool helps to obtain the rounded cutouts needed when meeting heating pipes. To do this, you just need to choose the right file with fine teeth, which will increase the quality of the cut.

Of course, this tool also performs a straight cut with high quality. The advantage of an electric jigsaw is that even a novice builder can achieve an excellent result with it.

The disadvantages of the device include

noise during work;
a lot of dust is generated.

Note that other power tools also have these disadvantages. How to properly cut a laminate with a jigsaw:

The tool is equipped with a fine reverse serrated file. If one is not included with the jigsaw, it must be purchased. This is the answer to the question of which jigsaw file you need to cut the laminate with.
Marking is applied to the panel requiring trimming. the cutting line is drawn on the back of the panel.
The board is laid on a solid base with a decorative surface up, after which trimming begins along the intended mowing line.

Guillotine for laminated boards

This is a new special small machine designed to mechanically action the blade on the laminated material by pressing the handle of the device. The machine is easy to use, does not require huge user efforts.

If you are asking the question of how to cut the laminate at home, then this tool is worth considering. Compared to a hacksaw, it works much faster and better, and if you compare it with an electric angle grinder and a circular saw, it is much cheaper and easier to maintain. The machine does not require a power source. The tool does not generate dust, sawdust, does not chip on the panels and works without noise.

This is the best option for a home craftsman who has set himself the task of decorating all the floors in the apartment with laminated parquet. This laminate cutting tool should be used as follows:

a lamella is located on the base of the cutting device. horizontally;
the line of the marking applied to the board is brought directly under the cutter;
the handle is pulled down to the laminated board, thus forming a neat and clear cut made by the cutter.

This device is capable of cutting a large number of panels fairly quickly and efficiently. A practical and useful tool to purchase for the professional installation of laminate flooring.

How to cut laminate flooring at home

Laminate floors are perhaps at the peak of their popularity today. Laying of laminated material is available for doing in-house. For this you need: desire, accuracy and some free time. To complete the installation, you need to purchase materials, a set of tools. Here the question arises: what tool is needed for laying and how to cut the laminate at home.

Sometimes it is difficult to opt for any one type of lamellae, the variety of colors, textures, decors with various patterns, authentic imitations of natural wood, natural stone, metal and even reptile skin is so huge. As practice shows, the variety of the appearance of the lamellas is not a factor affecting the cutting of the material. Therefore, in most cases, self-cutting will not cause difficulties.

You can carry out all the installation work without purchasing a specialized tool, using the available stock of inventory in the home pantry. Today we will look at what tools are needed for cutting panels, than cutting a laminate when laying with our own hands.

How to cut laminate with a circular saw

Not everyone will acquire such a tool, but those who have one will enjoy working with it.

high speed of work;
it is possible to work with several lamellas at once.

The sawing power is much higher than that of other power tools. Therefore, if you choose the best way to cut a durable and hard commercial-grade laminate flooring, then it is worth choosing a circular saw.

Sequence of actions when working with a circular saw for cutting laminated boards:

we choose a disk for a circular device with small teeth;
apply marking for trimming on the decorative surface of the board;
the boards are placed upward with a decorative layer one by one on the machine, holding the panel by the edge, slowly directing it forward towards the rotating disk.

Can I saw laminate flooring with a hacksaw

Cut the laminated panel in such a way that there are no torn marks or damage at the cut site, so that the cutting line is even and straight. To complete the task, tools specially designed for such a purpose are used, which we will consider and also talk about how this is done.

Here are some tips to help you make a quality cut:

laminated boards are well cut even with the help of a well-known hand hacksaw, only it will take longer, and you should try to make the cut clear and without burrs;
so that the edge of the panel after trimming is free of terry, cracks and chips, you can use any saw, but it must be with fine teeth;
with a poor-quality cut. if there are cracks or chips at the end, such a lamella will need to be hidden with the bad side under the baseboard so that the marriage is not noticeable;
you should not rush to trim, first you need to make accurate measurements, draw the direction of the cut on the board and check again that everything is done correctly;
to achieve a good cut on the front side of the panel, when cutting, place it horizontally on a support, with the front surface up;
do not use too much force when trimming to avoid breaking off the edge of the board.

A hacksaw is used to cut laminated panels in the absence of more precise electrical tools with a small amount of work. Here you need to try to get an even and high-quality cut without damaging the edge and not deviating from the intended course. What kind of saw can cut laminate flooring? Sawing can be done with any saw that only satisfies the sharpening quality.

But this tool does not apply to those, the better to cut the laminate with a large amount of work. Technically, a hacksaw will cope with a large number of panels, but it is not so easy to achieve a normal cut quality during the whole work.

The best way to cut vinyl laminate when laying

Vinyl or PVC laminate is gaining popularity due to its remarkable qualities: water resistance, durability, ease of installation, variety of decor. This material is easy to care for and is not afraid of water at all. often these are flexible panels, similar to linoleum.

How can you cut vinyl laminate at home? There is no need to use the tools listed above. Vinyl tiles are easy to cut with a utility knife, this is a good solution for them.

How to choose the right tool

There are two defining circumstances worth considering here:

panel properties, scope of work;
tool specifications.

For example, what should you use to cut your laminate flooring at home? It makes no sense to purchase expensive powerful electrical equipment, such an amount of laminated boards will perfectly help to cut a machine with the name: guillotine. When finishing a commercial laminate flooring on a large area in an office, it makes sense to choose a circular saw.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to increase the technological gap near the wall, left by an insufficient size by mistake. How can you trim the laminate against the wall to increase the size of the gap? An example of using a jigsaw to solve this problem is given in the video:

Whichever tool you choose, not everything depends on it. It is necessary to act carefully, without haste, carefully taking measurements and applying marking mowing lines for cutting. Do not use too much force on the board while cutting, so as not to break off the edge. We wish you good luck!

Construction knife tool

A regular construction knife can also be used to cut laminate flooring. For example, if you are almost finished with your flooring, there is only one board left to cut, but the angle grinder suddenly breaks. There are no other tools at hand, but cutting needs to be done urgently. Then a construction knife will come to the rescue. Place a ruler on the front side of the laminate board, and make a deep cut along it with a knife. While holding the board on one side of the cut, press down on the other side. Laminate must break, just like ceramic tiles when hit by a tile cutter.

How to cut laminate flooring: choosing the right tool for cutting

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

Laminate Cutter Tool

The laminate cutter, on the other hand, allows you to cut at a professional level. Most often, this tool works like a guillotine. a knife, which, with the help of a handle, is lowered onto the surface of the laminate and cut into it. The cutter operates easily, without chips or noise. You don’t need to use force or skill to use it. Perhaps this is the easiest tool to use, allowing you to get an excellent result in any conditions.

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

Tool Angle grinder (angle grinder)

an angle grinder is a handy tool, indispensable in a DIY’s drawer. It can cut almost anything, including laminate flooring. For a beautiful edge, without cracks and chips, when cutting, you need to turn the laminate board with its front surface. In this case, discs are used for metal, concrete or ceramic tiles.

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

Hacksaw tool

Laminate flooring can be successfully cut with a conventional wood hacksaw. But this will have to expend energy, because its teeth are large enough and will bite into the laminate, and not cut it out. Smaller teeth on a hacksaw for metal. this is what you need to use for cutting.

A hacksaw is very often used for cutting with small amounts of work. In construction teams, this method is not used, due to the increased time costs and labor intensity.

Choosing cutting tools for laminate flooring

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

Ease of use
compactness and low weight
the ability to obtain an even 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 decisive for most DIYers. 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 what are the best tools for cutting laminate flooring??

Jigsaw tool

The best result in cutting laminate can be achieved by using a jigsaw for this purpose. It is a lightweight, very easy-to-use tool that will quickly be approached by any newbie master. Even a woman or a teenager. Cutting with a jigsaw is carried out at high speeds, which avoids damage to the structure of the fibreboard. If you act at the same time quickly, confidently, then the cut will turn out to be almost perfect.

The main thing in using a jigsaw is the choice of the file. Modern tools are usually initially supplied with special files for cutting laminate. They are distinguished by a special shape, pitch and way of setting the teeth. However, ordinary metal files. narrow, with small teeth will cope with this business just as well.

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

Circular Saw Tool

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

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

Laminate is a relatively new material for flooring, but it has gained well-deserved popularity due to its practicality and aesthetic appearance. In addition, it is easy to assemble it yourself by performing all the necessary measurements.

During assembly, laminate boards must be staggered to give strength to the entire structure. Therefore, each row requires correction in length, both at the beginning and at the end.

Shortening boards or cutting out pieces of a certain shape is not so difficult, the main thing is to make the right choice. how to cut the laminate at home. Consider what kind of tools you can use to cut a laminate board.

Homemade universal nozzle

I suggest using a homemade attachment made from a disc for an angle grinder as a universal. To begin with, I took a disc with a diameter of 125 mm. With a slight modification, it stood on the renovator and securely fastened. It was necessary to cut grooves about 1 mm wide and deep at the edges of the central bore of the disc. The grooves are easily sawn with a hacksaw blade for metal. Works for a couple of minutes. Longer mark four risks, evenly spaced along the diameter of the bore. Another subtlety is that the disc cannot be fixed on my renovator with a standard washer. The washer must be at least 5 mm wide. larger diameter. That’s all. this is where the preparatory work ends and you can start testing. In the workshop, I drove 5 nails into a wooden block in a row almost close to each other. In order not to delay the process, I took nails with a diameter of 2.5 mm. Nice test bench. He began to saw the nails at the root. flush with the chock. After 45 seconds, I turned off the renovator. I realized that I would cut the nails, but I wouldn’t get the full picture of the possibilities of the new attachment. The disc saws perfectly. In 45 seconds of sawing, the nails are cut by 2/3 of the thickness. Of course, an angle grinder would cut them in a couple of seconds, but I have practically a chisel in my hands and it can do what an angle grinder cannot. The idea came to cut out two medium nails from a row. To do this, the disc needs to be modified. With the pliers, I shaped the disc into a shape suitable for sawing medium nails. Need a sharp nose. A few more seconds. the middle nail is defeated. It has already been filed at the first stage. A whole nail would last much longer. About two minutes. The so-called nozzle works and is very successful. But I have something to compare with. It is important to understand the better or worse branded attachments.

Other Laminate Cutting Tools

To cut the laminate with a circular saw, take a disc with fine teeth.

In the absence of a jigsaw, it is possible to cut a laminated board using a circular saw and a disc with fine teeth. The cutting technology is no different from the previous version, but in this case it will be somewhat more difficult to achieve an even cut line. To simplify the task, you can use not a hand-held circular saw, but a stationary circular saw. However, due to the high cost, not everyone can afford such a tool.

Answering the question of how to cut laminate flooring, it should be noted that in the modern construction market, you can purchase highly targeted equipment designed specifically for processing laminated boards. Such a tool is a laminate cutter. Outwardly, it resembles a clerical guillotine for cutting paper. The cutter consists of a horizontal platform on which the material lies, and a sharp blade that is set in motion by a lever.

This tool does not make noise during operation, does not emit dust and does not chip. It should be noted that only longitudinal cuts can be made with the cutter. For cross cuts, you need to use one of the tools described above.

Laminate can be cut using a variety of tools, both mechanical and electrical. The choice of this or that option will depend on your financial capabilities and the amount of work to be done. If you need to saw a large number of laminated panels, a jigsaw or circular saw is the best option. For several cuts, a regular metal saw will suffice.

Knife option

How is Fiberboard cut so that the edge of the workpiece is the most even and consistent? Here, without a doubt, the knife will be the best tool. Of course, this will be a more laborious process, since you have to work with your hands, but the end result deserves it. But this cutting method is suitable only for workpieces made of small-sized fibreboard.

In order to cut the hardboard with a knife, again, the slab should be laid on a flat surface. But here it is not necessary that the edge of the cut-off part of the slab hangs over the edge of the tabletop surface on which the cutting will be performed. First, the marking is made with a simple pencil, and then a ruler is applied along the marking, it is very tightly and firmly pressed against the surface of the plate, and the first cut is made along the intended mowing line. When the first groove is done, the further work is more fun.

Over and over again, the slab material is cut to ever greater depth and in the end, after the next jerk, the slab is cut. You can also lightly sand the edges of the workpiece around the edge with fine sandpaper for excellent results.

Professional advice

Of all the listed models, the most attractive is the renovator. It can be seen as a viable alternative to a hacksaw or cutter. If we are talking about cutting a laminate flooring with an area of 50-80 m2, then the power of the tool will obviously not be enough. For laying the floor in an ordinary one-room apartment, you can get by with an ordinary hacksaw. If you are professionally installing laminate flooring, then the best option would be to purchase a table-top machine with a set of circular saws of various sections. To repair the coating, it will be enough to make a cutter knife.

Vinyl tiles should only be cut with a benchtop cutter. It will not be possible to cut it off by hand or in any other way. Plastic is quite viscous, and a high-speed tool will simply melt and deform it.

Advice! When choosing a tool, you do not need to experiment, remove protective parts, clips and covers. This will not simplify the task of cutting the material, but it can dramatically increase the risk of injury to the process.

Cutting laminate at home is no more difficult than cutting lining or finishing tongue-and-groove boards. In order to work with lamellas, you do not even need to purchase any specific fixtures or devices. It is quite possible to get by with what is in the home workshop, if, of course, you know how to work with a saw or circular saw.

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How can you cut laminate at home

Depending on the thickness and material of the laminate board, you can use several options for cutting tools, which are certainly available in the home workshop. The idea of cutting the laminate using only the strength of your hands is good if you need to repair or replace one or two lamellas. In other cases, it will be extremely difficult to do without a power tool.

A traditional set with which you can accurately and accurately cut laminate is as follows:

Hand saw with a blade for cutting metal;
Circular saw in hand-held or table-top design;
Guillotine cutter in floor or table version;
Rebar cutter or angle grinder;
Renovator or vibration cutter;
Electric jigsaw;
Special knife for slicing Fiberboard.

Important! Not all of the materials and tools listed are equally good for cutting compressed chipboard and wood fiber. In addition, the quality of the cut depends on experience and skill with the tool.

The simplest option is to make a special cutting knife for cutting laminate flooring. The design of the blade differs from the clerical and ordinary knife by the presence of 2-3 teeth on the leading edge of the edge. Such a cutter is usually made from an old saw for wood, the cutting edge is sharpened from opposite sides. In order to cut the laminate, it is necessary to attach a joiner’s square, apply a cutting line to the surface of the lamella. Then the film is cut with an ordinary knife, and then the square is changed to a locksmith’s ruler, and the rest of the laminate is cut with a cutter along the laminate.

the cutting line is not too smooth, but at the same time there are guaranteed no chips and paper fringes on the edges.

Metal shears option

This is the most aggressive method where accuracy and quality can be neglected for the sake of speed. Here you do not have to bother with any even surfaces, just when cutting you should not lift the plate much to a break, otherwise it may crack strongly. In order to bring the edges of the workpiece into a normal form after such a cut, you will have to work for a long time with a rasp and sandpaper.

Sources:

http://delaypol.com/laminat/chem-rezat-laminat.html
http://dekoriko.ru/laminat/chem-rezat/
http://fb.ru/article/269442/chem-rejut-laminat-v-domashnih-usloviyah
http://polspec.com/laminat/chem-rezat-laminat-v-domashnikh-usloviyakh-instrumenty-i-metody.html
http://o-kvartire.ru/chem-rezat-laminat-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html
http://pol-master.com/pol-pokritiya/laminat/chem-rezat-laminat.html
http://si-3.ru/chem-rezat-laminat/

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