Laminated panels allow you to create an original look 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 require much less effort, but this is not so. Simple typical installation can be complicated if non-standard flooring configurations arise. In such cases, the question arises as to what the laminate is cut with. Fortunately, a specialized tool is not required to solve this problem. You can limit yourself to the usual equipment, which is likely to be found in the household of many home masters.
Hacksaw as the most affordable option
If there is not much work, and we are not talking about obtaining an ultraprecise cutting result, then we can restrict ourselves to using a simple tool. a hacksaw. In the cutting process, the main thing is to ensure, as far as possible, the integrity and evenness of the edge, as well as to observe the correctness of the cutting line. In this matter, much will depend on the quality and sharpening of the saw itself. But this option will not work if there is a question about how the laminate is cut in large quantities. Technically, a hacksaw effectively copes with wood-shaving 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 maintaining a more or less decent cut quality throughout the process will be very difficult.
Cutting angle grinder
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 a laminate angle grinder without experience is still not recommended. There is nothing particularly difficult to handle with an angle grinder, but at least before work it is worth practicing on draft panels. As for the equipment itself, experienced SUVs recommend using a circle with 48 teeth of 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 smooth edges. at least, the cleanliness of the cut will be ensured in the slats located in the middle of the batch being opened. By the way, to get a 100% accurate cut, you can install the same draft elements in place of the outer panels.
Cutting with a jigsaw
If with an angle grinder you have to resort to some tricks to achieve the cleanest result, this is not necessary in the case of an electric jigsaw. Even when working with piece cutting, this tool will achieve impressive results. An example of working with a jigsaw also shows the depth of the question as to what the laminate is cut for, if you need to get a figured cut. Of course, performing a direct cut is the most common operation. But non-standard laying, involving installation with curved panels, is practiced. Another thing is that the implementation of this method can be trusted by professional SUVs. The advantage of the jigsaw is that a model that is suitable for its characteristics, even in the hands of a novice in such works, can provide a very decent result. To do this, you should initially purchase a multifunctional machine, the design and saw blade of which allows figured cutting.
Video: How You Can Cut Laminate At Home
Using a circular saw for cutting
The advantages of this tool include high cutting speed and the ability to work with multiple panels simultaneously. It has already been noted that an angle grinder is distinguished by similar performance, but there are also serious features in the circular. Its power in terms of cutting is much higher, so if you are thinking about how best to cut a laminate from commercial or semi-commercial series, then it is better not to find this method. Such panels are characterized by high strength, hardness and rigidity. Therefore, not even a jigsaw or hacksaw will cope with this task even in boxed work. An angle grinder will undoubtedly perform party cutting, but not as fast and efficiently as a circular saw.
Laminate Guillotine Cutting
This method can be called optimal for the average home craftsman who plans to ennoble one or more rooms in the house with a laminate flooring. The guillotine for lamellas is a special cutter, the design of which is designed not only to directly provide an effective mechanical effect on the material, but also user convenience. To understand what laminate is cut in a domestic environment, this tool should first be considered. Unlike a hacksaw, it performs the operation faster and more accurately, and compared to powerful angle grinders and circular machines it costs much less and requires an order of magnitude less hassle to maintain.
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 simplifies floor cleaning, which is why housewives appreciate it. Such lamellas are also convenient in terms of cutting. As a rule, this is a relatively soft material that can be cut with a hand tool. So, how to cut a vinyl laminate? Use the above funds, perhaps, is not worth it. It is more advisable to use a clerical knife, which is characterized by high cutting ability, almost like a blade. Soft vinyl panels are sensitive to mechanical stress, so a sharp knife will be a better choice than a rough angle grinder or hacksaw.
How to choose the best tool?
Focusing on the choice is on two groups of factors. Firstly, on the characteristics of the material, laying conditions and the amount of work. Secondly, the parameters of the tool itself. For example, how to cut a laminate at home? It makes no sense to arm with productive electrical equipment in this case, since a small volume of panels for household styling will also be qualitatively processed by a hacksaw guillotine. If you plan to design a huge office area using a wear-resistant laminate model, then a circular saw or angle grinder will be a good choice.
How to cut a laminate?
Even if the tool for the specific tasks was correctly selected, this does not mean that a predetermined quality result is predetermined. Much depends on the technique of cutting. First of all, the surface of the lamellas is cleaned of dirt and dust, and the tool is prepared for work. It is especially important to choose the right tooling for your angle grinder and circular saw. The work process itself must be performed smoothly so that the edge is maintained in a proper aesthetic condition. In this case, each panel during the cutting process must be securely fixed, otherwise there will be a risk of uneven cutting.