P lastic laminate countertops are economical durable easy to clean come in a wide variety of designs and best of all are relatively simple to install yourself.
Can you cut laminate countertops with a jigsaw.
There are 2 ways to cut formica either with a jigsaw or a laminate router bit.
If you cut straight through a laminate countertop without taking specific precautions the saw blade will tear away chunks of the laminate layer as it cuts.
Insert a laminate or metal cutting blade into the jig saw.
Measure the thickest part of the countertop and set your saw to just a bit deeper than that thickness.
Cutting laminate countertops or other laminate surfaces can be tricky.
Here are some tips on how to cut a laminate counter to fit your need.
Set the depth on your circular saw to 1 8 in 0 32 cm deeper than the countertop.
Jigsaw saber saw with a down cut blade minimum of 10 teeth inch.
Measure and draw the shape you need to cut on the tape with a tape measure and a pencil.
Choose a blade with fine teeth.
Wear safety glasses when making the cuts.
A plastic finish and a thick particle board or wood base layer.
Safety gloves safety glasses.
Laminate countertops come with a brittle laminated layer that can easily crack or chip if mishandled and that is backed by a thick particle board or plywood underlayment.
C clamps straight edge.
Cutting a laminate countertop with a jigsaw is one of the few ways to deal with this challenging material.
Learning how to cut formica correctly can save a lot of wasted time and money as sometimes the laminate will want to crack or flake.
The countertop will probably be the same thickness everywhere.
Laminate is very sensitive and will crack and chip if not cut properly.
To make a hole in laminate for a sink or other item you must use a jigsaw to make the cut only after adequately preparing the laminate surface for cutting.
A down cutting blade often called a laminate blade allows you to cut from the top side of laminate countertops without chipping the finished surface.
In order to cut laminate countertops you needs the following.
A few easy steps before actually cutting the formica can help make your do it yourself job look like a professional installation job.
The standard method is to use a jigsaw with a reverse tooth or down cutting blade which cuts down through the material rather than the up cut of a standard jigsaw blade.
You will want to gather the following items.