What is a good saw for cutting laminate wood flooring? I want to avoid splintering.?

Answer 1

A power miter saw (aka "chop saw") is the best tool to make fast, accurate, square cuts, with minimal chipping.

Because of the direction of blade rotation (the teeth cut up from the bottom), a circular saw leaves a ragged, chipped edge when cutting laminates. But if you flip the board face down, you can pretty much avoid any chipping. The bigger negative to using a circular saw is speed, and getting reliably square, accurate cuts. If a power miter saw is out of the question (you can usually rent them for under $25/day), you can make a simple cutting jig with scap plywood/mdf, that will help you make fast, accurate and *square* cuts with a circular saw. Here's how-

Use a 2'x2' piece of MDF or plywood to make a "table top". Attach two strips of plywood across the table top, slightly wider than your flooring planks, creating a trough for the plank to sit in. About 5" in from one end, attach additional scraps of plywood on either side of the trough to create a deck to run the saw across. Finally, attach another strip of plywood across the trough to create a cutting guide for the saw. It's important that this guide be square to the trough - use a framing square if you have one to align the guide -- if you don't have a square, the factory corner on a sheet of plywood will be pretty close to square.

Answer 2

JeffeVerde gives an excellent description of how to manage the cuts with a circular saw.
As he mentioned tho, the miter saw is the best choice...and the more teeth you have on the blade, the better. Fewer teeth equals a faster rougher cut... so, get the blade with the most teeth for whichever saw you are going to use, and that will help eliminate chips.

If you do not own a powered miter saw, I would seriously recommend renting one to put down a floor with.. theyre not too expensive, and they really make the job go faster.

Have Fun

Answer 3

How old is the building your living in. That could give you a clue if they are hardwood. If the building is 50 years old or more then it's a good chance that they are hardwood. You can buy hardwood flooring cleaner at Home Depot. Check out the seams where the flooring butts together. If you are able to visibly see and or slide something very thin into the seam like a razor blade then it's hardwood if not then it's most likely laminate.

Answer 4

You can use a circular saw with a fine-toothed blade. Be sure to cut the pieces good side down to avoid splintering.

Answer 5

You have great answers on the saw to use. I would simply add that using painters tape on the line where you are making the cut can further help reduce the cut edge from splintering.

Answer 6

and when your done with all the cutting, through out the blade. its is shot after the first few cuts. dont use that blade for trim work or other carpentry projects, unless you like seeing your wood projects smoking. lol
good luck