How to Cut Plywood Around a Vanity

Use safety equipment when cutting your plywood.

Cutting your plywood underlayment to fit around a rectangular or square vanity unit is a fairly straightforward process. Shaping it to fit around an irregularly shaped vanity is a little more complicated, but by no means beyond the capabilities of those with basic DIY skills. Acclimatize your plywood underlayment for at least 72 hours before cutting and laying it around your vanity unit. Failure to do so could result in your flooring heaving and breaking apart.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Pencil and paper
• Two sawhorses
• Clamps
• Set square
• Gloves
• Goggles
• Mask
• Circular saw
• Large sheets of craft paper
• Scissors
• Box knife
• Masking tape
• Jigsaw

Instructions

Square or Rectangular Unit

1. Measure the base of your vanity unit and write down its dimensions.

2. Place your plywood on two sawhorses and secure it into place with clamps, if your sawhorses have a clamping option.

3. Add room for an expansion gap between your plywood underlayment and your vanity unit to the measurements you’ve taken. You should leave at least 1/4 inch to allow your flooring room to expand and contract as moisture and temperature levels change in your room.

4. Mark out the area you need to cut to accommodate your vanity unit on your plywood using a set square. Mark the lines you need to cut with a pencil or a marker pen.

5. Put on your mask, goggles and gloves and cut your plywood to shape using a circular saw. Adjust your saw's blade to extend not more than 3/8 inch through the plywood to limit splintering.

Irregularly Shaped Unit

1. Lay a large sheet of craft paper next to the longest straight edge of your vanity unit's base. Allow for the expansion you need to leave around the base of your unit.

2. Cut smaller pieces of craft paper to fit any nooks and crannies or curved sections of your unit's base.

3. Secure the smaller pieces you cut to your large sheet of craft paper with masking tape to create a template of the base of your unit.

4. Place your plywood on two sawhorses and secure it into place with clamps, if your sawhorses have a clamping option.

5. Lay your template over the plywood and use a pencil or marker pen to draw the outline of your vanity unit.

6. Put on your mask, goggles and gloves and cut your plywood to shape using a jigsaw.

Tips & Warnings

• Ensure you're using blades designed to cut plywood before you begin.

References

• Halex Corporation: Plywood Underlayment: Halex Plywood Underlayment
• Flooring Guide: Making the Template