How to Cut Laminate Worktops

Laminate worktops continue to be a popular choice for kitchen countertops. They are durable and come in a wide range of color choices. If you are remodeling your kitchen and are installing laminate worktops, here are a few tips to help you cut the laminate without any mishap.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Measuring tape
• Straight edge
• Masking tape
• Fine-toothed handsaw
• Circular saw with a fine-toothed blade
• Jigsaw
• Router
• Drill
• Drill bits

1. Remember the rule of measure twice, cut once. Laminate worktops are too expensive to make a mistake on so cut carefully and correctly.

2. Set the countertop on the base cabinet. Make sure the front hang is exactly the same all the way across the front.

3. Mark any laminate you need to cut away from the back of the laminate worktop piece. If you are remodeling a kitchen in an older house you may have to adjust for crooked walls. Use masking tape to mark the line you need to cut. You can see it easier than pencil marks. Remove the masking tape when you finish making the cuts.

4. Use a fine-toothed handsaw to cut the laminate worktops. Put the face of the countertop up. Cut only on the down stroke. This method is the least likely to cause chipping of the laminate

5. Put the laminate worktop face down to use a circular saw or jigsaw. Use a router to clean up any rough edges.

6. Drill four small holes from the back side of the laminate to mark the corners of the hole for the sink. Use a jigsaw to cut straight lines between the holes. Be sure to brace the center of the laminate as you cut it away from the rest of the worktop.

7. Work from right to left to set the worktops. Miter any corners with male and female joints. Use a router to cut them.

[mpfullmer]

on 11/8/2008 how to cut laminate countertops