Cutting kitchen work tops?

Hi,

What tools will I need? My father-in-law reckons a jigsaw but I thought a circular saw would be better?

Cheers

If you use a jigsaw you need a downwards cutting blade for laminates. Think you might find a skill/cirular saw will tear the laminate no matter how many teeth the blade has. Personaly i use a new/very sharp jet cut saw to cut worktops without damageing the laminate.

Circular saw against a straight edge, laminate facing down or it will splinter.

Or, wherever you get your worktop from, get them to cut them to size.

If you're cutting sinks or hobs out then maybe a jigsaw for that, I plunge cut with a circular saw but you've gotta know what you're doing to use that method.

Originally Posted by specialone

Circular saw against a straight edge, laminate facing down or it will splinter.

Or, wherever you get your worktop from, get them to cut them to size.

If you're cutting sinks or hobs out then maybe a jigsaw for that, I plunge cut with a circular saw but you've gotta know what you're doing to use that method.

if you duct tape the line your cutting and use either a jigsaw or circular saw it stops it being such a ripped cut..

Originally Posted by 454697819

if you duct tape the line your cutting and use either a jigsaw or circular saw it stops it being such a ripped cut..

Yep, you can do that.

I can't stress enough, if you're after a straight cut, don't expect one from a jigsaw, it won't be straight or square.

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by specialone

Circular saw against a straight edge, laminate facing down or it will splinter.

+1. Face down, keep it straight, and feed it slowly.

[Dave20046]

Mask/gaffa both sides where you want to cut (I marked my line on top of the tape) then look at your circular saw blade,I found mine was down facing and made a much cleaner cut with the laminate facing up.


You need a really good jigsaw to stop it veering off line drastically ,I had to borrow one - it had triangular shark fin shaped blades which helped stay on course massively and had really good guides either side which you could direct the blade with I got a perfectly square cut 1st time using that but I bet they ain't cheap

PAste the cuts/exposed chip with waterproof pva

Ive got an expensive jigsaw and it will never cut as square as a circular saw.

Dave, the rotation of the blade means it will break out on the upward cut so laminate should be face down.

[timwilky]

When I have routed joints, I always use a new cutter and even then I occasionally get slight chips on the bull nose edge, thank god for coloured joint sealant.

Sinks and other inserts I plunge the big circular through and only use a jigsaw with up cut blade for corner radius fillets etc.

Pain for me is getting help manhandling 4/4 m worktop. especially when it is a snug fit and you need to cut joints on each side. Getting my lad to help usually involves pay instead of a "Oh I could do with learning how to do that attitude"

[pegasus]

use a router for the edges....use a router & worktop jig for joints.

HTH