Sawing laminate countertop to length

Looking for suggestions as to the best way to cleanly saw (straight, square, no tear-out) about 18 inches off the length of a 10ft Lowe's laminate coutertop:

formatting link
this thing has a 5" integrated backsplash, whats the best tool/method to accomplish a nice smooth square cut?

Circular saw from the underside?

Reply to
Spalted Walt
Loading thread data ...

Typically plastic laminate is trimmed to final size with a flush trim router bit.

I would use an "L" shaped straight edge on the back side and straight bit using about 4~5 passes.

Reply to
Leon

Is it a good idea to put masking tape above the line to be cut?

Reply to
micky

?

Reply to
Leon

Could you ask them to cut it to your length-- like they do with lumber?

Reply to
Douglas C. Neidermeyer

No reason to do so with a router bit as it is cutting horizontally. A saw blade - any saw blade - is moving perpendicular to what you are cutting so the teeth will tend to lift and tear out material along the saw cut on one side or the other depending on the type of saw and which side you are cutting from; in that case, tape can help.

Reply to
dadiOH

  1. Use a fine tooth circular saw blade and make your cuts upside down (with the laminate surface on the bottom)
2.Cut the back splash first, setting it on a flat, horizontal, sacrificial (piece of 3/4" plywood) surface.
  1. Cut the counter top part the same way - upside down setting on a flat, horizontal, sacrificial (piece of 3/4" plywood) surface.

IOW, make your cuts upside down, backup both cuts on the bottom side (and be sure to not let that cut-off tear the laminate as it falls, so hold on to it all the way through the cut).

Reply to
Swingman

Sounds like someone's done this before. :-)

Reply to
-MIKE-

Once or twice ... now I just supervise. :)

Problem is, if you backcharge one of the current generation of trim carpenters (or more often, one of his helpers) for a ruined countertop, you stand a good chance of unseen consequences until it's too late (that's spelled r-e-t-r-i-b-u-t-i-o-n, unfortunate, but always something to keep in mind around a modern construction site).

Cheaper just to anticipate and make sure it gets done right.

(About the only place we do this anymore is in a remodel where the client just wants to replace/repair what is already there and new laminate is not an option).

Reply to
Swingman

Thanks for your input, Swing. I found a youtube vid shortly after my original post that somewhat echos your suggestion:

German ingenuity! :-)

formatting link
find it a little strange that Home Depot and Lowe's have been selling pre-made laminate coutertops for many, many years yet there is only ONE video on youtube (at least that's all I could find) that shows a way of cutting one to length.

Reply to
Spalted Walt

gth.- Hide quoted text -

After I viewed your link, youtube automatically suggested a number of other videos related to cutting a counter top.

Another method was to cut the backsplash on a power miter saw and then use the saw cut to transfer the line to bottom. A circular saw and straight edge is used for the rest of the cut.

formatting link

Reply to
DerbyDad03

gth.- Hide quoted text -

FYI...I also found a series of 3 videos where a guy cut off the backsplash along the glue line, cut the flat surface down to a narrower depth and then reattached the back splash. Interesting idea. Unfortunately the videos leave out major parts of the cutting and don't include a close up of the new seam. I can't imagine it's even close to perfect.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Reply to
Pat Barber

That's one I've got to remember!

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I cut one of those once. I didn't have a circular saw. I taped the laminate side, clamped 2x4s to it and used a sharp hand saw. It cut like butter. I measured from one side, marked several places, and connected the marks. My only problem was assuming the end from which I measured was square. It was not. Please check yours!

Reply to
Fishface

re, no tear-out) about 18 inches off the length of a 10ft Lowe's laminate c= outertop:

formatting link
formatting link
Since this thing has a 5" integrated backsplash, whats the best tool/= method to accomplish a nice smooth square cut? Circular saw from the unders= ide?

Get a Festool track saw. The bigger model would be preferable since it mig= ht be able to go through the backsplash in one pass. Not sure. But you ca= n do it with the smaller Festool track saw too. Clamp the guide to the bac= ksplash and make your cut. Then move the track so it lines up with the cut= you just made and finish cutting the counter portion of the plastic lamina= te. You are cutting from underneath so the plastic laminate is on the unde= r side.

Reply to
russellseaton1

Since the laminate is glued to termite-puke I'm thinking about maybe sealing up the underside with a few coats of some left-over dark brown latex house paint I've got in the shop. Just to keep moisture out and maybe keep the particle board from shedding little flakes over the coming years. Anything wrong with this idea?

Reply to
Spalted Walt

Yes, circle saw with the top upside down. Make sure to support the fall off. Screw on an edge guide. It would probably be worth making a "scrap" cut for practice and to see all the issues before launching into the finish cut.

Reply to
DanG

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.