DIY homeowners like laminate floor installation most of all, and there are many reasons for it. That’s why I’d like to give more attention to this material, and discuss the specifics of its cutting.
Since the laminate material is artificial, mainly made of pressed fiber board, it is more fragile than hardwood. It is covered with laminated foil on the top, and plastic on the bottom, allowing the material to protect against water damage.
At first glance, this stuff looks fragile on its own, as long as you do not start to cut it. If you have a miter saw in the house, and you want to use it to cut the laminate, then I recommend you stock up on a couple of extra blades, as they quickly became blunt and fail. Blunt blades damage not only the edges of the material, but also the installer’s mood. They steal his extra time and downgrade the quality of his work.
In addition, while cutting the laminate, the heavy dust may become harmful to your health, which cannot be avoided if you use a miter saw. Therefore, it is best to cut the laminate outdoors, and use a protective mask.
If you are not able to cut the flooring material in open air, you are advised to frequently sweep the room where you cut it. If you are in possession of a jack saw at home, for laminate floor installation, I’d rather choose this one.
And even so, there is one tool that is best suited for cutting this artificial material – this is a special cutter. It is specifically designed for laminate cutting. Its blade has a certain width, cutting the material very quickly. If you’re not a professional floor installer, and your goal is laminate floor installation only in your home or apartment, then, of course, there is no reason to buy this tool to take advantage of it for one or two days. You can rent this tool for that period of time.
For this I recommend that you first prepare well for the job. These steps are:
Make a good leveling.
Determine where and how you start the installation, as well as where and how to finish.
Buy the stuff and give it a “lie down” in the established area for at least two days.
Arrange underlayment.
Careful preparation goes a very long way, especially if you are installing the laminate for the first time, so I recommend renting a cutter, only when you are totally ready for laminate floor installation.
Laminate is the simplest of all kind of installation. The boards of this material are much wider and longer than the sides of the hardwood. Usually the width is 7-8 inches, and length – 4 ft.
During the cutting and installation of any material, there is always waste. If a professional floor installer makes the installation of laminate flooring, the waste usually takes 3 to 5 percent. If you install laminate for the first time, then buy 10-15% more material.
If you consider all the recommendations for laminate floor installation mentioned in this article, your project will be more successful, and it certainly will succeed.
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