I was cutting laminate planks wrong for a decade until a job in Tempe

I always used my miter saw for every cut, thinking it gave the cleanest edge. On a big condo job in Tempe last month, the super told me to just score and snap the short cuts to save time. I tried it on a scrap piece and the factory edge was perfect, no chipping. I must have wasted hundreds of hours over the years. Do you guys score and snap for short cuts, or is there a better trick?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_gibson4311d ago

Honestly I doubt it was that big a deal. A miter saw gets the job done, maybe a little slower. I've seen guys use utility knives, jigsaws, even circular saws for laminate. As long as the cut fits under the baseboard, who cares? You probably didn't waste hundreds of hours, maybe a few minutes here and there over the years. The important part is the floor looks good when you're done, not how you got there.

caseywest11d ago

Nah, a miter saw is way off for laminate. It's for chopping wood trim. You need a scoring saw or a table saw for clean cuts on that material. A miter saw will just shred the laminate surface. Seen it happen. It makes a huge mess and the cuts are rough. The right tool absolutely matters for finish work.