How To Cut Laminate Floor That Is Already Installed

Certain installation situations require laminate flooring to be cut after it is installed. If a diagonal transition between the laminate flooring and another flooring type is desired, laminate flooring will have to cover the subfloor along the desired cut line in order for the transition to look good. This may create a small amount of extra material waste, so it would be wise to have extra laminate flooring on hand to make up the difference. With the correct setup and tools, cutting installed laminate flooring is not difficult, and it looks good when completed.

Step 1

Mark the laminate flooring along the desired cut line by using a chalk line. A pencil or a permanent marker can also be used if a level is employed as a straight edge.

Step 2

Set the cut depth on a circular saw to 1/32-inch deeper than the thickness of the laminate flooring layer. This will ensure that the saw does not cut into the subflooring. The foam underlayment will be cut, but that's okay.

Step 3

Put on a pair of safety glasses and align the circular saw blade with the chalk line on the flooring. Lift the blade guard out of the way, turn the saw on and allow the blade to spin up to its full speed.

Step 4

Plunge the saw blade into the laminate flooring. Let go of the blade guard and allow it to snap into place. Cut along the chalk line beginning at one end of the line and ending at the other end of the line.

Step 5

Turn the circular saw off and allow the blade to completely stop before removing it from the cut channel. Removing the blade from the cut channel while it is still spinning may cause the blade to bind into the laminate flooring and damage the flooring.