Cutting Plastic Laminate Sheets

Be very careful not to get your fingers in the way of the blade.

Cutting plastic laminate sheets.

Cutting a sheet laminate by itself is best done with tin snips or aviation snips provided you re cutting it oversize and will trim it later. Shift the score line to the table edge and break the laminate again. Laminate sheets come in every color and pattern imaginable. Sheets are typically 1 16 inch thick and are usually installed on a substrate of plywood or medium density fiberboard with contact cement.

Cutting 96x34 or any size sheets of pfl with a straight edge and a trim router. Once you install the formica use a jigsaw to do any trimming or make any round cuts. Then put masking tape on the cutting line lay the formica on a flat surface and cut along the lines. Use the utility knife first as it will provide a good clean cut.

Draw all pieces at least inch larger in all directions than is actually needed. You can really get the look you want solids metallics multicolored even soft pinks and bright reds. Cutting plastic laminate sheets plastic laminate can chip or peel over time particularly along the edges of a countertop. Step 4 cut the sheet.

Plastic laminate is surprisingly easy to cut. Use your straightedge and utility knife to cut along the line as accurately as possible. You can do it with a circular saw a jigsaw a router or even some hand tools. Place identical pieces next to each other and allow pieces that are close in size to share edges as well cutting them a little larger if needed to make the fewest cuts possible.

Draw the knife across the surface applying firm pressure two or three times. Laminate sheet finish options go glossy for a shiny finish. Repeat for any additional cuts. Turn the laminate one quarter turn and align the square along the next cut line.

Cutting an assembled laminate countertop is a little trickier and this is best done with power tools and great care. Then grip the wasted area of formica and lift it up slightly. You can use several tools to cut laminates including a. Choose surface designs like stone look patterns abstract and wood laminate sheets.

Sketch out your laminate sheet on paper and draw in the pieces you intend to cut from a single sheet. Cutting away this piece of laminate countertop and replacing it with a new.