How to Cut Formica Countertops for Stoves

Take the template that came with the purchase of the stove and place it over the Formica countertop where you wish to make the installation. Mark a cutting line onto the Formica by tracing around the template with a pencil. Cover the cutting line with masking tape to keep the blade from splintering the countertop surface as you cut, and extend the masking tape outward as wide as the base of the saw to avoid scratching the countertop with the saw base.

Adjust the cutting depth of the saw to the depth of the countertop plus 1/8 inch for a clean cut. Place the saw on the countertop with the saw blade aligned with the cutting line. Start cutting and push the saw slowly forward, allowing the blade to do the actual work of moving through the Formica. Make the cut slowly, maintaining careful alignment with the cutting line to avoid later adjustments. Cut the hole a side at a time, realigning the saw and beginning again at each corner.

Switch to an electric jigsaw with a laminate cutting blade if the circular saw is too large to reach the end of one of the cuts, in order to finish off the cut.

Remove the cut piece from the hole. Use a belt sander with a 120-grit carbide belt to make any small adjustments to your cut to reach the template’s cutting line. Sand downward so the covering of the Formica is forced downward by the sandpaper to reduce the chances of chipping.

Smooth off the cut edge of the Formica with a piece of 220-grit sandpaper attached to a sanding block. Sand downward with the paper to avoid chipping and to create a slightly rounded edge. Wipe the area off with a damp sponge, and then remove the masking tape to complete the stove installation.