How to Make Cuts for Flooring

Flooring comes in a variety of types such as wood, stone and laminate. While each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages, they are all susceptible to damage and need repair if that damage gets too severe. Rather than replace the whole floor, cut out the damaged area and then replace it with a new board or tile. Making cuts for flooring requires precision tools and care to prevent damage to the surrounding area.

Drill
Masking tape
Pencil
Circular saw
Safety goggles
Work gloves
Wet saw table

Instructions

- 1
  Drill holes in the wood or laminate at each end of the area you're cutting. A 3/16-inch drill bit leaves holes large enough to see but small enough not to risk damaging the surrounding material. This helps you make accurate cuts and makes the laminate or wood simpler to remove after cutting. Mark stone with masking tape and then draw the cuts in pencil since a drill is not as effective and is more likely to crack the floor.
- 2
  Set your circular saw to the same width as the wood or laminate flooring for best results. This is a safety measure and helps prevent damage to the material under the floor. Stone will be cut on a wet saw table.
- 3
  Make plunge cuts into the laminate or wood with a circular saw by starting the saw blade while it is in the air and then bringing it down into the floor by the first hole in a scooping motion, pulling the saw out when it reaches the second hole. Always wear safety goggles and gloves when using saws.
- 4
  Utilize a wet saw on stone tile and then laying it on the wet saw table, pushing it into the blade along the lines you marked with the pencil. This gives you a cleaner cut for the stone with less chance of blade damage.

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