What Type Of Circular Saw Blade To Cut Laminate Countertop?

Last Updated On February 10, 2023

While cutting laminate countertop with a circular saw, you must look for the best circular saw blade. Because it’s basically the tool performance that decides on how accurate cuts it could make. 

As laminates are basically paper tightly pressed together, you need to make precise cuts when cutting through laminate countertops.

That begs a very essential question- what type of circular saw blade to cut laminate countertop you should select? 

Well, a fine-toothed narrow blade is highly recommended to cut through a laminate kitchen countertop. The best circular saw blade should have as many fine teeth as possible- at least 40. Also, you should go for a fine tooth carbide blade instead of steel. 

All that being said, let’s look forward to how to find out the best saw blade for this very task below.

Can I Cut A Laminate Countertop with a Circular Saw?

Yes, you can. In fact, a circular saw is the most preferred tool to cut the laminate countertop. 

But as we all know, different circular saws are made of different types of circular saw blades. And that’s why they vary in purposes too. 

For instance, different saw blades have different diameters. Also, the tooth number varies in each type of circular saw. 

If the saw has a diamond blade with diamond-tipped teeth, it works great for cutting harder materials. Because diamond blades offer better strength for cleaner and smoother cuts.

But we recommend a fine-toothed carbide blade for cutting laminate countertop with a sharp edge. 

As they produce jagged edges to chip the laminate worktop, you need to be really careful in choosing the perfect saw blade.

Though you get smoother cuts using circular saws compared to a hand saw, table saw, or jigsaw blade. 

On one hand, the proper circular saw blades with carbide tips are considered a perfect solution for wood cutting. 

On the other hand, the same blades could be used for cutting laminate countertops with a sharp edge.

If you can choose the right saw blade for cutting, you can cut laminate countertop with sharp edges. 

Moreover, the cutting quality would be great enough without leaving any room for complaints with such a narrow blade for cutting.

What Is the Best Type of Circular Saw Blade to Cut Laminate?

In essence, you need a fine-toothed narrow blade that can make cleaner and smoother cuts while maintaining sharp edges. In this regard, a thin kerf blade having 80-100 teeth is the best saw blade, we guess. But it must have at least 40 teeth.

Another thing about the best circular saw blade to cut laminate countertop with smooth and clean cuts is the material. 

Usually, carbide-tipped blades are more feasible and long-lasting than regular steel blades. 

We know that a specific saw blade is made for a specific purpose. Diamond blades, such as, have diamond-tipped teeth for cutting glass. 

On the other hand, a fine tooth blade for cutting laminate is highly recommended for precise cuts as opposed to a jigsaw blade.

Remember, the cutting process requires that you must wear safety glasses whether it’s a table saw or a circular saw.

Also, a thin blade is always better as the tooth shape does matter. Avoid going for fewer teeth with the right saw blade as it would affect the accurate cuts.

How Hard Is It to Cut Laminate Countertops?

Umm, though it’s a bit tricky to cut laminate countertops, it’s not rocket science. With the right saw blade, you can easily get the job done with precise cuts.

Always remember that you need to cut laminate from the back. And please keep the laminate face side-down.

The cutting line you want should be marked with masking tape so that the circular saw cannot create jagged edges. 

At the same time, don’t forget to leave some extra space that you can crop later.

To avoid any hassle, use the masking tape carefully on the laminate face side so that it leads to a straight cut.

Again, using duct tape to protect the shoe of the circular saw is a wise decision. Otherwise, it will be scratched when you move the saw. 

Most importantly, you must be prepared enough to avoid the potential kickbacks while cutting laminate countertop. And don’t forget to wear safety glasses for your own safety.

Things to remember is that laminate is a difficult material to cut straight unlike cutting wood. Even the thick wood doesn’t need such patience and perfection to be shaped with pointed cutters. 

Therefore, always try to maintain a sharp edge to ensure less material waste using the right blade for cutting.

Do I Need a Special Blade to Cut Laminate?

Yes, to some extent. What we mean to say is that you can use a regular jigsaw blade but using a carbide-tipped thin kerf blade would get the job done far faster. 

Aside from that, we highly recommend using sharp and clean saw blades to reduce the risk of kickbacks. And unlike wood cutting, the circular saw blades need to have a sharp edge on the whole.

How Do You Keep Laminate from Chipping when Cutting? 

To avoid chipping while cutting laminate kitchen countertop, you should duct tape the saw’s shoe so that it doesn’t affect the laminate finish. 

Most importantly, place the laminate side down and start cutting from rear to front using a circular saw. And a circular saw is the key to producing smooth cuts and straight cuts, unlike a hand saw.

Jigsaw or Circular Saw for Cutting Laminate Countertops?

A circular saw is a better bet of course. Although both the tools work to cut laminate kitchen countertops with medium to high tooth count, a circular saw is more flexible and finishes the task way faster.

Nevertheless, while using a jigsaw, you must operate it smoothly through the supporting material underneath the fragile laminate layer to protect the delicate molding.

Final Words

To wrap this guide up on what type of circular saw blade to cut laminate countertop, it’s evident that a fine tooth blade is a key to cutting laminate perfectly. Blades with more teeth and optimum sharpness are recommended by professionals for this purpose. You must go for blades having a minimum of 40 teeth.

As carbide tips are way longer lasting than steel ones, they are more economical in this regard to cut edges precisely.

However, cutting laminate is a tricky task, and therefore, you must rely on a specific saw blade that cuts sharp and straight. Otherwise, you will end up having rough cuts.

And never forget to wear safety equipment to reduce the chance of backlash of the circular saw.

All the best.