rimpainter.com

What's up guys? I will be tackling a laminate flooring install in our 360 sq ft "great room." Instead of jumping straight into a huge project, I decided to install the same laminate flooring in our bedroom walk-in closet as a test area. For the most part things went well. However, I used a handsaw and my sawzall to cut some of the sections of flooring, which was a mistake. As you can imagine, this created uneven cuts at times and made my anticipated 1/4" spacing around the perimeter turn into 1" or more in places. To compensate, I had to replace the 1/2" molding with 1" custom pieces. So, lesson learned. I want to do the Great Room right. To further complicate matters, I have to cut some pieces at an angle. There is just no way I can do it correctly without getting a proper table saw. I don't want to spend more than $100 if possible. Lowe's has a Delta Table Saw for $97. The guy said it was pretty good and would do the job. What do you guys think? Is a table saw the right tool for the job? Any thoughts?

I have no problem with anything else regarding the laminate flooring install. I took a class and know what is required. So, my question is mainly about the right saw for the job.

Thanks!

eric-the-red

I used a table saw to cut the laminate when I did my floor, worked fine. One suggestion is use the finest tooth blade you can get. And if you can find a carbide tip fine blade even better, the laminate dulls regular steel blades quickly. If you're doing angles get a saw with a good mitre guage on it.

Just to do the laminate you don't need a lot of power or cutting capacity, but if you're buying a table saw think about what else you might use it for and get one that'll do that as well. Maybe better spending a few bucks now than finding out you don't have enough saw for the next project.

snap-on

are you talking about making cross cuts or rip cuts on the flooring

for cross cuts (which was a majority of what i had to do when putting down a floor like this) i used a sliding miter saw. I only had about 2 rip cuts to make and you can do those with a circular saw if you take your time (or are good with the saw)....

i think a table saw would be to clumsy to try to use when moveing the longish pieces of floor through it trying to get nice square cuts on the end....

(couple of pics of the floor i did)

rimpainter.com

I am going to need to do both (I think, although I haven't laid it all out yet). Some of the cross cuts are going to have to be at an angle, but they all will exceed the capability of most Mitre saws (at least the ones in my price range). The laminate "planks" are pretty wide, so a Mitre just wouldn't get the job done I don't think.

Thanks for the tips guys. Keep 'em coming.

ScubaDuck

I have never installed laminate flooring, but here is what I know about saw selection:

In my opinion, the best single saw option for both the ripping and the wide cross-cuts would be a circular saw with a good straight edge guide (relatively cheap), or a good radial arm saw (more expensive). If you have a circular saw, and are going to buy another saw, get a 10" table saw and a really good 10" blade that you can swap between the circular saw (for cross-cuts) and the table saw (for ripping).

If you are going to get a table saw, the concern with the $100 models is the relatively low power of the electric motor. This is particularly an issue if you are cutting thicker stock or using a dull or cheap blade. I think you would be fine with a cheap saw for this project, so long as you use a good blade (80 or 96 tooth carbon tipped) As said above, consider what you will use the saw for in the future, as it may be worth the investment if you can afford it.

Good Luck-

-Scubaduck

brick privy

you could just use a skill saw. the good ones come with a guage you attach for rip cuts. for cross cuts you use a speed square as a fence to keep the cut straight. the angle cuts you just do by hand.

how'd you do the trim without a mitre saw? if the planks are too wide for the mitre saw then you just cut halfway on the first cut, then you flip the plank over and finish the cut. if it's an angle cut, then you have to flip the angle to the other side of the saw when you flip the plank.

rimpainter.com

I did it by hand, aided by a speed square/triangle.

But yeah, these planks are thin, so I would imagine a lower speed motor would be fine.

Hmm, now I am torn about what I should get. It just seems like the table saw makes the most sense, but you guys have mentioned some other saws that will do the job with a touch of creativity. Anything should be better than my bone-headed attempt at using a reciprocating saw!

Bob_98SR5

christian,

having done this a year ago, i know the pain of doing this with a jig saw and a circular. just get a table saw.

as eric suggested, get a blade w/ a high teeth count. i think we got an 80. carbide is good. you will probably go through 1 blade for every 300-400 square feet. we did around 800 square feet and we needed two blades.

we bought a sears table saw for about $150. it came with a stand. we also bought one of those roller stand things from harbor freight. that definitely helped alot

i dont see why the delta won't do the job. its just laminate boards. now if it were bamboo or real hardwood, yes, id get a better, more powerful table saw. but for laminate, the delta one that i think you are getting will do the job.

bob

Cebby

He said his budget is $100. The table saws available for that price range are direct drive junk. My bro-in-law had one and we had to fight it the whole time I helped him. A good 10" blade will be $30+.

On my house I found that even carbide will dull if you do enough floor. I did about 700 SF and my carbide blade in my Dewalt miter was spent. Get a good circular saw/blade and you'll be able to do either cut effectively. I did my rip cuts with a small circular (fine tooth and run a piece of tape where you are cutting to minimize chipping). I have a nice table saw, but the project was on the 3rd floor of my house and the saw is in my detached garage. If you do a good job laying it out, you'll need a minimum of rip cuts. I did 2 rooms, 1 hallway and 2 closets that were all connected - and no transition strips - I wanted it continuous so when my kids were zooming their cars around, there weren't any speed bumps. Took extra planning, but looks better IMO.

rimpainter.com

Cebby -

So are you saying I should avoid that Delta at Lowe's? Or do you think it would be ok for the job I at hand as others have mentioned?

Thankfully the only transitions I am going to need are from new floor --> tile in the kitchen and entry and new floor --> carpet in the Master and hallway. The only problem is that I have some weird angles to contend with, which I am dreading. That, and a stinking huge sliding glass door that is going to throw me for a loop.

Considering what I spent on the IKEA flooring (1.29/sq ft), I could spend a bit more than the mentioned $100 if need be. My wife would much rather I do it right than screw up the front room. That said, $150 might be doable.

snap-on

i was talking about a SLIDEING miter saw. such as this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...&s=hi&v=glance

which will cut 8.5" at 45deg. the flooring i used came in 7 3/8" wide strips

then do your self a favor and use something like this



the neg -3 deg hook all but elimiates chipping and helps extend the tooth life. A quality blade like this should say sharp for an entire house and is capable of being resharpened
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=228013


If its one thing ive learned expecally for a project like this, good quality tools can make a HUGE differance in the amount of headache and outcome of such a project.

concerned about the $$, craig list it when your done, it should be easy to unload for $100 less.

Cebby

The one my bro-in-law had was a Delta. Maybe they've improved - it HAS been a few years. I believe in buying tools once if at all possible. If you are looking at this saw as something disposable for this job, then try it. If you are planning on using for much more than this project, I would reconsider. I remember cutting plywood on that saw and it was particularly frightening. IIRC, the blade gaurd was useless and the fence wouldn't stay put causing the blade to bind then kick free unexpectedly.

I question the quality of a table saw at this pricepoint (I like my digits). Hell, I think my PC circular saw was $180 when I bought it. I would rent a quality saw before I would buy something like that. That's my opinion take it for what it's worth - but I've been at it for a long time and have never had a major injury (knocks on wood) - I attribute this to being careful and using quality tools.

The work is hard enough without having to fight the tools also.

brick privy

i agree totally. i would rather buy a good skill saw (circular saw) that i could use on the next project than a cheap table saw that would end up sitting in the garage. the skill saw is just more versatile. maybe it's just this area, but i have never seen a finish carpenter drag a table saw to a job site. however, i have seen a carpenter do a rip cut with a skill saw using just his finger as a fence and the piece fit the first time.

as far as the blade goes, i would just use a regular carbide blade. any time you get chipping it means you're cutting too fast. besides, being a novice you should take your time anyway. if you do get some chipping, it should be on the outside edges where it's covered by the trim.

BTW if you decide to get a skill saw, get one with an aluminum base plate. the stamped steel ones dont follow a fence as well.

rimpainter.com

Cool, thanks for the info. So a skill saw could work ok on cutting angles on some pieces? Or would I primarily use it for rip and straight end cuts?

My uncle has a nice skill saw, so maybe I should just buy a good blade and practice on a couple scrap pieces; seeing if it will do the trick or not.

brick privy

for the angle cuts you just have to take your time and guide the saw on your cut line. when you get to the angle, cut the angle first, hopefully the other end of the plank will a facyory edge (don't know how your room is shaped).

by all means, make a couple practice cuts and see what you think. just remember that all the cuts should be covered by the trim. if you remove the base boards before you install the floor, then by the time you put back the base board and add a shoe molding, you'll probably have almost an inch of coverage on the cuts.

if you're still worried about the angles, then i would spend the $100 or so on an 8 inch mitre box. you can use the barrowed skill saw for the rip cuts, and the mitre box for the angle and cross cuts. the trim will come out better with the mitre box too.

Cebby

Angles yes, curves no (OK - slight maybe).

When people say Skilsaw, they generally mean the big wormdrive units like this:
http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg...._1889_29475131

IMO these are great for framing and ripping plywood - rough carpentry. Too heavy for precise things. This thing is 15 lbs. My PC magnesium is 9 1/2.


Is the Ikea flooring the snap lock glueless?

brick privy

actually skill saw is just a brand name like sawzall. but you're right, the first skill saws were the worm drive types and would definately be too big for this project. i just used "skill saw" because it was easier to type than "circular saw".

Cebby

For trim, a mitre is nice (I don't think an 8" is a large enough blade for 45 deg angles - the planks are 7+??) , but I would suggest coping the inside corner cuts also. Won't open up and looks better IMO.

brick privy

all you have to do is cut half way and then flip the board to finish the cut. of course you have to either flip the angle to the other side of the saw or turn the board end for end.

rimpainter.com

Yes, the IKEA flooring is snap-lock. Even though we have the supplies, my wife and I are questioning the color/durability for the front room. We just might take it back and go to something nicer, like bamboo. Not sure yet though.