The best circular saw blade for cutting laminate flooring is the TCT21080TTCG Saxton TCT Circular Saw Blade. That is because it is a thin kerf blade (2.6mm) with tungsten carbide teeth (80 TPI) that gives precise accurate cuts. That means no chipping or ragged edges on your laminate flooring which ensures tight fitting.
Laminate flooring is a very popular choice for many UK home owners. That’s because it is relatively affordable, cheaper than real wood and comes in a range of colours and styles. Laying a laminate floor is considered a big DIY project as there are a number of steps required to get the fitting just right. Cutting laminate floorboards accurately and without chipping the edges is one of the hardest parts of the process.
“Over the years we have fitted hundreds of wooden floors including laminate options. As experts we can give you the best advice on picking the right circular saw blade for the perfect laminate flooring finish.”
Before you pick a blade though, it is worth knowing how laminate flooring is made so as you know what you are actually cutting through.
How is laminate flooring made?
Four layers are pressed together under a very high temperature to form a board. These 4 layers are:
- Bottom layer – made from melamine and acts as a moisture barrier
- Core layer – can be made from a medium or high density fibre board mixed with resins
- Photographic layer – this is an image bonded on to the core layer that determines the actual appearance of your floorboard
- Wear Layer – this can either be cellulose paper mixed with a melamine resin or made from aluminum oxide.
Laminate Floor Thicknesses
In the UK, there are 5 different thicknesses you can purchase. These are:
- 6 millimetres
- 7 millimetres
- 8 millimetres
- 10 millimetres
- 12 millimetres
As a general rule the thicker the floorboard is the more it will cost you. The actual quality of the board is really down to how much protection is sprayed on to the layer that you walk on which is the wear layer.
Cutting Laminate Floorboards
There are a few different cuts to consider when laying a laminate floor.
- Cross cuts – this is where you are cutting along the breadth of a board to make it fit. This will be the most popular cut that you do.
- Rip Cuts – this is the hardest cut as you have to cut a straight line along the full length of the laminate floorboard
- Shapes and Cut outs – also known as the fiddly bits. These are usually around doors, radiator pipes, chimney breasts etc
Cutting through laminate floorboards isn’t a difficult thing to do as the boards are very thin. The most difficult thing to do is to avoid chipping the edges when you are sawing. A normal circular saw blade would leave a series of small chips along the edge of any laminate. The only way to stop that from happening is to use a blade with more teeth and with a thin kerf. That is what makes the difference between a poor finish and a really professional finish.
Top 4 Circular Saw Blades for Cutting Laminate Flooring
Over the years we have used many blades and as the years have passed, these have improved a lot in quality. These days we have really good choices to pick from. Rather than show you a long list of blades we have picked out the four that work the best, based on our years of experience working with laminate floors, worktops and other laminate coverings. We almost always use the Saxton blade, but for the really thick floorboards (12mm) we will change to the Bosch daredevil.
- TCT21080TTCG Saxton TCT Circular Saw Blade – most affordable high quality
- Bosch 2608644133 Circular Saw Blade Expert – used by professionals
- OX Wood Cutting Thin Kerf Circular Saw Blade – cheapest
- Makita B-33825 Specialized Blade for Laminate – Best Makita blade for laminate
You can buy suitable circular saw blades at stores such as Screwfix, Wickes and B&Q. You can also buy them online at a variety of online stores including Amazon UK.
1. TCT21080TTCG Saxton TCT Circular Saw Blade
We use a lot of blades and this Saxton blade is our most popular choice for the vast majority of laminate board cutting.
The important thing when cutting laminate floorboards is not to chip the edges where you are sawing – using this blade we have never had a problem with that.
The triple grind teeth take care of that really well.
The blade doesn’t bend either as it is made from hardened steel.
Comes with 16, 20 and 25mm reduction rings so can be used with most circular saws.
92% buyer satisfaction based on 150+ online buyer reviews
Key Features
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Blade Size |
210 mm (8.25″) |
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TPI |
80 TPI |
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Bore Size |
30 mm |
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Kerf |
2.6 mm |
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Teeth |
Triple Chip Grind |
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2. Bosch 2608644133 Circular Saw Blade Expert High Pressure Laminate
As we mentioned earlier for the thicker 12mm laminate floorboards we use this blade from Bosch
We would use it all of the time but it is twice the price which is why we prefer to use the Saxton blade shown above.
This blade has been designed to be able to cut high pressure laminate materials including floorboards
The teeth are triple grind and have also been coated with long lasting tungsten.
94% buyer satisfaction based on 400+ online buyer reviews
Key Features
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Blade Size |
165 mm (6.5″) |
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TPI |
48 TPI |
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Bore Size |
20 mm (0.7″) |
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Kerf |
2.6 mm |
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Teeth |
Triple Chip Grind |
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3. OX Wood Cutting Thin Kerf Circular Saw Blade
This is one of the cheapest circular saw blades and suitable for cutting laminates
It is a 165mm blade with a 16 mm bore and has a very thin kerf and an alternate top bevel (ATB) tooth configuration along with anti-kickback which helps ensure smooth cutting
The tips of the teeth on the blade are covered with tungsten to make them longer lasting.
It also comes with reducing rings to allow it to fit smaller bores.
88% buyer satisfaction based on 150+ online buyer reviews
Key Features
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Blade Size |
165 mm (6.5″) |
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TPI |
24 TPI |
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Bore Size |
16 mm (0.63″) |
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Kerf |
3 mm |
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Teeth |
Alternate top bevel |
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4. Makita B-33825 Specialized Blade for Laminate
This is one for those who prefer Makita blades or own a Makita circular saw
It is a 136mm blade with a 30 mm bore and has a very thin kerf (1.4mm)and a triple chip grind tooth configuration
The tips of the teeth on the blade are covered with a non-friction coating and the blade is made from tungsten carbide
It also comes with reducing rings to allow it to fit smaller bores.
86% buyer satisfaction based on 50+ online buyer reviews
Key Features
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Blade Size |
136 mm (5.35″) |
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TPI |
48 TPI |
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Bore Size |
20 mm (0.79″) |
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Kerf |
1.4 mm |
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Teeth |
Triple chip grind |
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Circular Saw
Circular saws remain the most popular saw for cutting laminate flooring. On average these cost around £50-£80. When used with a high-quality laminate floor blade then they can be used for both cross and rip cuts. When you buy a circular saw it usually comes with either a general purpose blade or one suitable for cutting wood.
This blade will cut laminate flooring but will leave a ragged edge. If you want a neat finish then use one of the blades that we have recommended above.
Circular Saw Blade Sizes (UK)
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Blade Size (mm) |
Cutting Depth (mm) |
Blade Size (inches) |
Cutting Depth (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
115mm |
45mm |
4.5″ |
1.7″ |
|
125mm |
50mm |
5″ |
1.9″ |
|
136mm |
60mm |
5.35″ |
2.36″ |
|
150mm |
70mm |
5.9″ |
2.75″ |
|
160mm |
75mm |
6.3″ |
2.95″ |
|
165mm |
80mm |
6.5″ |
2.85″ |
|
180mm |
82mm |
7.1″ |
3.2″ |
|
184mm |
83mm |
7.24″ |
3.3″ |
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185mm |
84mm |
7.25″ |
3.4″ |
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190mm |
85mm |
7.5″ |
3.5″ |
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210mm |
90mm |
8.25″ |
3.55″ |
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216mm |
92mm |
8.5″ |
3.7″ |
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240mm |
100 |
9.5″ |
3.9″ |
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250mm |
105mm |
9.84″ |
4″ |
|
255mm |
110mm |
10″ |
4.3″ |
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355mm |
164mm |
14″ |
6.4″ |
When picking the best circular saw for laminate flooring, the first thing to get right is picking the right size of diameter that fits your saw. Once you have made sure of that, then ideally a blade with 40TPI or higher will be able to cut laminate flooring. Teeth on the blade that have triple chip grind are the best design. If the blade has tungsten it will also increase the lifetime of the blade.
Laminate flooring is hard and if cutting a lot of it, then the blades and especially the teeth, will take a lot of wear and tear.
Best Circular Saw Blade for Laminate Worktops