Cutting a Kitchen Worktop

I have a kitchen worktop I will be using for a garage workbench.

I need to cut it down to length.

It is the bog standard chipboard stuff with a veneer.

What is best to cut it?

I don’t need perfect finish but neither do I want a ragged mess.

I only have one cut to make. I have a jigsaw.

Suggestions please.

You can get special blades for work top. But I found they don’t work too well and bend producing a straight cut on top that might go anywhere underneath.
That wasn’t a problem when I did it and was easily covered by the sink!
I’d be tempted to get a cheapo circular saw tbh.

Got a router? creates a lot of mess compared to a jigsaw but you get a straight edge.

A cheap hand saw will do it. If you need a straighter edge cut it 2mm long and use the router to take off the last bit using a straight piece of wood as a guide. If using a circular saw make a shallow cut first to prevent splintering.

No router or circular saw.

Score the top deeply, then use a handsaw.

Get a new hand saw, cheapo will be fine for one cut.

If you feel the need to use the jigsaw, use a new blade and either cut it from the underside (you could end up with a “feature” edge) or score the cut line with a stanley knife to reduce cracking.

Hand saw and cut through the plastic on top. If you reaally want tidy score through the coating first?

peteimpreza
No router or circular saw.

Two options here:

i go and buy one or t’other (or ideally, both :wink:)
ii find someone nearby who can either lend you said kit or do it for you for beer and/or cake.

If you live near chester wirral ill cut it for you, or take it to Band Q and ask them to cut it look for timber cutting on their website

Chippy by trade here, you won’t cut a straight line with a Jigsaw unless 1, it’s a nice powerful one and 2, your using a brand new blade, even then it’s likely to wander a bit.
As already suggested score the top and use a handsaw cutting into the face. The end result should be plenty neat enough for a garage.

If your using a handsaw, get one with 9 teeth per inch (usually labelled as fine or for laminate), you’ll get a Bahco for about 9quid.

If you’re anywhere near Cambridge, I can cut it for you…..

Decent second fix panel saw is all you need. B&Q usually have Spear and Jackson predators bogof, great saw

Another panel saw vote here for garage quality finish. I think I used a 7tpi/first fix one on mine but I managed to hide the end against the wall so any minor tearing in the surface was concealed.

If you want a good job of it you can hire a router and jig for tolerable money and then it’s straight,neat and you don’t have to store everything after.

Thanks for all the offers of help but I am not near any of you.

Get a cheap hand saw then.

looks like the best option

Fresh new handsaw will do it. I use irwin jack saws, approx £8/9. Cut it face up and start you cut at the veneer finished edge not the back edge.

Used a jigsaw on mine and it was fine. Just clamped a piece of timber as a guide.

Track saw would give the straightest finish:

Ripping Ply with Bosch Tracking Circular Saw by brf[/url], on Flickr

Hand saw job if you don’t have anything else to hand. You can always clamp a bit of 2×4 along your cutting line to keep it straight if you’re worried about that, though if it’s for a garage, you probably don’t need to. I’d avoid using a jigsaw. Even a good one will be a bit wandery.

Against the advice of a chippy friend I used a circular saw.

First practice cut it took a chunk of the veneer off, but after adding a few layers of wide masking tape it worked fine.

Although my chippy friend suggested I was a bit fortunate and that I should have used a decent hand saw.

If your using a handsaw, get one with 9 teeth per inch (usually labelled as fine or for laminate), you’ll get a Bahco for about 9quid.

You’ll need more teeth per inch than that.
As said above, a Spear and Jackson purple Predator with 14tpi will give you a damn good finish.
If you score the laminate (I wouldn’t) only do it once. Multiple scores could make a right mess of things.

Hand saw.Your all mad.I fit loads of kitchens.Circular saw you mad folk.
Cut the work top upside down so so it doesn’t chip the work surface.
Jobs a goodun.You can even use a the width guage if you not that good with one.

I use a skill saw all the time for straight cutting worktops
Mask the top flip over and clamp a straight edged across the worktop and run the foot plate of the skilsaw against the straight edge cutting from front (nose) to back.

You have to allow for distance between edge and blade when measuring and use a sharp blade.

Is everyone missing the point? It’s for a garage…
Use a handsaw, spend the difference between that and any number of the power tools recommended above on bike shit!

Is everyone missing the point? It’s for a garage…
Use a handsaw, spend the difference between that and any number of the power tools recommended above on bike shit!

😀

I only have one cut to make. I have a jigsaw.
Suggestions please.

May I suggest you use your jigsaw.

Cut with the top the right way up. It will chip but the cut will be straight , at the top any way, underneath maybe wavy due to the blade bending. But if this end runs into a wall you will never see it .

Also take you time and let the blade do the work (don’t lean on the jigsaw).

Another vote for hand-saw here – a jigsaw will produce a wobbly mess.

Seeing as there are a lot of suggestions for tools you don’t have, may I suggest an Altendorf F45?

It’ll give you a fantastic cut.

If however you want to use your jigsaw, accept that it’ll potentially be a bit rubbish (I think you already have), use a straight edge to run the body of the machine against, cover your cut line in masking tape rubbing it down really well, use a nice and wide and brand new blade, and take your time.

Got a plane? Take off some of the inevitable blade wander with that, sand off sharp edges, seal ends with paint, job done.

I fit kitchens 99% of my working time.
A good jigsaw will do the job with good, new down cutting blades.
But…… Good jigsaws are hard to find. I’ve had every make going and only had 2 that were any good.
Makita or festool.
Also the blades don’t last for more than a metre or so if cutting tops as they’re full of compressed crap.
A hand saw will do, I used to do worktop joints with a saw before these fancy jigs came out!

Whilst there’s a thread full of worktop-ist about…

Butt joining wooden worktops:

Router to take any bevel off, then again to make holes for connecting bolts in the bottom, or something else first? Presumably I’ll need a jig for the holes for the connecting bolt holes? (make one out of ply?)

Or how would one join them with hand tools only? also prepared to spend a while on it.

Obviously whatever I attempt I’ll practice a bit first and I’m fully prepared to cock it up and have to do it again/pay someone (it’s my approach to learning anything pretty much…)

footflaps

Track saw would give the straightest finish:

That saw is the wrong colour 😉

IA

I’ve never joined any worktops before but trying to hand cut those jointing holes would be err, labourious. I’m pretty sure the fitters above will say get a proper jig and route this. You can defo hire routers and I’ll be surprised if you can’t hire the jointing jigs

Oh yeah I’m sure I could hire a jig.

But it’s not a full mitre join I want to do, I just need a jig to make the round holes/channels for the connectors. Which seems like something I could knock up with some ply, a big holesaw and a little sawing….

Oh yeah I’m sure I could hire a jig.

You can buy one from fleabay for not much money.

Best option IMO (having used a jig precisely once).

The cut is done right.
The holes will be in the right place.
Everything will line up.
It’ll end up at a proper right angle.

Get a jig for the dog bones.

Ok some looking (not looked much, i’m ages off doing worktops yet) reveals I can indeed probably pick up a jig cheap off ebay.

However it also makes me think I’m probably supposed to biscuit joint them also (which makes sense to keep them level). Is it a big deal if I don’t? Otherwise it might have to wait and see if I end up getting a jointer for some other stuff anyhow…

For solid wood.
Square edged, just butt them using bolts and a bit of silicone.
Rolled edge, cut just enough off to get past then bolts and a bit of silicone. (You’ll need a jig and router.)
Don’t forget to leave a bit of room for expansion and make sure they are fully secured with L brackets/screws with washers that allow movement.

robhughes – Member

Hand saw.Your all mad.I fit loads of kitchens.Circular saw you mad folk.
Cut the work top upside down so so it doesn’t chip the work surface.
Jobs a goodun.You can even use a the width guage if you not that good with one.

Where are you based and when you say “fit”, are you talking bespoke design and install or installations of prefab?

My dad used a chainsaw. It’s two inches too short now