Can You Cut Laminate Shelving With a Circular Saw? (Our Step By Step Guide)

Cutting laminate veneer particle boards with a circular saw is very possible, but you have to ensure you use the right circular saw blade to stop the edges of your laminate board from splitting. 

To cut laminate shelving with your circular saw you simply need to measure and score your laminate, make a score cut with sharp edges of your blade then a final cut, you will also need to consider finishing the board for a beautiful edge. 

We have put together a guide below that will cover how to cut through laminate shelving with ease and achieve perfectly clean, factory-like edges with our finishing tips. 

Should I Use a Circular Saw For Cutting Laminate?

Circulars saws can be used for cutting laminate with ease as long as you know how to use one properly, these saws offer great power and tend to be even more accurate than jigsaw tools are. 

You can achieve angled cuts and straight edge cuts with a circular saw and they are very portable for using during DIY work too unlike a table saw.

What Blade Should I Use For Cutting Laminate Shelving? 

In general, laminate shelving tend to be made out of particles board which use the material melamine veneer, it’s essential to use the right kind of blade for cutting this board. 

We have listed what to look for in your circular saw blade for cutting laminate below. 

• Carbide-tipped teeth – Your blade for use on laminate shelving should have carbide-tipped teeth, this material will give you a smoother cut.
• High tooth count – The higher the number of teeth on your shelving then the finer the cut it will give to your board.
• Hollow ground teeth – Choosing hollow ground teeth means they give a fine cut due to their angle being less than 90-degrees, this allows it to slice through smoothly without hacking at the material.
• Thin kerf – Having a thinner kerf to your blade stops so much material from being lost with every cut. 
• Negative hook angle – This slows down the feed rate of your material for a more accurate cut.

Our Step By Step To Cutting Laminate Shelving With a Circular Saw 

After choosing the highest quality correct blade for your circular saw, we can now dive into our step by step guide of how to achieve a smooth cut on your laminate shelving. 

• Step one – First of all, measure and draw out your cutting line on your laminate then use a scoring knife over the cutting line, this will reduce the chances of the laminate material splintering during the cutting process. 
• Step two – Flip your board over to the side that won’t show when hung and place painters tape over the top of your cutting line and draw the measured line over the top again. Wear your PPE and adjust the blade so as only 1/4-inch is showing to make another scoring line.
• Step three – Lower your blade down to make a shallow cut on the guideline that you have drawn to score the laminate again reducing the chances of it splintering, all this scoring might seem excessive but it is important to improve accuracy and keep the laminate finish intact.
• Step four – Place masking tape over the cut lines on each side and make the final cut with your circular saw, apply even pressure when making the cut and make sure the blade is deeper than your material. 
• Step five – To finish the edges of your laminate shelving use edge banding or a strip of wood so the shelving can look seamless. For a strip of wood, you will need to use wood glue or finishing nails to attach it once it is cut down to the right size. Edge banding will need to be ironed down according to instructions.

Final Words 

To conclude our small guide, cutting laminate shelving with your circular saw is easy to do with the right carbide-tipped blade and measurements. Always score your laminate beforehand to stop it from splintering while making the cut and wear safety equipment during the cutting process.