help...how to cut pergo

[aurelio alarcon]

Has anyone ever cut Pergo flooring? How is this stuff cut? Please help if at all possible. Thanks Aurelio.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Aurelio....I helped a young man lay over 2,000 sq. ft. of a similar product last December. I couldn't believe how hard that material is! We quite successfully used my SCMS and a regular blade. We did go through 2 blades in the process because we had a lot of cuts to make. We transitioned the flooring through 3 rooms and a connecting hallway. This was my first experience. Hopefully others will chime in with more experience! Good Luck!

[aurelio alarcon]

Aurelio....I helped a young man lay over 2,000 sq. ft. of a similar product last December. I couldn't believe how hard that material is! We quite successfully used my SCMS and a regular blade. We did go through 2 blades in the process because we had a lot of cuts to make. We transitioned the flooring through 3 rooms and a connecting hallway. This was my first experience. Hopefully others will chime in with more experience! Good Luck!Cool! Thanks for chiming in so quickly Ken. I am going to lay in about 100 square feet starting this morning. Did you cut every other one to offset the pattern?

[Michael Ballent]

I just layed down 1100 sq ft of the laminate flooring in my house, I just used CMS (Cross Cuts), jig saw (Funky cuts) and tablesaw (for ripping). One thing to note when cutting with the laminate flooring is that you will may see sparks while cutting it.

As far as laying the stuff down I removed the molding, and cut the bottoms of the door jambs so the floorings would sit under them and give me a cleaner look. While laying the floor the endcut of one row becomes the beginning of the next row, just make sure that you have 8" offset or more. Let me know if you have any other questions :)

[Lee Schierer]

I put Wilsonart flooring which is similar to Pergo in my house. I cut it on my table saw with a carbide tipped blade. I was even able to rip new grooves with my ripping blade and make loose tounges to join pieces. It cut well, but was extremely hard. It dulled my carbide by the end of the project. With a little care you can make factory quality cuts if your saw is sharp and well aligned. Masking tape on the finished surface will eliminate any tendancy for chipout.

[Byron Trantham]

I have been told to buy a couple cheap carbide tipped blades as they will be ruined cutting the stuff. :eek:

[Allan Johanson]

I've installed about 600 sq ft of the stuff and only used a jigsaw. I didn't want to butcher a TS or SCMS blade. Instead, I used 1 jigsaw blade.

Also, using the jigsaw allowed me to cut it in the hallway outside the rooms I was installing it in. Using a TS would have meant repeated walks out to the shop, or using a CMS would have meant a dusty mess everywhere in my case.

One final note: No matter what you use to cut it, keep the dust away from the Pergo being installed. The aluminum oxide dust can scratch the newly installed floor so keep your installation area clean.

Hmmm...rereading one of your other posts got me thinking that maybe you don't understand that the cut areas of Pergo are ALWAYS hidden under trim. You never make any cuts in the middle of a room. If you didn't know this when you started this morning...by now you've found out! :eek:

Good luck!

Allan

[aurelio alarcon]

I just layed down 1100 sq ft of the laminate flooring in my house, I just used CMS (Cross Cuts), jig saw (Funky cuts) and tablesaw (for ripping). One thing to note when cutting with the laminate flooring is that you will may see sparks while cutting it.

As far as laying the stuff down I removed the molding, and cut the bottoms of the door jambs so the floorings would sit under them and give me a cleaner look. While laying the floor the endcut of one row becomes the beginning of the next row, just make sure that you have 8" offset or more. Let me know if you have any other questions :)Thanks Michael. I will keep at least an 8 inch offset. I had planned to cut the bottem of the door jambs as well. Thanks again, Aurelio.

[aurelio alarcon]

I've installed about 600 sq ft of the stuff and only used a jigsaw. I didn't want to butcher a TS or SCMS blade. Instead, I used 1 jigsaw blade.

Also, using the jigsaw allowed me to cut it in the hallway outside the rooms I was installing it in. Using a TS would have meant repeated walks out to the shop, or using a CMS would have meant a dusty mess everywhere in my case.

One final note: No matter what you use to cut it, keep the dust away from the Pergo being installed. The aluminum oxide dust can scratch the newly installed floor so keep your installation area clean.

Hmmm...rereading one of your other posts got me thinking that maybe you don't understand that the cut areas of Pergo are ALWAYS hidden under trim. You never make any cuts in the middle of a room. If you didn't know this when you started this morning...by now you've found out! :eek:

Good luck!

Allan
This had been one of my concerns. Thanks for noticing that. I do realize now that all the cuts are under the trim and not in the middle. Thank God that I noticed this before starting to cut randomely!

[aurelio alarcon]

I have been told to buy a couple cheap carbide tipped blades as they will be ruined cutting the stuff. :eek:I will definetely go and purchase some cheap carbide blades. I will use my jig saw for those "funky" cuts.

[aurelio alarcon]

I put Wilsonart flooring which is similar to Pergo in my house. I cut it on my table saw with a carbide tipped blade. I was even able to rip new grooves with my ripping blade and make loose tounges to join pieces. It cut well, but was extremely hard. It dulled my carbide by the end of the project. With a little care you can make factory quality cuts if your saw is sharp and well aligned. Masking tape on the finished surface will eliminate any tendancy for chipout.Thanks Lee. Masking tape will be purchased along with some cheap carbide blades.

[Allan Johanson]

One more tip....

As you lay each piece down and snap it in with the others, feel the joint with your hand and check for an uneven surface. If it's uneven, take it apart and examine the tongue and groove. Look for a tiny crack, showing the particle core has started to break. Take a razor knife and carefully cut away the messy spots on the tongue & groove. Just a little bit - not lots. I found it was almost always the groove that had "issues" and would bunch up or otherwise create a small lump that would make an uneven surface.

By removing the loose parts then the boards were able to fit together closely and the uneven surface was gone.

When you have completed each row, double check all the joints on that row again with your hand. Sometimes working on one end of a row can mess up other boards in that row.

You'll see what I mean. :)

Good luck!

Allan

[aurelio alarcon]

Thanks to all of you who responded so quickly! Fortunately, I started a little later than I initally had planned. Fortunate because I was able to check back here and get all this vital information! You guys have helped (again) to make this project easier and more dooable (is that a word). Thanks Again!!!!

[Fred Voorhees]

I also have to add my thanks to the various posters to this thread as I will be putting down a Pergo floor soon in my project of converting a former two car garage to a bar/pool table room - roughly around 500 sq. ft. In fact, I received a coupon today from the Home Depot that will save me 20% on a Pergo flooring purchase. The deal ends near the end of October. I hadn't planned upon purchasing the flooring that soon, but with that kind of deal, I will be taking them up on the offer soon after I return from my ten day vacation to Syracuse, NY which kicks off tomorrow (Fri) morning. Heck, the flooring can sit around and wait for me, but the 20% offer won't!