Posted by Brenda (OH) on September 29, 2011 at 21:21:17:
can do a good job, but it will dull the blade. I was thinking, what is Tony complaining about, then I remembered I was thinking of allure VINYL laminate, that is much easier to cut! lol
Brenda (OH)
Is there a trick? - Posted by Tony Colella
Posted by Tony Colella on September 27, 2011 at 10:15:58:
I am a big fan of laminate flooring but one thing I truly dislike doing is cutting out the floor vents.
Does anyone have some trick they use. No matter how I try, using a jig saw I end up damaging the vertical duct where it attaches to the subflooring.
I have tried long and short jig saw blades. I have tilted the jig saw and still end up duct taping over the damage. Am I alone in this mess? Anyone have a trick that works better?
Tony
Re: Is there a trick? - Posted by Dr. B. (OH)
Posted by Dr. B. (OH) on September 27, 2011 at 22:28:34:
Snip your jigsaw blade off so it barely penetrates beyond the thickness of the laminate.
Re: Is there a trick? - Posted by Ryan (NC)
Posted by Ryan (NC) on September 27, 2011 at 20:21:13:
I always just measure it out and cut before i install… I have been known to mangle a piece of flooring here and there tho… leave 1/4" for the laminate lock and you are normally pretty good unless ya really bugger up the measurements. Often you will have a small gap around the vent opening but better than mangling the duct imho! (I hate mangled metal, it don’t agree with my fingers)
Re: Is there a trick? - Posted by MikeT/NC
Posted by MikeT/NC on September 27, 2011 at 19:49:32:
Measure and cut the same as you would do when laying OSB
board or cutting a whole for a light socket in piece of
paneling. Also a fine blade turned around backwards in a
circular saw works great for cutting vinyl underpinning.
Re: Is there a trick? - Posted by Clinton
Posted by Clinton on September 27, 2011 at 19:27:15:
I have never tried cutting the floor diffuser out in place. I make a
template out of either stiff cardboard or scrap laminate that is the
size of the diffuser insert plus 1/4" in all directions. As I lay up to
the vent hole I take the measurements to a corner of the opening in
both directions, from leading edge of last row up to corner and from
end of last piece over to opening measuring from the face not the
tongue. I keep a 5 gallon bucket near me while I am laying, put the
piece over the bucket opening, put the template on the corner mark
and hold it up against a speed square to square the template to the
piece of flooring, trace the template then cut it with a cordless trim
saw and finish with a jig saw, waste falls in the bucket and you are
ready to lay the piece without ever standing up the bucket makes a
good cut station/waste container. Probably not the fastest/best way
to do it but I don’t like to have to keep getting up and down or
running outside to cut, but they are always unoccupied at the time.
Re: Is there a trick? - Posted by JeffB (MI)
Posted by JeffB (MI) on September 27, 2011 at 12:23:43:
It is not possible to use a jigsaw and NOT damage the metal duct, as far as I know. I am an expert duct-mangler.
Perhaps the trick is to just accept the fact that you are going to mangle it, and then beat it back into shape with a hammer when you’re done like I do. It’s not pretty, but as long as you can get the vent cover back on life is good and the place looks great!