How to Cut Vinyl Plank Flooring at Home in 6 Easy Ways

There are actually 6 different ways to do this task, and they are so easy that you can totally do it at home. If you want something detailed, you can follow the 7 step-by-step tutorials to successfully cut vinyl flooring into the shape you desire.

Cutting vinyl plank flooring is a DIY project anyone can do at home

So in short, here are what you are going to get in this post:

• 6 different ways to cut vinyl flooring.
• A tutorial with 7 specific steps to cut vinyl flooring.
• Tips and tricks to achieve the best result.

Don’t forget to check out the Q&A section at the end of the post. But for now, let’s get started on the basics of how to cut vinyl plank flooring.

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6 Different Ways To Cut The Vinyl Plank Floor

There are many tools you can use to cut vinyl plank floors. Those are also different ways to do this task. Depending on your skills and requirements, you can use more than one tool to get the job done.

Here are 6 common tools for cutting vinyl plank flooring for beginners to experts. You can find the detailed explanation below.

1. Cutting vinyl plank floor with a vinyl tile cutter:

The vinyl tile cutter is a great tool to get started with this DIY project, especially for people who are new to this task. You can get clean straight cuts with this tool effortlessly because it is very easy to use. 

Before using the vinyl tile cutter, you need to measure and mark the guidelines on your vinyl plank first. Put the vinyl tile cutter on a firm surface for safety and stability. Make sure the tool won’t move when you operate it. The blade is very sharp so you need to prevent hurting yourself.

Then, you need to place the plank on the cutter. Adjust the plank position so the blade will fall on the guideline you’ve marked. You can put some heavy objects on the plank to pin it down. If the plank moves during the process, the cut won’t be straight and clean.

When everything is secured in place, press the blade down in a swift motion to cut the plank. Remove the unwanted piece and collect the new cut plank. That is how to cut luxury vinyl planks and regular ones with the vinyl tile cutter.

2. Cutting vinyl plank floor with a utility knife:

The utility knife is another tool that a beginner can use to cut vinyl plank flooring. And to make the cleanest cut, you will need to use a stainless steel ruler to help with the process. You can cut vinyl planks into smaller shapes with more details but mostly work well for straight lines.

A utility knife always goes with a stainless steel ruler to create the cleanest cut

First, mark the vinyl plank to create a guideline for the shape you prefer. Then, put the vinyl plank on a steady surface so the utility knife won’t slip while cutting. Next, place the stainless steel ruler alongside the guideline. Remember to leave a tiny gap between the edge of the ruler and the guideline so the blade can fit in perfectly.

Now what you have to do is score the vinyl plank with the utility knife several times. Make sure you pin the ruler firmly in place so the blade won’t slip out of the guideline. Finally, snap the vinyl plank with the score line. Slowly bend the plank until you can break it.

Once you have learned how to cut the luxury vinyl plank with a utility knife, you can basically do most of the cutting and trimming of this material for installing vinyl plank floors.

3. Cutting vinyl plank floor with a handsaw:

A handsaw is pretty familiar to those who usually do DIY projects at home. It is also a reliable tool for cutting vinyl plank flooring. Believe it or not, if you have already mastered cutting wood with a handsaw, then you won’t have to ask how to cut vinyl flooring with this tool.

But for those who are new to this cutting tool, you must remember it is a little bit more advanced than the two tools above. So you must be careful while using a handsaw to cut vinyl planks. But this tool will help you cut the curve easier, all you need to do is be patient and pay attention to the cut.

The process of using a handsaw to cut vinyl planks is similar to cutting them with a tile cutter. First, you need to measure and create a guideline on the plank. Next, secure it in place for a steady cut. Then, push the blade of the handsaw along the guideline until you have the shape you need.

Some tips for doing this efficiently are take time with the cut and hold the plank in place as tight as possible so it won’t move during the process and make a wrong cut.

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4. Cutting vinyl plank floor with a miter saw:

When you see a miter saw, you will know that this is a quality tool to cut vinyl plank. But it won’t be easy to use for beginners, So unless you have some experience with cutting tools that have motors like this, you should only choose a miter saw to cut your vinyl planks.

The miter saw is perfect for making a rip cut. You will need a rip cut when the vinyl plank floor meets the edge of the walls. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use other tools that we mentioned here to make a rip cut beside the miter saw. So use what tool that you are most confident with.

You have to be double careful and wear protective gear while working with a miter saw. The process is not very different from cutting vinyl plank flooring with a tile cutter. In fact, you can think of the miter saw as a tile cutter with a motor. So you can figure out the process now.

To make the cleanest cut, you will need a blade with high teeth per inch (TPI). So check that out before you cut your vinyl plank floor.

A miter saw may not be suitable for amateurs, so make sure you know how to use it

5. Cutting vinyl plank floor with a jigsaw:

If the miter saw is similar to the tile cutter, then the jigsaw is not very different from the handsaw. It is like an upgraded version with a motor, so you don’t have to put elbow grease on the cut.

With that being said, the jigsaw is not for beginners who have no experience with electric cutters. But this tool can speed up your work once you learn the safe and correct way to use it. And since the jigsaw is similar to the handsaw, it won’t be so hard to understand the process.

So what you do before cutting is choosing a suitable blade for the cut. If the shape is mostly straight lines, you should use a blade with fine teeth for a clean cut. For cutting along the curve, you should install a narrow blade instead. And you shouldn’t cut vinyl planks by using a jigsaw without protection gears. So put them on for the process.

Cutting vinyl plank flooring with a jigsaw can create a mess, so you should place the trash bin or a bucket under the working area.

6. Cutting vinyl plank floor with a table saw:

The final method to cut vinyl plank floor on this list is using a table saw. This huge cutting machine can get the job done in no time. But it is definitely not the tool for amateurs. So make sure you have all the skills required for using a table saw.

However, if you have a large area of vinyl plank floor to install, then there is no other cutting tool that can help you excel at the task better than a saw table. If that is your case, then learning how to use a table saw to cut vinyl plank floors would help a lot for your DIY project.

The difference between a table saw, and another cutting tool is you will push the vinyl plank into the blade, so your motion has to be precise and quick, or else you can seriously hurt yourself. So wearing protective gears is a must while working with a table saw. You should know how to react quickly when something goes wrong, too.

Make sure you check the table saw carefully to see if it is working smoothly before doing anything. That way you can prevent unwanted situations from happening during cutting vinyl plank flooring with this tool.   

Always wear protective gear when working with a table saw

How To Cut Vinyl Plank Floors - 7 Steps You Can Do At Home

Now that you have chosen a tool, it’s time to learn how to cut vinyl flooring with specific steps.

Step 1: Create guidelines on the vinyl plank for the cut

Mapping out your vinyl plank floor is the first thing you need to do in this process. Do some measurements and mark out the guideline on the vinyl plank. That will help you see what kind of cut you will be dealing with.

Step 2: Choose the suitable method for the cut

Take a look at the guideline to see what kind of tool is best for the cut. There will be two main types: the short cut and the long cut. The tutorial and tools for these cuts are below. But sometimes you will have to make a curve or a round cut. And the best tool for that is a handsaw. The trick is to patiently glide the blade along the curve precisely.

Step 3: Score the vinyl plank (for short cut only)

For a shortcut, use a utility knife with a stainless steel ruler to score along the guideline. Do that repeatedly until you see a groove on the vinyl plank surface. During this step, you should secure the plank with something heavy or pin it down with your hand.

Step 4: Snap off the cut section (for short cut only)

Once you have a groove, flip the vinyl plank over and weigh down the bigger section. Hold the end of the part you want to remove and bend it by pulling it up. It should snap off easily. But if it doesn’t, you will need to score the groove a few more times to make it deep enough for the snap.

Step 5: Secure the vinyl plank before cutting (for long cut)

With a long cut, it’s important to secure the vinyl plank in place to make sure it won’t move while you make the cut. You can use a clamp for better support or anything that can weigh the vinyl plank down. It’s best to place the edge that will be cut off outside the table. Align the guideline with the table edge and clamp it.

Always place the excess part of the vinyl plank outside of the table

Step 6: Cut the vinyl plank with a suitable tool

Put on protective gear like goggles and a facemask to prevent splitters. You can either use a handsaw, a jigsaw, or a miter saw to cut along the guideline. Place the cutting tool at the start of the cut with the blade facing away from you. You should push the blade away from your body while cutting because that is the safest position.

Step 7: Do some trimming (if necessary)

Check the cut to see if there are any parts that need to be trimmed off. You can use sanding paper if the spot is too small. Straight cuts usually don’t have these unwanted parts, but it happens to a curve cut quite often, especially if you are not familiar with the task and don’t know how to control the blade smoothly.

Tips and Tricks To Effortlessly Cut Vinyl Plank Floor Even When You Are An Amateur

Cutting vinyl plank flooring is not hard to do. But there are some tips and tricks you can use to make this process go smoothly even when you are not a pro.

Always measure the guideline after marking it and double-check by putting it in place.

Sharpen the blade of your cutting tool beforehand for a smooth and clean cut.

For a very small cut, you can use a pair of pliers to do it easier.

If you use a corded cutting tool, make sure the wire is taped down or tied up neatly and not in the way of the cutting station.

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Final Words

With this how to cut vinyl plank flooring tutorial, you can do this DIY project at home without any professional help. Choose your tool and start making a new vinyl plank floor for your home today. Once you have the new floor, don’t forget to use the best mop for Vinyl plank floors to maintain its beauty with time.