Best blades/disc to cut engineered hardwood flooring

diystarter7

I've done three bedrooms by using a hand held wood saw to lay new 16mm thick engineered hardwood flooring.
Last year I did the lounge using 18mm hardwood flooring using a hand saw. Bought new hand saws for every room about 8 pounds,
14tpi, worked well and I felt in control.

I have a jigsaw and a Worx handycut electric  circular saw but they kickback and difficult to control and cut the wood.

Which blades would you use for the jigsaw and circular saw? I've just noted the blades are expensive for the circular saw.

bob_a_builder

Interesting suggestion here at about 1min 50sec
( although others may also be of interest)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTQ7HSQW2-4

knightstyle

There is a jigsaw blade that cuts on the down stroke, it is for laminate worktops and will do what you want.

grumbler

 

However, IMO, it's easier just to turn the plank upside down and use normal blades.

Norman_Castle

I always use Bosch jigsaw blades, never had a problem with the surface splintering. Kickback from a jigsaw? Clamp the board down, put the base of the saw on the board without the blade touching it, start the saw then feed the blade into the wood. Kickback will be from your method of working rather than blade choice.

Gavin83

I've never had kickback from a circular saw either. If you're regularly getting kickback it's probably user error, I'd suggest going on YouTube and looking up videos on how to use a circular saw safely. First thing I did when I bought mine.

Personally I wouldn't use a handsaw nor a jigsaw for this job. The best tool for this would be a mitre saw but if you don't own one a circular saw will do. Unless you're the king of straight cuts I'd recommend using another flooring board to run the edge of the saw against to keep the cut as straight as possible. Personally if I was doing it and didn't have anything suitable already I'd build a little stack of boards, one each side of the one you're cutting (just slightly protruding the blade) and then another one across the top, perpendicular to those below then clamp the whole lot. You should just be able to slide the board you're cutting in the gap, line up your pencil cut line and slice across. Reason I say I leave the other two slightly protruding is the first cut will cut those exactly to where the blade is so you'll just need to line up the pencil mark with the edge of those boards. You'll need to take into account the width of the blade though so put the side you wish to use between the boards rather than in front of it, otherwise your cuts will be short by a few mm.

In terms of blades I thoroughly recommend Freud. I wouldn't call them cheap (you'll likely pay about £30 but still way cheaper than hiring a tradesman) but they'll last and provide a clean cut. If you buy a cheap blade it'll be rubbish. Get something with a decent number of teeth on it, aim for 48+.

diystarter7

All very helpful.  I think I will stick with the handsaw as going to be wet outside for a few days.