How To Cut Paneling Without Splintering? (Answered!)
There is no denying that interior wood paneling offers several aesthetic benefits.
Choosing the appropriate paneling for your interiors may provide a significant amount of sophistication to the space, even though using paneling is less common than it was roughly thirty years ago.
The installation is quick, it is long-lasting, and it is more durable than wallpaper.
Wood paneling is another option for giving an outdated space a fresh look and feel.
Unfortunately, slicing through wood paneling is more complex than most people believe.
Even though it is reasonably simple to install over previously painted or wallpapered surfaces, splintering is highly common during the cutting process, frequently resulting in waste that is expensive to replace.
This tutorial will show you how to trim paneling without causing it to splinter.
VIDEO: How To Saw Plywood Lauan Without Clipping Or Splintering
How to Safely Cut Paneling Without Fragmenting It
The simplest and most effective method is using a circular saw to cut the wood paneling face down without splintering. Cutting is done in an upward motion with a circular saw.
As a consequence of this, the face of the paneling will end up looking neat and tidy.
Overview
Utilizing a table saw blades is the most efficient method for slicing wall paneling made of either medium-density fiberboard or plywood.
Of course, many circumstances won’t work, but it’s essential to know that even in those cases, you may still achieve excellent results by using a circular saw.
If the paneling is of a thin enough thickness, you can even cut it with a knife.
Ensure that your blade is appropriate and sharp to prevent splintering and chip-out.
When cutting thin plywood paneling prone to splintering, you need the correct technique and the right blade like carbide tipped blade.
This is especially true when cutting plywood.
However, if you keep those edges clean, the panels can be mounted on the wall or used for other purposes without any gaps.
Even a beginner in woodworking should have no trouble accomplishing this task.
Find the Best Saw Blade for Your Needs
When cutting wood paneling with either a table saw or a circular saw, you require two things from the power saw blade: a sharp edge and a smooth finish.
The first characteristic is a set of razor-sharp teeth, and the second is an abundance of them. The best circular saw blade for cutting paneling would have teeth tipped with carbide and at least 60 of them.
A utility blade with 20 teeth will cut more roughly than one with fewer teeth, but it will cut more quickly.
A table saw blade should have at least 60 teeth at the very least, but the more teeth it has, the better it will perform.
Using a jigsaw is the only method that is practical for cutting curved lines, and as before, the best sharp blade has a high number of teeth per inch (TPI). If you need a clean cut, you should feel comfortable increasing the TPI up to 24.
The least TPI for cutting paneling is 10, but you shouldn’t be frightened to do so.
It will straight cut more slowly than a utility blade with a 6-TPI, but the additional time will be well worth it because it will produce a clean cut.
Vibrations Should Be Reduced While Cutting.
When cutting thin paneling, support is required; otherwise, the paneling would flex, causing vibrations that will almost certainly result in splintering and chipping.
If you are using a table saw to make your cuts, you must ensure that the table can fully support the entire panel, including the section you will be removing.
Setting up a table extension next to the saw is a good idea to support the sheet while ripping strips from an entire panel.
Additionally, you should set up a table extension on the outfeed side to catch the strip as it comes off the saw. You might also enlist a friend or family member to assist you in the capture.
You can either clamp the sheet to a workbench or build a support frame out of 2x4s onto which you can lay the sheet with its offcut side hanging over the edge when cutting it with a circular saw or jigsaw.
If you use a circular saw, the blade will bind up near the end of the cut if the offcut can’t fall away.
Although supporting the offcut may seem like a better idea, this will cause the blade to bind.
During the cutting process, secure the sheet by clamping it or holding it firmly down, and allow the offcut to dangle over the edge.
Apply the following methods to avoid getting splinters.
When using a circular blade to cut paneling, chipping typically occurs when the blade makes initial contact with the material.
When using a circular saw, it is essential to mark your cut line and then begin cutting from the opposite side. This will prevent the excellent side from being damaged.
On the other hand, while using a table saw to make cuts, the desirable side of the material should be facing upward.
When cutting curves with a jigsaw, the best technique to avoid chipping is to apply masking tape along the cut line and then cut through the tape before proceeding with the cut.
Before cutting with a saw, you can also prevent chipping by using a sharp knife to make a score along the line of the cut. If you want the paneling to have a clean appearance, score it on both sides.
If you want to cut straight lines in thin paneling (with a thickness of between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch), you can score it and then snap it like you would with drywall.
If you think that could be dangerous, you can make multiple cuts with the knife until the sheet disappears.
FAQ on How To Cut Paneling Without Splintering
When cutting wood, what may be done to prevent it from splintering?
Trying to Avoid the Splintering
People frequently employ the procedure of applying masking tape to the cut, and then cutting right through the tape, in order to limit the amount of tear-out that occurs during the cutting process. Because of this, it is beneficial because the tape fibers in the area are providing some additional support to the wood fibers that the blade is cutting.
How can I safely trim the panels in my kitchen without chipping them?
Because the cutting motion of a circular saw only goes in one direction, you should only experience chip-out on the underside of the panel when using it as opposed to a jigsaw, which produces results that are marginally superior. When using a circular saw, it is also much simpler to make a longer cut in a straight line (either with or without the assistance of a straight edge or guide).
What is the most effective tool to use when cutting paneling?
A lightweight circular saw equipped with an electronic brake makes quick work of splinter-free cutting through wood paneling with ease. As an illustration, the Dewalt circular saw with a 7 14-inch blade comes highly recommended. On the other hand, any light circular that weighs less than 8.8 pounds will work just as well.
Does oiling the wood make it less likely to split?
Linseed oil can be applied on wooden boards and logs in order to protect them from becoming brittle and cracking when exposed to moisture. Linseed oil is a natural product that can easily penetrate deep into the wood, resulting in the formation of a sturdy seal on the surface and a reduction in the amount of moisture that is lost.
What kind of blade should I use for my circular saw for cutting paneling?
The 6-1/2-inch 90T Paneling Saw Blade is an instrument that has been developed for the purpose of cutting through paneling and vinyl.