How To Cut Melamine With A Circular Saw?

Before you begin cutting melamine, make sure that you’re in a well-ventilated area with good lighting. Keep the following safety equipment within reach: dust mask, eye protection, earplugs, gloves, and hearing protection.

If possible, snap a chalk line to use as a reference. Otherwise, tape the sheet to the work surface with painter’s tape to prevent it from moving during the cut.

Attach one end of a scrap 2×4 to the saw base at an angle that is slightly more than 90 degrees. Attach another piece on top of that one at an opposite angle so that the resulting fence is slightly wider than your sheet.

Place your saw base in line with (but not touching!) the edge of the board and make a practice cut to check that you’re using the proper depth and angle settings. Adjust as necessary before cutting into your sheet material.

Align your guide board with one edge of your sheet and slowly push it across the blade (keeping both hands on either side for stability). As soon as you’ve reached full depth, roll back toward yourself while continuing to exert downward pressure on the saw arm against its guide rail.
If done properly, this will produce a clean-edged kerf in your material that allows for a tight fit of the two pieces that you’ll be joining.

With your clamped edge flat against the saw base, begin cutting slowly into the surface of your sheet. When you reach a corner, stop and turn off the saw before rotating the sheet to continue making cuts. Repeat this process until you have made all of your cuts.

Remove the tape or chalk line, then carefully cut along your desired cutting line using a utility knife. Begin slowly, making sure that you are following the line as closely as possible.