Hardwood flooring

[CATRK]

Just wondering if any one has tried cutting hardwood flooring. The thin stuffthey sell at the big stores

[amazingkevin]

I think it's loaded with glue to keep it water proof.Most pieces i cut with my flooring saw ,sparks come out and kills my expensive blades fast .My guess there's sand in it too.Good luck.

[rjR]

I have cut a lot of name signs from some actual hickory flooring and like it. It tests the saw though.

 

I have not tried the fake stuff.

 

When cutting unusual things I try to keep my blades well waxed-- re-waxing often! (Easy hold the candle stub to the running blade.) It might help some.

[heppnerguy]

I have cut real oak flooring and it is great. i also have a box of flooring that is 8 inches wide and about 3/8 inch thick. this one has real plywood manufactured base with a nice hard finish and it also worked out well, so I bought some other flooring that I found on sale at a big box sale and this one is made of some kind of plastic looking base. It is very hard but did not cut very well for me, so I have not used any more of it. the surface is nice but I dislike the main material it is made from. So in conclusion, if it has a real wood base to it. I might use it, if it  is hard like some kind of resin  base I would not personally use it. 

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[Multifasited]

I have only used scraps from new flooring jobs ,planed down the bottom ridges works well on intarsia and small item for miniture 3-d stuff like doll house furniture chair and tables ,or ear rings etc. or glued up for larger projects ,can be a lot of extra work swapping grain curves and replanning and sanding prior to cutting completely do able just how much time your willing ,I used a lot for my six foot model bridge (Northern covered bridge) I used 800 +feet of narrow strips for frame workI have used the man made 3/8" mostly for high wear tops like my xy bandsaw .For scroll sawing compares to iron wood with sparks wax lube to get much life and smooth cutting ,I used formica venear ,with GOD only knows composition of the rest of it ,IMHO has very limited use ! That's all form my personal experience Hope it helps!

Edited May 22, 2015 by Multifasited

[Lucky2]

I have used what is called laminate flooring, it's very hard and it's very hard on blades. I've also cut some regular oak hardwood flooring with a glossy finish on it, and it was also very hard on blades. But, I think that is because of the finish they have on top. I forget what brand name was on the stuff I cut, but, my buddy installed a new oak hardwood floor and his scraps were a lot easier to cut. The only difference was the brand name.

Len

[Phantom Scroller]

I use it for making name plates looks great and the laminated rubbish stuff as well.

How many people do you know who just put in a laminated or oak floor with loads of off cuts. Stick an advertisement in your local rag off cuts wanted free of charge. What you do ask for you don't get.  Roly

[CATRK]

I'd be afraid of the laminate flooring because of the chemicals (formaldehyde etc) in the composition, but I think i'll give the real hardwood a try.