Make a Perfect 45 Degree/Miter Cut in a Laminate Countertop 

OMG. I looked everywhere online and off to find the best method to cut my countertop at a 45-degree angle. Wow, you explained this perfectly! I am so relieved to have found you. You are an excellent teacher.

It's nice to see a HOW TO that doesn't use all sorts of fancy stuff that most people don't own. Great video!

This is legit craftswomanship. Learned a bunch of prep items I hadn't thought of!

Thank you so much!! I am soooo tired of waiting for someone to help me get things done. Kudos to you!! ❤

My dear lady you made my day, I always appreciate the time you blessed people take to tech us, you are remarkable great lady...greetings fro Mexico Fernando thank you very much

That was very helpful. You made it simple enough for someone with basic carpenter skills to make professional looking 45's. I appreciate it. Thanks.👍

Great job putting in all the small details that make a big impact!! Thank you!!

Thanks a million, this helped put my mind at ease during a stressful reno

Hi Jane, you would be the best workshop teacher, these young folk would learn a few things and you have a very warming charm:)

Always good work Jane !!

Who's watching in 2022?!?

Worthy of a Change Home Improvements. Washington NC.

Thank you so much for this video. It has improved my confidence for my counter replacement project.

It's times like this I'm glad I have a track saw

I thank you for you expertise on cutting wood Laminate it makes me feel more confident about approaching and cutting wood laminate!

Thanks for the tips, Leah!

This is so helpful. it's nice to watch a video that shows me exactly what I need to do simply, without making me feel stupid. Love this and thank you!

This was the most helpful I've found. Thank you.

For me, you are a very good teacher. Thank you for your time

as always - great job! love your videos. i'm going to be using this technique next week to install a walnut countertop.

I've been stressing so much on getting ready to do this in my diy remodel. Thank you very much.

Thank you for the video, we used it to cut out mitre and it worked great.

Thanks Jane.

This is exactly what I need to do. I see a problem not addressed in this video. At 9:56, you stop the initial cut to where the overhang starts, then there's a break in the video where the cut is finished off . To do this, you must have had to lift the saw over the hump. Although you're following a straight edge, It would be difficult to ensure the plate of the saw is parallel to the surface. There is very little area to bear against using the overhang as a reference. A slight pitch of the saw could wreck the cut. Difficult to do with such a small area for reference. If you had a piece of wood to act as a riser all the way through, the first cut could be done in one continuous pass. Excellent tutorial. Thank you for sharing. I've seen a few of your videos. All very good. Subscribed.

Thank you so much. That was exactly what I needed and will be trying it out tomorrow.

Love your videos! You explain a lot of details and why and how your doing things and what tools will work for the job to achieve the desired results. As a few other commentators have stated, i too will be doing these same type of cuts to some new counter tops to be added to our kitchen reno and came back once again to your youtube channel for some good guidance and advice which I find very helpful. Nice work on the cuts and videos. Consider me subscribed!

Once again another great video. Thank you

Great job..looked nice..im getting a countertop soon..thank u for the helpful video

Thanks for your videos 😊

Thanks I really needed that tip!!

Thank you for your videos your very good at showing us how to do it right, 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

An excellent video. Taught me exactly what I needed, thank you very much

If you don't have a speed square you just need to measure the same distance both directions from a corner to get a 45° angle. Worktop is 600mm deep, measure 600mm along and the back corner to that point is 45°

Thanks Jane!!!

Lejos es el mejor que e visto, muy fácil de entender muchas gracias me a servido mucho, saludos desde Chile!!!

One tip to make sure the two parts don't move relative to one another as you make the final cut is to clamp a length of wood along the underside of the cut you've just made. Even though you can only clamp it at one end, it's very effective at supporting the cut end of the two boards (you still have to support the far and of the "floating" piece though.

This is a very well made video!

Love your videos!

That was beautiful.

Very helpful video. Thank you!

excellent video! thanks!

Awesome info ma’am thank you

Fantastic video

Best video out there. I have a question Jane, how do you know where do place the tape on the other side if you're line is on the backside?

Fantastic advice, thank you.

Great video! Thx for sharing!

Great job.

Great video. Seriously

This works well and the key is keep the saw steady

Too notch, thank you.

Thanks for the video.

Hope there is another video, on how to fasten the 45 degree piece to the rest of the top project.

Leah are awesome at explaining things I formerly couldn't fully grasp from books, I'm watching in hopes of doing my own tiny house one day...I don't want to sacrifice pretty though and want a pretty little picket fence some lattice ( hide your eyesore water catchment fenching) and would love to see some future things on getting your fence straight, basic deck stuff, plum and square, not urgent just consider it futuristically please, thanks.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

Very good informative video

I am a super beginner and I will try this.

Very good. 👍

Thank You.

excellent

Great video, im actually installing new counter tops in my house. Only thing different is im using miter bolts to join the 2 mitered pieces together

thank you nice work.

Very helpful and I learned a new term, post form! That Japanese hand saw was Kool 2..wants me wunn!! Lol

No entendi nada de lo q hablo.pero si me dio resultado lo q hice..gracias..

Jane rocks!. How do you know the exact distance from jig guide and line?

Very good video .

Hi like ur videos I just recently put a countertop in my house the only problem that I had was on part of the backsplash I had to cut it because that part of the countertop was set up like a bar well unfortunately I didn't get a very good cut to Seam it do you have any ideas

thaks you

Thank you!

Another amazing video. Many great tips! Thanks for sharing. I should have watched this before cutting. Well, I have two more cuttings to do... One question. My circular saw with the blade for laminate couldn't completely cut through counter top. After about half foot of cutting, the saw started to push back and the blade started to slow down the rotation; eventually it stopped spinning (hence I had to use a jigsaw to finish the cut which didn't look good). Any ideas why that happen? My saw with regular default blade could cut through this counter top without any problem. Could it be the blade? What blade brand do you use?

Your videos are so awesome! You did one a while back on getting perfect miters on baseboards if the walls aren't 90 degrees. Do you have advice on dealing with imperfect corners with countertop? I have a massive hairball. Thanks, Leah!

Instead of using clamps for the guide board, just use wood screws. Just make certain they are not too long.

If you cut your own, how do join them together? I mean the there's no spots for the square anchors and bolts. Ty

I like

We have to make certain the only thing I might add is that your guide piece could be cut at a 45 to keep a guide on your saw to the end. Nitpicking but every little bit helps. Tough to argue with your results though.

You are a lefty too! Just like me!

Nice video. A few pointers tho... The plywood blade is not needed. A 60 tooth blade works just fine. Invest in some quick grip clamps as they won't damage the laminate. And finally, invest in a real strait edge. You can pick up a basic aluminum 100" ( 2 piece ) straight edge at Lowe's for $20.

hmm looking at the blacking of the counter top... is the 45 degree cut of the wrong angle?? or are you building something custom???

How far from the edge do u make the line?

How do you am unusual angle. One Wall is a slant and other wall is straight. How do I figure the angle degrees on the slant wall? I am just guessing the angle may be 130 angle

What about adding some build up material so you don't have to lift the saw when you get to the drip edge. When you lifted your saw you lost your straight edge. The other advantage is that your straight edge can extend beyond both edges.

Fantástico......marvelous video. I need to replace this old kitchen counter from my house or my wife will not feed me.🍗

In theory this would work, however if you look her laminate does have chips. You can see her start her cut, notice how unsteady her hand is which transfers directly to the blade and its relation to the area to be cut. so you see her wobble, lets just say her hand moves 1/8 inch left to right as she is trying to balance the saw and the natural motion due to the motor....... that wobble then moves the entry point of the blade lets say 3/16 of an inch..... if the blade isnt started perfectly true it heats up and wants to bind and put stress on what you are cutting. You can hear how she has to force the saw through. Why this matters, 99.9 percent of the time you get one shot at this, and if you are a homeowner it comes down to either getting it right or having to buy another piece. So have a good saw, A mikita or Portacable are both smooth operating saws, and would work good for this application. being tempted to purchase that skilsaw at walmart for 40 dollars is tempting, but in the end you will get what she has going, an unbalanced saw with a lot of force making it tough to steady the tool for precision applications such as miter joints. *** A tip for the end cut if scrap, is to cut excess off first leaving yourself a few inches of wood. This will prevent bowing, stress and binding when making your finial cut. It also does away with the need to brace the scrap end, or have someone with equally shaky hands trying to steady it whist you cut. Also when cutting, your cut should be smooth and steady. Stopping with the saw running has a tendency to make swirl marks in what you are cutting and increases the risk of chipping your laminate.

Jane, what tooth count on the saw blade?

👍👍👍

Hmmm.....that's an outside miter joint. Don't think I've ever seen many of those applications??

I'm leary about doing my counter. I be angry if the walls were not square to one another.

I believe the cut will not be perfect because of the kerf not being the same between the circular saw and the Dozuki .. Just a thought , if someone is making this kind of cut often, maybe they should buy the Makita 16 in Circular saw . With the Makita 16 in circular saw you have enough blade to cut clean through the back piece in one pass. If it is a one time thing maybe you can rent it.

Good Video with lots of info about general carpentry . I would say that the task of mitering a counter top would be futile to a beginner. Like having the stewardess land the plane by teaching her everything you know about aviation.

Be prepared to do alot of sanding. Walls are not always square etc.

I noticed you didn’t show after assembly. I’m sure a DIY er would be ok with it.

After all of that work I can see me realizing I cut the wrong direction once I flip it back over 😅

The angle is backwards, the 45 degree cut where the backsplash is should be on the other side. Anyone else notice this? I know this is just for demonstration but you might as well do it right though.

Nice but why is the 45 on outside of counter..99% are going to be inside corners.

You have to be completely OCD in your layout of this cut. This is a situation where "measure twice, cut once" doesn't do it. Measure it six times. Then measure it again. Them you MUST make a sacrifice to the carpenter god. And hope SHE likes it...

The saw and blade are garbage. A 40t diablo carbide blade in a Makita which has the smoothest running motor.