How to Cut Vinyl Flooring: A Quick Guide

Have you recently relocated to a new home, either a house or condo and found out that the flooring isn't to your liking? It could be old, or maybe you just want a new look. Whatever the reasons are, there most likely won’t be a place ideal for you in every circumstance. However, it can always be made better.

Refinishing your floor can be costly, regardless of how large or small the area is. You'll need to purchase fresh materials, flooring, accessories, and other items. If you don't have the time or energy to do it yourself, you'll most likely have to hire someone to do it for you, and construction work isn't cheap.

If you’re on a tighter budget, vinyl flooring is a fantastic option for those who want to have a nice-looking, durable floor tile that will last a long time. Vinyl is also affordable, easy to clean, and can be installed without professional help (saving you even more money). However, determining the best way to cut vinyl flooring can be difficult, and may even be one of the most time-consuming parts of the job. However, don’t fret. With some simple household tools, you can cut vinyl easily; knowing how to cut vinyl flooring like a pro will protect your home and yourself from the hazards of this task.

Quantifying Your Space

Before anything else, it is of the utmost importance to know the extent of your floor area. The best way to cut vinyl plank flooring is by figuring out how much vinyl tile you need by first measuring your room. Vinyl flooring comes in various sizes, so you must measure the area with enough precision for accurate results. You can always use any measuring tool like tape or a ruler to do this. 

Cutting Vinyl Flooring: 3 Household Tools to Use

The issue with performing home renovations is that you may require equipment not currently in your toolkit. These tools are probably not in your box, especially if you’re a beginner DIYer in a rental home. Vinyl tiles are fantastic because they have a lot of styles while being much easier to cut than wood floors or concrete tile, however, learning how to cut vinyl tile properly is a must. There are many tools to cut vinyl plank flooring, like knives, saws, or cutters.

Using a Utility Knife

Before using this tool, you have to make sure that it is sharp and ready for use before starting the cutting process.

Here are the things you have to consider when using a utility knife to have optimal results:

(1) Mark where you want to cut. 

(2) Place the edge of your knife on top of the vinyl tile, and score the tile with your knife. It is essential to score the tile that needs to be sliced; run the knife on the plank as hard as possible.

(3) Snap the floor tiles by bending them along the mark that you have made.

Using a Cutter

If you don’t have a utility knife, a cutter can work just as well (especially if the vinyl you’re trying to cut is on the thinner side). The steps for using a cutter are similar to the steps needed when using a utility knife.

1. First, mark the plank where you’ll be cutting it using a pencil or a piece of chalk.
2. Then, score the vinyl with your cutter. Make it deep—this may take several passes of the cutter.
3. Finally, bend the vinyl where you made a mark, snapping it cleanly.

Using a Saw

The saw is one of those excellent tools that can give you a clean cut on your vinyl plank or tile. It would be best to first mark your measurements and score the line, then put your floor tile on an elevated surface. Using a heavy-duty blade will help reduce vibrations while cutting to produce cleaner cuts. Cutting the vinyl slowly will give you better results without causing damage to yourself, the property, or the vinyl itself. 

Look for a professional

Don’t waste your luxury vinyl flooring. If you’re unsure, enlist the services of a professional to learn how to cut luxury vinyl tile if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself. They have the know-how and experience required to cut vinyl plank flooring, which means that your new floors will look fantastic and last much longer than if you try doing this on your own.

The Bottom Line

It's quite simple to know how to cut vinyl flooring, but picking the proper tool to use isn’t as straightforward. Knowing the tool to cut vinyl plank flooring will determine how quickly you do the task and how clean the cuts are. Most people prefer to use tools like cutters, knives, or even saws. If you want to cut vinyl flooring, either tile or planks, you have to have all the necessary tools and materials before you start cutting. If you're unsure of what you need, we can help you figure it out. Visit our site today!