Vinyl flooring is one of the most versatile flooring types – it looks great, can mimic wood, stone, and concrete, and is also durable. During installation, you often have to cut vinyl tiles or planks though to fit around the shape of your room, or when you hit the end of a row, for example.
Contrary to popular belief, this is something anyone can do! To show how easy it is, I have created a guide on how to cut vinyl flooring below for any of the main LVT flooring options such as click and glue down.
How to Cut Vinyl Flooring – A Simple Guide
Below, I have created a simple guide on how to cut vinyl flooring that anyone can follow. Even if you don’t have amazing DIY skills, you should be able to cut your vinyl flooring easily provided you take time and care.
Required Tools and Materials
The required tools vary depending on which cutting method you use, but I have included all the potential items below:
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Vinyl flooring
- Utility knife
- Vinyl flooring cutter
- Jigsaw
You will always need a ruler, pencil, and utility knife, but the flooring cutter and jigsaw might not be needed depending on how you are cutting the planks.
Measuring and Marking
To get the perfect cut you need to pre-measure and mark your vinyl flooring. I always use a pencil as this is still usually visible on the planks but can easily be rubbed off.
Due to the thickness of the cuts made on vinyl flooring, you can place your pencil line exactly on the required mark. In most instances, once you have cut, any pencil mark won’t be visible.
Choosing the Ideal Cutting Method
There are three cutting methods for vinyl flooring and each has its pros and cons, and usage scenarios.
- Using a utility knife: If you are a homeowner and need to cut a few vinyl sheets to size to fit at the end of a room, using a utility knife is the best option. It’s cost-effective, simple, and doesn’t require investing in specialist tools. This method is best suited for simple straight lines though.
- Using a vinyl floor cutter: Contractors who are cutting larger quantities of vinyl tiles daily would benefit from investing in a vinyl floor cutter. These specialist tools allow you to plough through the work and improve your efficiency. This method can be used for some detail work too and more difficult angles.
- Using a jigsaw: For the toughest work where you have to make a series of small, intricate cuts, a jigsaw is the best option. It gives you complete control and allows you to make quick angular changes in your cuts.
Cutting the Vinyl Flooring
As discussed above, there are three main ways to cut your vinyl flooring and I discuss each one below.
With a utility knife
The trusty score and snap method is undoubtedly the easiest way as it only requires a utility knife. The process is simple and ideally, you should have already measured and marked the vinyl ready to be cut.
Place a ruler or another LV plank along the marked line and hold it firmly in place. With your other hand, use your utility knife to score along the cut line. You may need to do this several times to make a score deep enough. Once you have made a sufficient score you should be able to snap the vinyl free.
With a vinyl floor cutter
For contractors, investing in a vinyl floor cutter is a great option. These tools are specifically crafted to make short work of cutting vinyl floor planks and tiles to size. Typically, they have a feeder table or board that you slide the vinyl through, and a manual cutting blade that you operate with a lever.
How to use a vinyl cutter depends on the model but usually, you must set it up on a flat, stable surface. It’s then a simple case of positioning your vinyl piece so that the marked line aligns with where the cutting blade drops. You then usually have to lower the cutting handle – like a guillotine.
With a jigsaw
Oftentimes you may need to cut angles or more intricate shapes due to room irregularities and this is where a jigsaw is useful. When using a jigsaw, you must use a fine-toothed blade to get a smooth cut, otherwise, it could result in a rough finish or even damage the vinyl. How to use a jigsaw is beyond the scope of this article but in any case, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Cut Your Vinyl Flooring to Size With Ease
As you can see, cutting your vinyl flooring to fit your room size is simple provided you measure carefully, and use the appropriate tools! I advise testing your cutting skills on a spare piece of vinyl beforehand as opposed to jumping straight into cutting your final pieces!
