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Cutting a worktop with a jigsaw

Updated: 21 October 2026

The sink outline is marked and a general-purpose wood blade is already in the DeWalt. With the orbital lever up, that blade chips the laminate on the first side. Cutting a worktop with a jigsaw means a down-cut T-shank, orbital action off, and the shoe held flat. A long straight rip is still a guided circular saw or track saw job. The jigsaw is for the curve and the sink or hob hole. Listings are on the [DeWalt jigsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/de-walt-jigsaw). This follows the DeWalt manual and amazon.co.uk reviews, not a workshop cut. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The sink outline is marked and a general-purpose wood blade is already in the DeWalt. With the orbital lever up, that blade chips the laminate on the first side.

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DeWalt DeWalt DCS334B 20V MAX bare jigsaw

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DeWalt DeWalt DCS334B 20V MAX bare jigsaw
9.6/10about £164.84
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DeWalt DeWalt DCS335NT-XJ 18V jigsaw with case

Rank 2

DeWalt DeWalt DCS335NT-XJ 18V jigsaw with case
9.4/10about £221.41
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DeWalt DeWalt DCS335N-XJ 18V body grip jigsaw

Rank 3

DeWalt DeWalt DCS335N-XJ 18V body grip jigsaw
9.2/10about £179.00
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On this page
  1. 1.Why the face chips
  2. 2.Blade, insert, and orbital 0
  3. 3.Supporting a sink or hob hole
  4. 4.Body grip, top handle, and when to stop

Why the face chips

An up-cut blade lifts the laminate as the teeth leave the show face. Orbital action makes that worse. The manual’s 135 mm wood figure is a depth rating, not a clean face and not the thickness of your top. The DCS334 and the DCS335 share the stroke. Either still chips the laminate if the teeth cut upwards and the lever is on 3. Use a down-cutting T-shank, or cut from the underside with an up-cut blade so the tear-out is on the back.

Blade, insert, and orbital 0

Fit a down-cut T-shank and leave the anti-splinter insert in. Protrade says those blades push the base off the surface, so you hold the shoe down. Bosch Professional GB lists the T101BRF for a clean top on work up to 30 mm, and a five-pack was about £15.46 including VAT. A kitchen top can be thicker, and the blade can flex. Set orbital 0. Blade fitting is on how to use a DeWalt jigsaw.
DeWalt DeWalt DCS334B 20V MAX bare jigsaw

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DeWalt DeWalt DCS334B 20V MAX bare jigsaw
9.6/10about £164.84
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Supporting a sink or hob hole

Drill the starter hole inside the waste, not on the finished line. Support the top so the offcut cannot sag and pinch the blade. A down-cut blade tries to climb, so any lift shows as a stepped edge. Use the blower if you need the pencil line. At work, laminate and chipboard dust is a COSHH hazard. The flush blade that needs the insert removed, such as the DT2074, is the wrong blade here.

Body grip, top handle, and when to stop

UK reviews of this job are on the body-grip listings. A joiner on the DCS335NT talks about kitchen worktops and down-cut blades. The DCS334B reviews here do not. Handle choice is on the top handle or body grip page. Call a fitter when the top is already fitted or the line runs toward pipes or cables. If you are still buying, see best DeWalt jigsaw. The saw does not include that blade.

Common questions

Can a DeWalt jigsaw cut a kitchen worktop?
Yes, within the published wood capacity of 135 mm, which is a depth rating and not a clean-face promise. UK reviews of the DCS335NT describe kitchen worktops, including with down-cut blades. The DCS334 and DCS335 share that depth. A long finished straight cut belongs on a guided circular saw or a track saw. Use the jigsaw for the curve, the scribe, and the sink or hob opening, with the shoe held down.
Which blade stops the laminate chipping?
A down-cut or reverse-tooth T-shank cuts on the down stroke so the teeth are not lifting the show face. Bosch’s GB page for the T101BRF describes that pattern, with text aimed at a clean top on work up to 30 mm. A thicker top can exceed a blade rated around that depth, and the blade can flex. Hold the shoe down, because a down-cut blade pushes the base off the work. Orbital action above 0, or a missing insert, still chips the edge.
What orbital setting should I use?
Use position 0, the straight stroke. The manual keeps aggressive orbital action away from hardwood and away from a clean face. Positions 1 to 3 are faster and rougher, and they are the wrong notch on laminate over chipboard. Set the lever before you start. The setting is the same on the DCS334 and the DCS335. A higher dial speed does not replace a straight stroke.
Is the body grip better for a sink cut-out?
UK reviews of the DCS335N talk about control and tighter turns, and reviews of the DCS335NT mention worktops and down-cut blades. That is the evidence in this set. The DCS334B reviews in this set do not discuss worktops. The trade-off is the slide switch, which reviewers find awkward under the thumb. A sink hole still needs a starter hole in the waste, support under the offcut, and orbital action at 0.
Should I cut from the top or the underside?
Cut from the top with a down-cut blade if you can hold the shoe down and see the line. Cut from the underside with an up-cut blade if you want tear-out on the back. Protrade describes both. Underside cutting makes marking harder, because you work to a transferred line. Either way, orbital 0 and a supported board matter more than the handle. Do not start on the finished line.
Do I need the anti-splinter insert?
Leave it in for a worktop. It supports the surface around the blade and works with a face-sparing tooth, not instead of one. The manual removes it for a flush blade such as the DT2074, which also wants the shoe at 0° and little orbital action. That flush setup is the wrong tool for a sink outline. The no-mar cover and tape reduce scratches. They do not stop tooth tear-out on their own.
When should a fitter take over?
Hand the job over when the worktop is already fitted, when it has been scribed, or when a ruined opening means another top. The same applies if the scribe runs toward pipes or cables. A bare DeWalt on trestles, with the opening still in waste, is the DIY case these steps describe. Once the top is the finished one in the kitchen, a wandered line is expensive in a way a practice cut is not.

Related pages

DeWalt jigsaw buying guide

DeWalt jigsaw

Best UK DeWalt jigsaw: body grip, trigger, or case

How to use a DeWalt jigsaw: blade, orbital and shoe

DCS334 vs DCS335: top handle, trigger or body grip

Sources

Manufacturer pages, the DCS334 and DCS335 manual, HSE and GOV.UK. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these three ASINs. Retrieved 21 October 2026.

  1. DeWalt UK DCS335NT-XJ (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. DeWalt CEE DCS334N-XJ (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. DCS334 and DCS335 manual (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. DeWalt 20 V maximum, 18 V nominal (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. HSE vibration assessment (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. HSE wood dust (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. GOV.UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 21 October 2026)