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Makita jigsaw for laminate

Updated: 21 October 2026

You are about to put a jigsaw into a laminate floorboard or a worktop face, and you already know the usual pale chip along the line. A Makita jigsaw will cut laminate flooring. So will most of the compatible bodies beside it. The edge depends on orbital setting, blade and support, not on a red housing. General clamping is on [how to use a Makita jigsaw](/hub/power-saws/makita-jigsaw/sub/makita-jigsaw-how-to-use). Which saw to own is on the [Makita jigsaw comparison](/hub/power-saws/makita-jigsaw), with amazon.co.uk prices from 20 October 2026. Peter F. did not cut a floor in a lab. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are about to put a jigsaw into a laminate floorboard or a worktop face, and you already know the usual pale chip along the line. A Makita jigsaw will cut laminate flooring.

Our top picks

Fexrror Fexrror

Best overall

Fexrror Fexrror
5.5/10about £25.49
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Makita Makita M4301

Rank 2

Makita Makita M4301
8.8/10about £42.99
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KIESBOHR KIESBOHR CSJ001

Rank 3

KIESBOHR KIESBOHR CSJ001
7.1/10about £69.99
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On this page
  1. 1.Why a jigsaw chips laminate
  2. 2.Settings on the M4301 or on a copy
  3. 3.Which blade to fit
  4. 4.Support, tape and which face is up
  5. 5.When to stop and use a different saw

Why a jigsaw chips laminate

Laminate is a hard wearing layer over a core that splits along the tooth. A standard wood blade cuts on the upstroke, so the teeth lift that layer as they exit. Orbital action takes a bigger bite and tears a wider flake. The M4301 has three orbital settings plus straight cutting, and a UK review says pendulum mode is faster and tears the edges. Copy listings ship coarse wood blades in mixed T-shank sets. They suit decking, not an 8 mm plank. One M4301 review found the included B-10 rougher than a clean-cut T101B in straight mode. Turn the board so the exit face is hidden, or fit a blade that pushes the fibres down.

Settings on the M4301 or on a copy

Set orbital action to zero, or to straight cutting, before the blade touches laminate. On the M4301 that is the position beside the three orbital clicks. Copies with three or four positions still have a zero. Keep speed moderate, because rushing can melt a plastic face onto the teeth. Keep the shoe flat. A UK M4301 review describes about 1 mm of drift over 25 cm, traced to the blade holder. If a test cut on an offcut already slants, fix the holder before you open the room packs.
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Testsieger

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5.5/10about £25.49
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Which blade to fit

Fit a fine-tooth blade meant for laminate or clean cuts in coated board. A down-cut blade puts the tear on the back so the show face can stay up. A clean-cut upstroke blade can still work face-down. Do not use the fast wood blade from a £25 copy, and do not treat the M4301’s B-10 as that fine blade. T-shank is what the copies expect. The 4329/1 expects a bayonet shank up to 1.7 mm thick. A 30–40 mm worktop needs a longer fine-tooth blade, still at orbital zero, with the teeth exiting on the waste side of the show face.

Support, tape and which face is up

With a standard up-cut blade, put the show face down. With a down-cut blade, show face up can work if the plank is supported. Masking tape reduces small flakes. It will not save a coarse blade in pendulum mode. Floor makers often ask for an expansion gap around 8–10 mm at the wall, so a pipe notch can be rough where a rosette covers it. Support the offcut, or the tongue splits back into the show area. Makita’s anti-splinter device belongs to the DJV182 family, not to a KIESBOHR shoe.

When to stop and use a different saw

Stop if the cut is a long straight rip that will be seen. A guided circular saw usually beats a jigsaw on that run. Keep the jigsaw for a pipe curve, a door notch, and the corners of a cut-out. Stop if the surface is quartz or sintered stone. Change the blade on an offcut, not on the last plank in the dye lot. The M4301 is the 230 V option if you do not own LXT packs. A copy is reasonable only when the pack is yours and a laminate blade is fitted. The buying guide separates those tools. The best Makita jigsaw page names the M4301 for most homes.

Common questions

Which blade should I use for laminate flooring?
Use a fine-tooth laminate or clean-cut blade, not the coarse wood blade supplied with most of these saws. A down-cut blade lets you keep the show face up. A standard up-cut blade is safer with the show face down. The M4301’s included blade is a basic up-cut pattern in UK reviews. The 4329/1 needs a bayonet shank, so check the fitting before you open a T-shank pack.
Should orbital action be off?
Yes, for any face you will see. Pendulum mode speeds the cut and tears the edge. M4301 reviews say it is faster through wood and leaves torn edges. Use straight cutting on the M4301 or the 4329/1, and the zero position on a copy. You can raise it for a hidden softwood batten. Do not raise it to hurry a flooring plank.
Should I cut face up or face down?
With a normal up-cut blade, put the show face down so the teeth break out on the back. With a down-cut blade, the show face can stay up, and you should still support the board. Tape and a light knife score help small flakes. They do not rescue a coarse blade. Mark the waste again once the board is flipped, or you will cut the good side short.
Does the M4301’s pendulum mode tear boards?
UK reviews say pendulum mode tears edges and that straight cutting is cleaner, including a comparison of the included B-10 with a clean-cut T101B. One buyer also laid laminate with an M4301 and was pleased with the speed, which does not cancel the tear warning. Use straight cutting on the floor. The saw can do both. The dial has to be right before you start.
Do I need masking tape?
Tape along the cut reduces small chips and makes the line easier to see. It is worth doing on a worktop and beside a pipe cover. It will not compensate for orbital action or a fast wood blade. Test a corner of an offcut if the printed surface is delicate, then tape the real line.

Related pages

Makita jigsaw vs compatible

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Best Makita jigsaw for a socket, an LXT pack or site

Makita jigsaw buying guide: brand, voltage and depth

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

Sources

Public UK sources named for this comparison. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listing figures captured on 20 October 2026. No laboratory cut.

  1. Makita UK — DJV182 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  2. HSE — wood dust (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  3. HSE — hand-arm vibration regulations (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  5. BSI — BS EN 62841-2-11 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  6. amazon.co.uk — Makita jigsaw listings (retrieved 21.10.2026)