Cutting sheet laminate

Hi needing some advice just bought a new fireplace and it comes with a laminate back panel what’s the best way to cut out the gap for the fire

 

Can you tell us what material it is, and its thickness?
John

 

3mm plastic laminate

 

Initially I'd drill a hole in the laminate corners to prevent breakout. This could also be used to start or terminate a cut made by a jigsaw.
Whether cut by hand or machine, I'd make sure any saw had a fine toothed blade.....if you fancy using a jigsaw, consider using a sheet of ply (6mm) both below and above the laminate, clamping it down and then sawing through both. The laminate mustn't be allowed to 'chatter'.
Presumably you have a template to work to?
John

 

Get yourself a Goscut 2000 off ebay. Best tool ever for cutting laminates (but still drill the corners first as John suggests to prevent cracks propagating from them). I've had one (complete with 3 blades) since the early 1970s. Later ones were sold as the Eclipse 2000

 

For sure I'd forgotten about those, having cut many miles of Formica
Would it handle 3mm stuff, do you think?
John

 

Yes. AFAIK most horizontal grade laminate is 2 to 2.5mm thick - some of the special surface finish stuff is a lot thicker. They'll cut ally sheet as well. The trick is to buy one with all THREE cutters

 

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