How To Use A Jigsaw To Cut Out A Square

Cutting out a square with a jigsaw is a fairly straightforward task for this power tool. Simply mark out your cutting line, making sure that these are square and even at all sides, and then follow along the lines with the jigsaw blade.

There are many things you can do to improve your square cuts, though. Making thinner, more precise cutting lines is one way.

Clamping down straightedges to guide the shoe of the jigsaw is another great way to ensure perfectly straight and square sides. 

You can also drill starter holes at the corners to start the cut, too, which is the recommended way when working with brittle materials like fiberglass and ceramic tiles or when cutting the square shape out from another piece.

The Tools You Need When Cutting A Square:

Most of these things are basic tools you have – your jigsaw, of course, your measuring tape, a speed square (or straightedge), and a marking tool like a pencil but there are some other optional tools that can help you out in certain circumstances...

A Drill And A Drill Bit (For Pilot Holes):

You will also want to get the drill bit right on the edge of the line so you have a straight and tight starting point when you start using the jigsaw. I started in the corner in the example shown above and is where I usually will drill my pilot holes.

Using Clamps And A Straightedge As A Guide:

Using Clamps And A Straightedge As A Guide:

Blade Selection: Finally, there’s your selection of jigsaw blades. Square cut-outs are commonly done with a jigsaw to make openings for electrical outlets and switches.

You will find a plunge cut blade useful for working with pre-installed plasterboard. 

A Note On Specialty Materials & Blades: To make square cuts with minimal tear-outs with the finished side facing up, you can also use a reverse teeth jigsaw blade, if you need to.

This is good for more delicate materials and specialty materials like melamine or some softer woods.

You may also find yourself having to cut out square notches where a work piece meets the wall and a standard blade with the offset distance from the front of the shoe will not cut it. 

For those situations, a flush cut blade and a jigsaw that can use them will prove extra handy to have but I must admit that these situations are rare and rarely ever come up.

How To Make An Interior Square Cut-Out With A Jigsaw And A Drill...

Making interior cut-outs is one of the main arguments for getting a jigsaw in the first place. Square and rectangular cut-outs are often used in renovations and new construction projects alike.

For installing things like wall fixtures, switches and outlets and other things like cutting sink cut-outs in laminate or tile.

First of all, you need to mark out a cutting line on the work piece. For most purposes, a speed square, a measuring tape, and a pencil are all you’ll need to get accurate cutting lines laid out. If you need the extra precision, though, you can opt for a marking knife instead.

It helps to mark the waste area with an X to make things clear. For making cut-out square openings, this will usually be the interior of the square.

With all the effort you have likely put into making sure that your cutting line is square, it’s also a good idea to make sure that your jigsaw blade is square with the shoe as well.

Take your speed square and do a quick check to make sure that the blade is perfectly straight and perpendicular to the shoe. If the blade is bent, then it’s time for a blade change.

At this point, you will need to drill a few pilot holes to begin the process. I usually drill a pilot hole in each corner, or close to a corner so I have a starting and ending point at each corner.

Make sure your drill bit is as close to the lines as possible without going over them on either side.

Keep in mind that the jigsaw can correct a lot of mistakes but making the hole smaller is not one of them.

Place the jigsaw blade on the surface and inside one of your pilot holes, lining it up with your reference line and keeping the blade to the inside of the line.

Now turn on the jigsaw and let the blade run up to speed before cutting into the material.

Make sure to use a drill bit large enough to drill a hole that the jigsaw blade can easily fit into and make sure to keep the hole inside the cutting line.

Turn on the tool and let the blade run up to speed, and gently ease the blade along the cutting lines and into the material. You want the blade to reach full speed before making contact with the material.

Make your cut all the way to the other pilot hole and then stop the blade, turn the jigsaw and start again on the next line and pilot hole, repeating the same steps laid out above.

Repeat the same process for all four sides, turning your jigsaw as you go and starting from the corners.

How to Cut Large, Straight Squares With A Jigsaw...

Cutting long straight lines with a jigsaw can be difficult to do freehand. You can further ensure that your cuts are clean and straight by setting up fences for your jigsaw shoe to follow.

You will need to drill pilot holes first to use a straightedge in each corner, like we did in the above example for this technique to work.

You will first need to measure the distance from the edge of your jigsaw's shoe to the side of the cutting blade, so you know how far to set the straightedge from your line.

The picture below shows the measurement points of reference I am talking about.

Be sure to measure the side that you are going to use and note that sometimes the distance from the right and left sides of the blade to the shoe may differ, so check the measurements to see if they are in deed, different and compensate for that.

Now, you will need to measure from your cutout in two places and make a mark at the measurement from the edge of your shoe to the edge of your jigsaw blade, like we did above.

For instance, if your measurement from the shoe to the blade was 2", then measure over 2" from the line on your square or rectangular cutout and make two reference marks.

Now, you'll want to securely clamp a straightedge along the reference lines we made in the previous step. Double check that the blade will cut along the line accurately and make adjustments if needed.

When making the cut, focus on keeping the shoe straight and snug against the fence – let the jigsaw blade do the job of cutting for you. You will want to make sure that the entire shoe is touching the guide at all times throughout the cutting process.

After your cut is made, remove the clams and straightedge and repeat the steps on all of the other sides.

How to Cut Out Square Notches With a Jigsaw

Cutting out a square from the edge of the material is much simpler than cutting an interior opening.

With one side of the material open, you can simply bring the jigsaw blade from the side and make two of the cuts normally. 

The first cut is going to be along one of the lines, keeping the blade inline with the reference line. Cut slowly and as straight as you can and if you are cutting a longer line, then you can implement a guide if you wish for a straighter cut line.

Go all the way to the inside corner and stop when you get to the intersection where the two reference lines meet.

After you have the first side cut, then just repeat the same steps above for the second reference line until the piece is fully cut and detaches from the larger piece.

If the edge happens to line up against a wall or a backsplash, then you will need to use a flush cut blade for your jigsaw. These blades extend from the tool for an inch or so, and can only be used with jigsaws that have shoes open at the front.

Example Of A Flush Cut Capable Jigsaw Shoe...