Cutting plywood with a circular saw blade can be challenging for several reasons. Typically when you cut plywood, it will be in board form. Plywood can be prone to warping, affecting the accuracy of your cuts and causing the wood to shift while you cut. Plywood is also thin and flexible, making it challenging to cut evenly without bending, splintering, or breaking. Since plywood consists of two or more layers glued and pressed together with the direction of the grain alternating, splintering at the exit of the cut can be expected if you are not using a sharp or appropriate saw blade.
So, what is the best saw blade for cutting plywood on a table saw? Well, that depends.
First, we must determine our goal when deciding the best blade for cutting plywood. Are you looking for a blade that will stay sharp longer, or are you looking for a blade that will deliver an exceptional finish but sacrifice a little bit of blade life? Depending on your goal will determine the best type of saw blade to use for cutting plywood. We will list both options below.
If your goal is blade life, choose a blade with 60 or 80 teeth in a triple-chip grind (TCG), such as our SC1060126T or SC1080126T. The TCG grind saw blades perform similarly to the alternating top bevel (ATB) blades. The saw blade will stay sharp longer because the teeth do not have such sharp, pointy angles. If your saw has a scoring unit, then TCG is definitely the way to go. You can also get away with using fewer teeth, allowing you to cut faster.
If your goal is super clean, with no splinter cuts, go with our 10-inch x 80-tooth DF1080126 blade with a high alternating top bevel (Hi ATB). The Hi ATB blades typically have a top level of at least 30 degrees (ours have 35-degree alternating tops) with a negative hook angle. The 35-degree tops provide a shearing action. The negative hook will eliminate the blowout you could experience from using a positive hook blade. If your saw is equipped with a scoring unit, you do not need to use this blade, and we recommend the TCG option instead.
Additional tips on cutting plywood:
- If cutting with a table saw, ensure the veneer or good face of the board is up. If your saw blade is in good condition, you should never see any blowout or chipping on the top of the cut.
- If your saw blade throat (or table saw insert) is worn or much wider than the saw blade's kerf, you should consider getting a new one that will support your workpiece better. The more support the plywood board has at the exit of the saw blade rotation, the better.
- If you're having a hard time with your plywood boards splintering at the exit of the cut, try scoring the bottom before cutting through. Doing this will absolutely make a huge difference.
Our saw blades are of the highest quality, and we believe in selling them without any gimmicks. We understand the best practices for using saw blades for various applications, including plywood. Whether you're a home hobbyist or a production shop, we're happy to consult with you through a call or email to help you make the right choice.