Best Circular Saw Blades for Wood
The blade that comes with a circular saw is almost always a 24 tooth framing blade, which is the right blade for cutting studs and the wrong blade for everything else. Swapping it is the cheapest single upgrade any saw can get.
Tooth count is the whole story
More teeth means a slower, cleaner cut. Fewer teeth means a faster, rougher one. There is no blade that does both well.
| Teeth | Cut quality | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| 24 tooth | Rough | Framing, ripping, rough breakdown. Fast, chip-hungry |
| 40 tooth | General purpose | Combination work: decent crosscut, acceptable rip |
| 60 tooth | Fine, near sanded | Plywood crosscuts, trim, cabinet parts, melamine |
| 80 tooth and up | Very fine | Veneered sheet goods and laminate, where chip-out is unacceptable |
Two blades cover a home shop: a 24 tooth for framing and a 60 tooth for everything you intend to look at. If you only buy one beyond the stock blade, make it the 60 tooth, because a rough cut on plywood costs more in cleanup than a slightly slower cut.
Grind: the shape of the tooth
- ATB (alternate top bevel). Teeth alternate left and right bevel, shearing the wood fibers at the edge of the cut. This is the crosscut grind and what you want for plywood and hardwood.
- FTG (flat top grind). Flat topped teeth that chop rather than shear. Designed for ripping with the grain, and for dado sets.
- Hi-ATB and TCG. Higher bevel angles for very clean cuts in laminate and melamine, and triple chip grind for hard, abrasive man-made materials.
Kerf: thin or full
Thin kerf blades remove less material, so they need less power and they waste less wood. They are the right choice for cordless saws and underpowered saws, and they are what most people should buy. The trade-off is that a thin plate deflects more and can wander or sing in a cut, especially in hardwood. Full kerf blades are stiffer and cut truer in a saw with the power to drive them, and they are the better choice on a corded saw cutting thick stock.
Arbor and speed rating
- Arbor size must match the saw. Most 7-1/4 inch saws use a 5/8 inch arbor, and some use a diamond knockout that fits both 5/8 and 1/2 inch. Check your saw before ordering.
- Maximum RPM must exceed the saw's no-load speed. The rating is printed on the blade. Running a blade above its rated speed is genuinely dangerous; do not do it.
- Diameter must match the saw. Never fit a blade larger than the saw is designed for, and never remove the guard to make one fit.
Carbide and body quality
Blade price tracks carbide quality and how well the plate is tensioned. Better carbide holds an edge through knots, treated lumber and the occasional nail, and a well tensioned plate stays flat as it heats up. The slots cut into the body are expansion slots: they let the plate expand without buckling, and blades with a filled or laser cut slot run quieter.
Keeping a blade cutting
- Clean the pitch. Resin builds up on the plate and behind the teeth, and it makes the blade cut hot and burn the wood. A dedicated blade cleaner or oven cleaner, followed by a rinse and dry, restores most of the performance.
- Do not push through a dull blade. A dull blade burns, wanders and is more dangerous than a sharp one, because it encourages you to force the saw.
- Get it sharpened. A good carbide blade is worth sharpening several times. It is cheaper than replacing a quality blade, and a sharpened premium blade outcuts a new cheap one.
- Check the teeth. A chipped or missing carbide tip makes the blade cut out of balance. Replace it rather than running it.
Frequently asked questions
What blade should I buy for cutting plywood?
A 60 tooth ATB blade, ideally thin kerf if your saw is cordless. It leaves a cut edge on veneered plywood that needs no sanding, which is the whole point. Use a straightedge or a track, because the blade is only half of a clean cut.
Do I need a separate ripping blade?
Only if you rip a lot of thick solid wood. A 24 tooth blade rips quickly and a 40 tooth combination blade rips acceptably. For occasional ripping, a combination blade is fine and saves a blade change.
Is a thin kerf blade weaker?
It flexes slightly more, which can show up as a wandering cut in thick hardwood. On a cordless saw or on sheet goods, that flexibility costs you almost nothing and the reduced load gains you real runtime.
How do I know when a blade is dull?
Burn marks on the cut, more push required than you remember, a change in the sound of the cut, and tear-out on the top face that a sharp blade never left. Any two of those and it is time to clean or sharpen.
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