Table Saw Blade Types

Table Saw Blade Types

If you use your table saw frequently, you may need some table saw blades. There are several different types of table saw blades available on the market. Each blade has a specific purpose.

Rifling Blades: Rifling blades are the best blades for table saws to cut natural wood. When using a ripping blade, cut with the grain of the wood, as this is what ripping blades are designed to do. Rifling blades are typically made with 24 to 30 wide teeth and are designed to help you cut through natural wood materials quickly.

Here are a few ways to use a ripping blade:

Cut a piece of wood in half or into individual pieces
Cut multiple pieces of natural wood to size before making more precise cuts
Cut thick hardwoods
Make quick cuts with the grain of plywood
Make quick cuts for wood construction projects
Crosscut Blades: Crosscut blades are typically designed with 80 to 90 teeth, which is much more than a ripping blade, and are used to cut across the grain of the material. You will notice more sawdust when you do this because the teeth of a crosscut blade make very fine, precise cuts through the wood.

Crosscut blades can be used for:

Natural woods like oak
Making crosscut cuts on plywood
Cutting composite materials like MDF, veneer, and plastic laminates
Metal Cutting Table Saw Blades (Non-Ferrous Metals)
Combination Blades: Probably the most common type of table saw blade is the 10-inch general-purpose blade, often called a combination blade. Combination blades are the best blades for table saws for a variety of tasks. Combination blades are available in designs ranging from 32 teeth to 50 teeth and can do the work of both slitting and crosscut blades.

These blades are not as delicate as ripping and crosscut blades. Combination blades may be ideal if you are new to woodworking or using a table saw. Combination blades are used to cut plywood, natural woods like oak and pine, pressure-treated woods like MDF, and beams, and can be used for several different tasks:

Cutting lumber or MDF and lightweight veneer
Making fast, precise cuts on multiple pieces of wood
Making crosscuts on natural wood or composite materials
Composite Blades: Combination blades are sometimes called multipurpose blades and come in a 60-tooth design. These table saw blades are best suited for man-made materials, and they can be used as both a sizing blade and a crosscut blade, but have more teeth than a standard combination blade. They excel at cutting materials like MDF, but are perfectly adequate for plywood and softer woods.

You may need a combination or combination blade for tasks such as:

Making many small cuts in MDF for furniture making or repairs
Cutting long strips of material, such as laminated plywood
Making more precise crosscuts in man-made materials like MDF