Best Table Saw Blades for Your Project

Table Saw Blade Types

If you use a table saw regularly, you’ll likely need a few table saw blades in your arsenal. There are several different types of table saw blades available. Each is designed for a specific purpose.

Ripping blades: Ripping blades are the best blades for a table saw to use in cutting natural woods. When using a ripping blade, cut with the grain of the wood, as this is how they're intended to be used. Typically made with 24 to 30 wide teeth, ripping blades are designed to help you quick tear through natural wood materials. 

Here are a few ways you might use a ripping blade: 

• To cut a single piece of lumber in half or in separate portion
• To cut many pieces of natural wood to size before making more precise cuts
• To cut through thick pieces of hardwood
• To make a quick cut with the grain in plywood
• To make fast cuts for wood framing projects

Crosscut blades: Commonly designed with 80 to 90 teeth -- considerably more than a ripping blade – crosscut blades are made to cut across the grain of your material. As you do this, you'll notice more sawdust, since the teeth of a crosscut blade are making a very fine, precise cut through your wood. 

A crosscut blade can be used for: 

• Natural wood like oak
• Making cross-grain cuts in plywood
• Cutting composite materials like MDF, veneer and plastic laminate
• A metal cutting table saw blade (non-ferrous metal)

Combination blades: Perhaps the most common of table saw blade types is the 10-inch general purpose saw blade, often referred to as a combination blade. Combination blades are the best blades for a table saw used in a wide range of tasks. Available in a 32-tooth to 50-tooth design, combination saw blades perform the job of a ripping blade and a cross cut blade all at once. 

These blades are less refined than ripping and cross cut blades. If you're new to woodworking or using a table saw, a combination blade may be an ideal choice. Used for cutting plywood, natural wood like oak and pine, pressure-treated lumber like MDF and wood beams, combination blades can be used for a few different tasks: 

• Cutting lumber or MDF and lightweight veneer
• Making fast, precise cuts on many pieces of lumber
• Making cross cuts in natural wood or composite materials

Composite blades: Composite blades, sometimes referred to as multi-purpose blades, are available in a 60-tooth design. Best reserved for man-made materials, these table saw blade types do the work of both a ripping blade and a cross cut blade but with a higher tooth count than your standard combination blade. They excel at cutting materials like MDF but are fully functional for plywood and softer wood.  

Here are a few tasks where you might reach for a composite or combination blade: 

• Making many small cuts in MDF for furniture building or repair
• Cutting long lengths of materials like layered plywood
• Making more precise cross cuts in man-made materials like MDF