The right tooth count for smooth plywood cuts depends on your blade size and cut type. A 40-tooth carbide blade on a 7-1/4-inch saw is made for smooth plywood cuts with less splintering. [1] If your saw takes that blade size, it is a practical starting point for plywood. For a closer look, read Circular Saw Blade Teeth for Plywood: How to Choose.
For the smoothest crosscut, an 80-tooth blade is a common choice. Eighty-tooth blades are designed to produce the smoothest crosscuts possible, including in hardwood. [2]
Blade size and cut type change the best pick, so the same count will not suit every saw or every cut. Higher counts do not always help: one woodworker found that 100-tooth 10-inch blades do not make a substantially better cut than 80-tooth blades. [3]
Why does more teeth help only up to a point?
More teeth cut smaller bites, which can leave a cleaner edge. Each tooth removes less material, so the edge tends to show fewer chips as the count goes up. That benefit is real when you move from a coarse blade to a moderate count, and you will notice it most on the faces you can see.
Where the gains stop
Very high counts add little. A woodworker who shared his experience on a forum reported that very high carbide tooth counts, like 100 teeth on a 10-inch blade, did not cut substantially better than 80 teeth. [3] For most plywood work, an 80-tooth blade gives you nearly all of the clean edge a higher count would. For a closer look, read Best Blade for Plywood Tearout on Clean Edges.
Picture a visible cabinet side or shelf. Between 80 and 100 teeth, the difference on the edge is small, so the jump in price rarely pays off. Your money is better spent elsewhere on the project.
Why extra teeth cost you
Past about 80 teeth, you pay more for a blade with little visible gain. That extra cost buys a higher number on the box more than a better edge.
If you are choosing between two blades, an 80-tooth model is usually the smarter buy for plywood. Keep the difference for a better sheet of plywood instead.
How does blade size change the right tooth count?
Match the tooth count to your saw’s blade diameter, not just the number printed on the box. A 40-tooth blade only makes sense for a saw that takes that size blade, so the diameter comes first.
One forum poster shows the pairing in practice. He used 40-tooth carbide-tipped Diablo blades on a 7 1/4-inch saw, made for smooth cuts in plywood, and he chose them to reduce splintering and chipping [1].
Start by checking your saw’s blade diameter on its label or in its manual. Then look for a blade with that same diameter and a tooth count that suits your cut.
If you own a different saw, such as a 10-inch model, the same rule applies. Pick the tooth count for the diameter you actually have, not the count you read about somewhere else.
Confirm the blade fits your saw before you buy. Compare the diameter printed on the blade’s package with the rating on your saw. A blade of the wrong diameter will not mount on your saw, no matter how many teeth it has.
Should you use a crosscut blade or a rip blade?
A crosscut or combination blade usually leaves a smoother edge than a rip blade [4]. Start with one of those two when a clean edge matters, such as a shelf edge you’ll see in the finished piece.
Don’t decide from the label alone. Run a test cut with each blade on scrap plywood cut from the same sheet as your project, so the veneer matches. Then compare the two edges side by side.
How to run the test
Unplug the saw, then fit the first blade with its teeth facing the correct way for your saw. Keep your hands clear of the teeth while you work.
Mark a scrap piece and cut along the line. Look at the top face where the teeth enter the wood.
Unplug the saw again, swap in the second blade, and cut a fresh piece along the same kind of line.
Lay the two cut edges side by side. The one with less splintering is the better pick for that sheet and saw.
Once you know which blade cleans up better, keep it for the finish cuts. Use the other blade for long rips, where edge quality matters less. Related reading: Choosing Blade Grit for Fine Woodworking Cuts.
What if you cut thin plywood by hand?
A fine-tooth hand saw or a utility knife can help reduce splintering and create cleaner edges on thin plywood cut by hand [5]. Use a fine-tooth saw for slow, steady strokes, or score the line with a knife and cut along it. It also helps to read Saw for Cutting Drywall and Plywood at Home: What to Use.
For power saws, start with a 40-to-80-tooth blade. Pick the blade that matches your saw and your project, since the right count depends on the blade’s size and the cut you are making. Before you cut your project pieces, make one test cut on scrap plywood and look at the edge.