---
title: "Which blade cuts acrylic?"
description: "A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt. The ranked options, the technique "
url: https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-acrylic/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Which blade cuts acrylic?

**Which blade cuts acrylic?: A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt.**

Acrylic fails in two directions and both are speed problems. Feed too slowly or run too fast and friction melts the kerf, which re-welds behind the blade and seizes it; feed too aggressively with a positive-hook blade and the tooth grabs the brittle sheet and cracks it. The middle ground is a blade that takes many small bites at a slightly negative angle, moved steadily. Leave the protective film on throughout: it reduces melting at the surface, holds chips down and stops the sheet being scratched by its own swarf. Support the sheet fully — unsupported acrylic vibrates and cracks — and remember that offcuts and cut edges are sharp and that heat left in the edge can craze it later.

## The options, ranked

*Ranked best-first for the stated job. The third column is why the others exist.*

| Option | Good at | Bad at |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Triple-chip grind, negative hook blade | Takes small bites and does not grab the sheet, giving a near-polished edge straight off the saw. | A blade to keep for plastics; it is unexciting in timber. |
| Scoring knife (score and snap) | Free of dust and heat, and perfectly good for straight cuts in sheet up to about 5 mm. | Straight cuts only, and it needs several firm passes and a clean break edge. |
| Jigsaw with a fine plastic or metal blade | The way to make curves and internal cutouts. | The blade heats and re-welds the kerf behind it unless the speed is kept low and the film left on. |
| Router with a straight or spiral bit | Excellent edge quality and clean curves against a template. | Melts if fed too slowly; needs a sensible feed rate and a sharp bit. |

## Technique that changes the outcome

1. Leave the masking film on both faces while cutting
2. Support the sheet completely, right up to the cut line
3. Feed steadily; hesitating melts the kerf and rushing chips it
4. For score and snap, run the knife 6-8 times along a straightedge, then break over a dowel
5. Flame or wet sand the cut edge afterwards if it needs to be clear

## What goes wrong

- A coarse positive-hook wood blade, which grabs and cracks the sheet
- Stopping mid-cut, which welds the kerf shut
- Cutting close to a fixing hole or an edge without support

> Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here.

## Other blade questions

| For | Use |
| --- | --- |
| Metal | A bi-metal or carbide-tooth blade with at least three teeth in the cut — that tooth-count rule matters more than the machine. |
| Tile | A continuous-rim diamond blade with water — and cut wet, because dry cutting tile produces respirable silica dust. |
| Wood | 24 teeth for ripping and framing, 40 for general work, 60-80 for a clean crosscut finish. |
| Plywood without tearout | A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using. |
| Brick | A segmented-rim diamond blade, cut wet or with on-tool extraction — brick and mortar dust is a serious silica hazard. |
| Laminate | A triple-chip or negative-hook blade for worktops, and a reverse-tooth jigsaw blade for laminate flooring cut face up. |
| Glass | None — a tungsten carbide scoring wheel, one firm pass with oil, then snap it. And toughened glass cannot be cut at all. |
| Plasterboard | A utility knife for straight cuts and a jab saw or multi-tool for cutouts — a circular saw is the wrong tool entirely. |
| Plastic pipe | A fine 24 TPI hacksaw or a proper pipe cutter — and deburr the inside afterwards, which is the step people skip. |

## Common questions

### Which blade cuts acrylic?

A triple-chip negative-hook blade on a table saw, or score-and-snap for thin sheet — and keep the feed steady so it does not melt.

### What should I avoid?

A coarse positive-hook wood blade, which grabs and cracks the sheet Stopping mid-cut, which welds the kerf shut Cutting close to a fixing hole or an edge without support

## Related pages

- [Which blade cuts metal?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-metal/)
- [Which blade cuts tile?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-tile/)
- [Which circular saw blade for wood?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-wood/)
- [Which blade cuts plywood without tearout?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plywood/)
- [Which blade cuts brick?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-brick/)
- [Which blade cuts laminate?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-laminate/)
- [Which blade cuts glass?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-glass/)
- [Which blade cuts plasterboard?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plasterboard/)
- [Which blade cuts plastic pipe?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plastic-pipe/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)