---
title: "Which blade cuts plywood without tearout?"
description: "A sharp 60-80 tooth blade, a scoring pass, tape on the line, and the good face oriented for the tool you are using. The ranked options, the technique that changes th"
url: https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-plywood/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Which blade cuts plywood without tearout?

**Which blade cuts 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.**

Tearout happens on the face the teeth exit through, because the blade lifts unsupported surface fibres and breaks them out. That single fact settles the orientation question: a table saw's teeth enter from below and exit through the top, so the good face goes up, while a hand-held circular saw or a jigsaw with standard blades cuts on the up-stroke and exits through the top face, so the good face goes down. Reverse-tooth jigsaw blades exist to invert that for cuts that must be made from the visible side. Beyond orientation, everything is about supporting the fibres before they can lift: score them, tape them, or back them with a sacrificial sheet.

## The options, ranked

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

| Option | Good at | Bad at |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 60-80T ATB blade | Many fine slicing teeth sever the surface veneer before it can lift. | Only as good as its sharpness — a dull fine blade tears worse than a sharp coarse one. |
| Scoring cut | A first pass 2 mm deep cuts the veneer fibres, so the full-depth pass cannot lift them. The single most effective trick. | Doubles the number of passes and requires the cut lines to align exactly. |
| Zero-clearance insert or a track saw with a splinter guard | Supports the veneer right at the blade so there is nothing for it to break into. | Needs the right accessory or a shop-made insert. |
| Masking tape over the line | Cheap, works on any tool, and holds the surface fibres down through the cut. | Can lift the veneer when peeled off a fragile face; pull it back on itself slowly. |

## Technique that changes the outcome

1. Score the cut line 2 mm deep first, then take the full-depth pass
2. Good face up on a table saw, good face down with a circular saw or jigsaw
3. Run masking tape along the line and cut through it
4. Back the cut with a sacrificial sheet where it matters on both faces
5. Use a sharp blade — the biggest single factor

## What goes wrong

- A blunt blade, whatever its tooth count
- Cutting plywood freehand; a guide keeps the blade from wandering and tearing
- Peeling tape off quickly across a fragile veneer

> 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 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.

### What should I avoid?

A blunt blade, whatever its tooth count Cutting plywood freehand; a guide keeps the blade from wandering and tearing Peeling tape off quickly across a fragile veneer

## 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 brick?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-brick/)
- [Which blade cuts laminate?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-laminate/)
- [Which blade cuts acrylic?](https://atoneplace.net/which/blade-acrylic/)
- [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/)