October 4, 2023
Aside from selecting a circular saw blade based on factors like the number of teeth, positive-negative zero saw blades, tip style, and many other factors, you also need to select a saw blade according to the material type you will cut. The materials you will cut might be non-ferrous metals, plastic, composite materials, softwood, or hardwood. Thus, if you want to achieve clean cuts, you should find the circular saw blade suitable for cutting your material.
When it comes to cutting hardwood, like oak, poplar, maple, cherry, walnut, and birch, you need to rip the wood sometimes, which means you need to cut along its grain. Of course, you don’t need to use a saw blade with tips laced with diamonds. Such a blade is perfect for cutting abrasive materials like stone, masonry blocks, and ceramics. Instead, you should only use a tungsten carbide saw blade designed for ripping hardwood and softwood.
Most Recommended Circular Blades for Cutting Hardwood
Choosing a circular saw blade for cutting hardwood can be a bit confusing, given the myriads of brands and models of saw blades in the market today. So, it will help to heed the advice of experts regarding the most recommended circular saw blades in the market today:
Last update on 2024-12-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1) Freud D1050X (Diablo)
If you want an excellent circular saw blade that offers optimum performance, you should check out the Freud D1050X. The Freud D1050X is a ten-inch blade that features 50 teeth (ATB Combo). This saw blade is perfect for large-scale projects involving professional tradespeople.
The D1050X comes with stabilizer vents that allow you to achieve laser cuts. When using this saw blade, you will notice that it is quiet. It also stays cool even after continuous usage. Because of this excellent cooling capacity, it doesn’t quickly warp or bend. The vents also let the saw blade expand during the cutting process. This expansion enables it to cut with precision.
Despite being of high quality, Freud D1050X remains affordable. It is also known for its high durability. Moreover, it is easy to use and is a favorite of DIYers. You can use this saw blade for cutting hardwood, and you can expect a clean cut on the hardwood.
Its thin kerf also helps in making cuts clean and precise. This saw blade also comes with a special coating for protection against vibrations to improve its lifespan. This special coating also minimizes its warping.
Pros:
- It’s perfect for large-scale jobs.
- It offers laser-cut and precision.
- It’s reasonably priced.
Cons:
- The blade may be susceptible to pinching with SawStop’s blade guard/riving knife.
2) Freud D0760A Diablo
The Freud D0760A comes with a thin kerf that enables you to make precision cuts on hardwood, even if you are just a beginner in woodworking. Like the above-mentioned Freud D1050X, the Freud D0760A comes with an anti-vibration feature that reduces noise and helps make precise cuts.
Freud D0760A also comes with a non-stick coating and Perma shield that lessens friction. With decrease friction, you can diminish burns on the wood while cutting continuously. The Freud D0760A features a carbide (high-density) blade that can enable you to cut through different materials.
Freud D0760A can let you cut through hardwood with ease. This blade comes with sixty teeth that are designed for fine finishing. It comes with a 5/8 arbor. Moreover, it is 7-1/4 inches in diameter. You can use it on a miter saw and a table saw as well.
Pros:
- It has a thin kerf and non-stick coat for more precise cuts.
- It’s perfect for cutting hardwood with its anti-vibration feature.
- It’s affordable.
Cons:
- It leaves very minimal veneer chipping when used with veneered plywood.
3) IRWIN (7-1/4-Inch) 4935560
Another excellent option if you’re looking for a circular saw blade for cutting hardwood is the IRWIN 4935560. The IRWIN 4935560 is a 7-1/4″ cutting blade that comes with laser-cut vents just like those of the Freud D1050X and Freud D0760A. These vents reduce vibrations to enable this blade to cut precisely. It also features sixty-eight carbide teeth. It can cut through hardwood with ease as well as metal.
When it comes to durability, the IRWIN 4935560 offers excellent durability. It comes with teeth shoulders that help you avoid kickback. Hence, with this extra safety feature, you can assure yourself that it is safe to use. It produces swift and smooth cuts. Therefore, this saw blade is also a favorite of professional tradesmen and contractors.
The IRWIN 4935560 features a unique design that minimizes wear. It is impact-resistant and durable. Nevertheless, despite its sterling features, it is very much affordable. It also comes with sixty-eight teeth that are sharp for cutting hardwood and other hard materials.
Pros:
- It’s durable.
- It can withstand substantial impacts.
- It’s easy to use.
Cons:
- It’s not suitable for large-scale projects.
4) DEWALT DWA161240
The DEWALT DWA161240 features forty teeth made of tungsten carbide—one of the best materials for saw blade manufacturing. This saw blade is 6-1/2″ in diameter and offers high-level control. It is durable and offers excellent performance. You can utilize it for different cutting tasks. For this reason, it is a favorite of DIYers and contractors as well as tradesmen.
The DWA161240 features very sharp teeth that allow for excellent and precise cuts. It also comes with advanced plating technology that enables the blade to reduce vibration levels. It also comes with an anti-kickback feature that raises the level of safety of its use.
It also comes with an anti-stick rim that lessens friction and gumming up. Each carbide tooth comes reinforced, allowing for greater durability. Its kerf is thick, allowing for faster cuts on the hardwood.
Pros:
- It comes with lesser vibrations.
- It features reinforced carbide teeth.
- It’s durable and comes with many sterling features.
Cons:
- It doesn’t offer smooth cuts on plywood.
5) Overpeak 7-1/4 Inch
This Overpeak saw blade is a 7-1/4” saw blade with teeth made of tungsten carbide. These tungsten carbide teeth allow for better and more precise cuts. Moreover, these teeth can last five times longer than the ordinary saw blades. Its teeth also have an alternate top-bevel design that enables you to cut straight and smoothly.
The Overpeak 7-1/4″ also works quietly than the other saw blades with its four expansion slots (laser-cut) that lessen vibrations and noise when cutting. These vents keep the blade cool to prevent burns and overheating. Moreover, it has a unique coating (Perma-shield) that increases its lifespan. Besides, it comes with forty teeth that are perfect for cutting hardwood.
Pros:
- Its teeth are durable, being made of tungsten carbide.
- It offers quiet cutting.
- It offers excellent straight cuts.
- It’s affordable.
Cons:
- It comes with fewer teeth.
- Its longevity is questionable.
Factors to Consider When Selecting Circular Saw Blade for Hardwood
Once you are cognizant of the most recommended circular saw blade for cutting hardwood, you can limit your options to these recommended brands and models of saw blades. Nevertheless, it will also help if you know the following important factors to consider to enable you to zero in on the ideal circular saw blade for your needs:
Diameter of the Blade
One factor in determining which type of blade you should choose is by looking at the diameter of the saw blades. Saw blades come in various diameters like 7-1/4″ and many other diameters. Yet, the circular saw blades we’ve reviewed here are mostly 7-1/4 inches in diameter.
Thus, when choosing a saw blade for cutting hardwood, you should ensure that you select the correct diameter of the saw blade. It will also help if you check the specific RPM of the saw. Checking these factors is critical because the saw blade must not go beyond the required diameter for the circular saw.
So, you need to read the measurements of the saw blade on the label. Check likewise the power tool requirement. You will find the diameter on the circular saw blade’s face. You will also find the arbor hole size of the saw blade on the front of the saw blade. Moreover, it will help to check the kerf of the saw blade.
Number of Teeth
Another factor to consider is the number of teeth. Saw blades come with different numbers of teeth. Some have forty, for example, while some have sixty. The range of the number of teeth for cutting hardwood should be between 40 to 60 teeth.
80 teeth would be sloppy and fast for cutting hardwood. Twenty-toothed blades will never be enough. Besides, saw blades with a lesser number of teeth can cut faster. Nevertheless, saw blades with more teeth can provide you with a more refined finish. So, make sure that you choose the saw blade with the correct number of teeth when cutting hardwood.
Material and Make
Saw blades come in different materials and make. The saw blade you must use should be stronger than the material you intend to cut. If you are going to cut hardwood, you need to choose something that can cut hardwood and is stronger than hardwood.
Diamond, of course, is the strongest material you can ever use in a blade, and some saw blades have teeth laced with diamonds. You will also find carbide blades. Of course, carbide is a compound that is hard enough. Moreover, the metal added to it denotes its name. If manufacturers add tungsten to it, for example, you can refer to it as a “tungsten carbide blade.”
Coating
The quality coating usually lets the saw blade stay sharp and last longer. Moreover, it allows the saw blade to make use of less power. Coatings come in two categories—Coatings for saw blade plate and coatings for teeth.
Manufacturers coat the saw blade plate to protect it against friction and rusting. Some high-end saw blades, for example, come with a Teflon coating. The teeth also have an additional layer of coating for prolonging the life of the saw blade. Without this coating, the saw blade teeth would dull quickly. The harder the coating of the teeth, the longer the saw blade will last.
What is the Most Recommended Blade Type for Ripping Hardwood?
Since circular saw blades come in different varieties and make, you may get confused about which saw blade to choose for ripping hardwood. However, you should select a rip blade for ripping hardwood. Remember that some saw blades are for crosscutting hardwood and other applications. So, it will be best to choose something for ripping.
Ripping saw blades can cut quickly and let you achieve a clean cut. Ripping blades usually feature 10 – 40 teeth. These teeth are flat-topped (FT). The range of teeth is relatively few, but with fewer teeth, the saw blade can move quickly through the grain. Moreover, you will notice that ripping blades have space between their large teeth. These larger spaces let the teeth handle more material when ripping.
Aside from the ripping blades, you can also use a combination blade or a general-purpose saw blade. These saw blades can perform crosscuts and rip cuts. They have alternate beveled teeth (ATB) to allow for both types of cuts. The combination blade is perfect for use by those on a budget and who don’t want to spend for separate ripping and crosscutting blades.
Conclusion
If you’re a bit confused about which saw blade to choose when cutting hardwood, this guide will indeed help you choose correctly. The detailed information you can glean from this article will help you zero in on the right saw blade for ripping hardwood. As we all know, hardwood can be very stubborn. The fibers of hardwood show a dazzling array of patterns (end-grain) and intricate motifs.
So, hardwood also necessitates a particular type of saw blade when you want to rip through it. You need to select carefully the saw blade that you would choose. If you wrongly choose a saw blade, you may find your saw blade incapable of making excellent rip cuts. Moreover, you will find it hard to cut safely and smoothly through the hardwood.
Liam is a 37-year-old woodworker and interior designer who loves to make every furniture project an art piece. He is very experienced in furniture design and woodworking project planning.