October 4, 2023
Most homeowners spend a more significant chunk of their home remodeling budgets on the more essential construction parts. Yet, as a homeowner, you should also allocate a specific amount for your home’s overall look and finish.
You don’t need to hire a professional to install these trims and moldings. As long as you know how to utilize a miter saw and have learned the basics of cutting moldings, you can indeed engage in the DIY installation of trims and moldings. In doing so, you can lessen your expenses and might even develop a new skill that could jumpstart your woodworking career.
What Blade Should You Use for Cutting Trim and Moldings?
When cutting trim moldings, you need to achieve the smoothest cut that you can ever make. This is because it defeats the purpose if the trims and moldings don’t add to the aesthetic quality of the room. Hence, you need to choose well the blade you should use for cutting trims and moldings.
As someone with lots of experience in cutting trims and moldings, I suggest you go for a 12″ blade, something with 90 to 100 teeth. Nonetheless, you can also get a good trim with an 80-tooth saw blade.
On the other hand, you can also use a 10″ miter saw, and it will be best to go for an 80-tooth blade. It will be enough to cut smoothly through those siding strips and trim boards using this type of blade. But if you intend to cut thick boards, you should use the 12-inch version to cut quickly through the boards.
The Best Miter Saw Blade Options for Trims and Moldings
If you are a beginner trying to learn the rudiments of cutting trim and molding using the miter saw, it will be best to know the most appropriate miter saw blades for such jobs. Here is a rundown of the most recommended miter saw blades for trim and molding:
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1) MAKITA A-93734
The MAKITA A-93734 features a very thin kerf of .091″. This thin kerf will indeed provide you with a more accurate cut characterized by less waste. If you want a mirror finish when cutting trim and moldings, this one is your best option. The finish comes with smooth edges, which may only get damaged by sanding.
With this miter saw blade, you end up with perfect 45-degree edges. Moreover, it is quite easy to set up and comes with a standard one-inch arbor that could fit almost every miter saw. It is also excellent for wood laminates (1/2-inch or less). If you cut more than 1/32″, the plastic will quickly melt on your blade.
Pros:
- It delivers the smoothest cut you can ever imagine.
- Affordable.
Cons:
- The blade dulls quickly when used intensively or on the harder materials.
2) Freud D12100X
Another excellent saw blade option for trim and molding is the Freud D12100X. It delivers fine cuts with its 12-inch blade. It can handle well wood composites and standard wood. It is a 100-tooth blade that provides you with a smooth finish, sans burned edges.
With its larger size, it can handle thicker and larger boards. Moreover, it can provide you with a fine finish even with a single pass. Its standard thickness is 1/8″. It also has a 7-degree hook angle.
Pros:
- You will notice that this blade’s face grind is smooth with a high 100 teeth count. You will get smother and finer cut with this blade.
- It will indeed provide you with an excellent finish.
- This blade is quite durable.
Cons:
- This blade is not at its optimum when cutting softer wood. On softwood, it produces a rougher finish.
- The price of this blade differs from one merchant to another. Hence, you need to engage in more online research to find a better price.
3) DEWALT DW7296PT
The DEWALT DW7296PT is a 96-tooth saw blade that is perfect for cutting trim and molding. Its teeth come with an excellent coat finish for reduced friction and for better blade longevity. When using this saw blade, you can get a somewhat laser-cut finish that you would surely love. It also comes with dampening slots for reduced vibration for better accuracy.
The DEWALT DW7296PT is an excellent blade for cutting molding and trim. Its sharp cutting edges reduce splintering dramatically.
Pros:
- It provides good cuts.
- It comes with dampening slots for lesser vibrations.
Cons:
- This blade tends to chatter. If only the blade does not chatter, you will indeed get a perfectly smooth cut with this blade.
4) Hitachi 725206
The Hitachi 725206 can readily fit into a 10″ miter saw and will do an excellent job of providing you with great finishes. It features a 72-tooth blade (carbide-tipped) that can provide you with smooth cuts, making it a perfect blade for delicate woodworking tasks like cutting trim and molding. You will notice that it does produce smooth cuts with minimal splinters.
One downside, however, of using this blade is that it tends to dull fast. Hence, you should only use it for making fine cuts. Since it is a carbide-tipped blade, it can also cut through aluminum.
Pros:
- It offers smooth cuts that you would surely love.
- It is perfect for delicate woodworking jobs.
Cons:
- You can’t use this for cutting hard materials because it will dull quickly.
5) Makita A-93681
The Makita A-93681 is a 10″ blade that you can use to cut trim and molding. It comes with more teeth at 80 and is perfect for making smooth cuts. Makita equipped this blade with grit materials that allow it to cut finely through materials.
It can make smooth finishes for your moldings and trim. Moreover, its 600-grit materials allow for reduced friction and splinters. Furthermore, it features a very thin kerf at .091″ and a perfect hook angle for smooth cutting. You can use it for softwood, plywood, and hardwood.
Pros:
- You can buy this blade at a reasonable price.
- Its teeth come with carbide materials.
- It makes precise cuts.
Cons:
- It tends to generate more noise.
6) Freud LU85R010
The Freud LU85R010 features a 10″ miter saw blade that can make good crosscuts for you. It is an 80-tooth blade that allows you to engage in trim and molding cutting. It features an anti-wobble design that keeps it running smoothly after installing it.
This unique design grinds and polishes the edges of the cuts. Moreover, it comes with an anti-corrosion property. Plus, it can cut perfectly through 1/4″ to 1-1/5″-thick materials.
Pros:
- It is a fine-cutting blade.
- Capable of making cross-grain cuts.
- Affordable.
Cons:
- It’s not advisable to use it for hardwood.
7) Overpeak 10-Inch Table Saw Blade
This miter saw blade comes with a thin kerf for smooth and quick cutting with minimum waste. This blade comes with fantastic sharpness that lets you cut very smoothly. It is a 90-tooth blade and offers a quiet operation.
Wrought in tungsten carbide material, its teeth don’t dull quickly, giving this blade better longevity. This saw blade is perfect for ripping wood and for crosscutting laminate, plywood, and wood.
Pros:
- • It is a fine-cutting blade.
- Affordable.
Cons:
- It’s not advisable to use it on hardwood because it will dull quickly.
Conclusion
Trim molding is the final touch that you can render to a room. You can install it on baseboards, around doors, ceilings, along stairways, cabinets, and windows. Plus, it improves the aesthetic quality of a room. As mentioned above, you can reduce your home remodeling budget if you know how to install trim moldings. Besides, trim molding installation isn’t difficult to accomplish if you have an excellent miter saw for cutting trim and molding.
Of course, getting a good cut finish boils down to which tool you are using and what type of blade it has. The perfect blades for trim molding are those with more teeth. These blades can provide the needed precision and smoothness that saw blades with fewer teeth can’t accomplish.
Facts About Trim Molding
Imagine you get invited into a house and are now standing inside a room without trimmings or moldings. You would surely get appalled by the lack of style and sophistication of the one living in that house. This first impression is pretty natural, considering that trims and moldings add to the aesthetic quality of a room or home. Without moldings and trims, a room is almost bare, devoid of sophistication.
Trim molding, of course, is a small wood piece that you can use to accentuate the transitions between walls and ceilings. You can also use it in cabinets, windows, doors, and floors. It is also a wood piece that renders a finished appearance to a room. Moreover, you can use it to conceal inconsistencies and gaps in a building. Besides, you can use it instead of a trim tile.
Most trim moldings are narrow and thin. They may come with designs and curves. You can match the color and style of a room with those of the trim moldings. Plus, you can stain or paint them.
Aside from wood trim moldings, you will also find trim moldings made of plastic polymer. The plastic polymer type is more expensive. Nevertheless, it is easier to handle and lighter to carry around. You can also cut it and paint it to match the room’s decor and style.
Jason is a 40-year-old woodworker, carpenter and author who have been involved in the woodworking and woodcraft industry with 17 years of experience. He is expertise in technical aspects, woodcraft and furniture building projects.