Best Circular Saw Blade for Plywood and Laminate (2026)
By The DIYPicks Team · Updated July 2026
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Plywood veneer and melamine tear out the instant a coarse blade exits the cut, so this job is all about high tooth count and a scoring grind. A dedicated 60T Hi-ATB blade gives the cleanest edge, while a 40T finish blade is a lower-cost do-most option. Here is when each makes sense.
Buy this specifically for chip-free cuts in plywood, melamine, and laminate; it's overkill and slow for framing.
- Plywood
- Laminate
- Melamine
- Fine finish
Pros
- 60 Hi-ATB teeth score the surface first for genuinely chip-free plywood and melamine edges
- Anti-vibration slots keep the plate flat and quiet for straighter finish cuts
- Handles veneered ply, laminate, and delicate molding that tear out on lower-tooth blades
Cons
- Costs roughly double a general framing blade for a single-purpose job
- 60 teeth and shallow gullets make it slow and prone to burning in thick solid stock
- Fine Hi-ATB tips are fragile; one hidden nail or staple can chip them
Pick this when you want smooth crosscuts and trim cuts without switching to a table saw, and don't mind a slower feed than a framing blade.
- Fine finish
- Crosscut
- Trim
- Plywood
Pros
- 40 ATB teeth leave a clean, near-splinter-free edge on trim and crosscuts
- Thin 0.059 in kerf reduces load so cordless saws hold RPM longer per charge
- Perma-Shield coating resists pitch buildup and gumming in softwoods and PT lumber
Cons
- 40 teeth cut noticeably slower than a 24T blade in thick framing stock
- Not intended for ripping thick hardwood; gullets clog and it can burn
- Thin kerf can wander if you push hard in a warped or bound board
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I stop plywood from chipping?
- Use a high-tooth Hi-ATB blade like the Freud LU79R007, cut with the good face down on a circular saw, and back the cut with a sacrificial board or painter's tape along the line.
- Do I need a special blade for melamine?
- Melamine chips even worse than plywood, so a 60-tooth Hi-ATB blade designed for melamine gives the best result. A 40T finish blade works for occasional cuts but leaves more edge chipping.