Which Circular Saw Blade for Cutting Composite Decking?
When considering any composite decking project it is highly likely that you are going to have to make some adjustments to your lengths of board. From jigsaws to chop saws, the thousands of available tools and methods can be confusing. This is why we have assembled a guide to help you understand how to choose the right saw blade to cut your decking. This blog post will break down composite decking installation and the various attributes to consider in selecting the appropriate saw-blade for adjusting the length of your composite decking boards.
How to Install Composite Decking
Watch our detailed step-by-step video tutorial on how to install composite decking below. You can also find our detailed composite decking installation manual here, as well as a variety of other video guides on decking installation here, from securing substructure to fitting accessories.
What is the Best Way to Cut Composite Decking?
The EnviroBuild installation guide advises the use of a circular saw using a 40 tooth alternate top bevel finish blade. The amount of teeth on the blade is important to the speed and accuracy of the cut. A blade with a lower tooth count will cut faster but with a rougher finish. Alternatively, the higher the tooth-count on the blade, the slower the cut but the more accurate it will be. With this in mind, if you choose a blade with a tooth count that is too high then you run the risk of the cut being too slow and burning the material you are cutting. This may be problematic with composite materials of a high level of plastic. EnviroBuild therefore recommend the 40 tooth blade as it is quick enough to not burn the material but also has enough to make accurate cuts.
The alternate top bevel finish blade refers to the tooth configuration on the blade. In this instance this specific configuration makes the angle of the teeth useful for cutting decking material like our composite boards, natural wood or veneered plywood.
Most of the major blade manufactures will produce what appears to be similar blades across the market, however, the prices may range from £5 to £100 due to differences in quality. These prices are predominantly influenced by design, amount or carbide and the quality of carbide used in the blade.
EnviroBuild recommends going for one of the more well-known makes such as DeWalt, Bosch or Titan for cutting composite decking, as the blades tend to keep their sharpness for a longer period of time, therefore ensuring that you will only require 1 or 2 blades for your decking project (depending on project size).
