How to cut plywood without splintering

How To Cut Plywood Without Splintering What is plywood? How is it made? How can you cut it to size without it splintering? This article will provide you with valuable tips on how to cut plywood to the correct size and without splintering in the most efficient, and effective manner possible. Click here know more about Chigwell Plywood

Plywood is a very common material used in home construction. It is made of many, thin layers of hardwood or softwood which are glued together at a right angle. The positioning of the right angles allows for an increased strength to the wood. Most standard sized plywood sheets come in 4-by-8-foot sheets. Cutting these sheets to size with a table saw can be difficult because they are floppy and awkward. Also, when cross-cutting a panel, the bottom layer of veneer is likely to chip along the cutting line. There are ways to make cutting the sheets easier, more precise, and with minimal splintering.

One of the easiest ways to prevent splintering is to use a saw made specifically for cutting plywood. These blades will have lots of teeth (normally 80), which are ground in a pattern that

creates a shearing, clean cut. Remember, if the blade has sawdust or pitch crusted on it, be sure to clean it before cutting the plywood.

To begin, you will lay the good side of the plywood down on a stable surface. It's very important to take correct measurements before cutting. As the old saying goes, it's better to measure twice and cut only once. Go ahead and measure the length and width dimensions of the sheet you will be cutting and mark the measurements on the sides with a pencil. Grab your handy chalk line and snap a line between those two points to ensure a clear cutting guide for your saw.

Next you will extend the side of the sheet a few inches over the edge of your work surface to avoid cutting the table. Put a 2-by-4 which is longer than your plywood sheet down on the sheet making sure to line up one edge of the 2-by-4 so that it will reinforce the rectangular guide of the saw against it. Now clamp the 2-by-4 to the sheet with table clamps which will allow the 2-by-4 to be your cutting guide.

The best way to prevent the veneer from splintering is to score the cutting line with the saw blade. Your first pass with the saw will be a shallow cut, which will score the line, forging a groove before making the final pass. Now you will make a second full-depth cut along the line with your saw, allowing the excess plywood sheet to fall on the ground.

One other method to keep the veneer from chipping or splintering from the bottom is to use a backer board. It is a piece of plywood that you place below your cutting piece when making the cut. This will allow the veneer to be supported and the plywood to be cleanly cut. Visit Chigwell Joinery to know more about