{"id":1774,"date":"2021-07-20T17:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-20T14:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/?p=1774"},"modified":"2022-09-07T12:00:40","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T09:00:40","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-cutting-plywood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/the-ultimate-guide-to-cutting-plywood\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide To Cutting Plywood"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Plywood is a very common type of wood used in various ways for the production of furniture and carpentry in general. It is made by gluing together layers or sheets of wood. These sheets of wood are referred to as plies; hence the name plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are different ways of cutting plywood. Of all methods, the <\/strong>most efficient way of cutting plywood is by making use of a power tool. Power tools include Circular saws, Table saws, Track\/Plunge saws, Jigsaws, etc. Although they differ from each other in physical appearance and mode of operation, they all get the job done efficiently. Of all the power tools, the Circular saw is the go-to tool for cutting plywood.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cutting plywood could be a bit technical because of the unique nature of the wood. Plywood tends to splinter if proper measures are not taken before and during cutting. We will be diving in to further discuss how to overcome the challenges plywood pose and much more useful information that you may need when working and cutting plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top Three Ways Of Cutting Plywood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this section of the article, we will discuss the 3 specific methods of cutting plywood we recommend you use, as well as explaining the details of the best practices involving cutting plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Using Power Tools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Power tools are tools that are operated by using electricity. They function by using a power source other than manual effort. As earlier mentioned, examples of power tools that can be used to cut plywood are; Circular saws, Table saws, Jigsaws, etc.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power tools are the best available option for cutting plywood because they give very clean cuts and save you the stress of using arm power to cut manually. As earlier mentioned, of all the power tools, the Circular saw is the most preferred tool to use for cutting plywood.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circular Saws<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Circular saws are most commonly used for cutting plywood. They are used to make long, straight, and continuous cuts on a sheet of wood. A circular saw is most preferred because it is readily available and easy to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circular saws come packaged with a blade that has only a few teeth. Because of this, the blade is more ideal for making fast cuts which lead to splintering on plywood. To avoid splintering and to achieve a smooth cut, it is advisable to replace the blade with one specifically designed for cutting plywood. This type of blade called the Carbide teeth blade <\/a><\/strong>typically has more teeth on them, check out the link we provided if you are looking to buy a very affordable blade specially for cutting plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve straight cuts consistently while using a Circular saw, support the piece of plywood to be cut with a guide. A guide is typically a straight edge of the wood (usually from the factory cut side of a wood) clamped to the piece of plywood. By running the Circular saw along with the straight edge, you are guaranteed to make straight cuts each time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from using Circular saws, the Table saws also do a fine job when it comes to making long cuts on plywood. However, a complete set of Table saw is quite pricey when compared to a Circular saw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a Hand Saw<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although using a hand saw isn\u2019t the most accurate or quickest technique to cut plywood, if you just have to make a few cuts, it works great! It is imperative to always use a sharp saw blade when cutting. For the best result, the right type of saw and technique must be applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To cut, first, mark out the area to be cut before placing the plywood to be cut on a sawhorse. Next, clamp down the plywood to hold it steady and use your other hand to provide extra support. providing the right support reduces splintering and chips out during cutting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next step is to place the saw on the plywood from a really low angle and begin to cut along slowly. At this point, it is important to make sure you apply the right amount of pressure. Don’t be too hard at first, slowly cut before gently applying more pressure as you proceed. The trick to this is to ensure that you don’t cut vertically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For longer cuts that need to be straight, consider clamping a stiff board along the cut line as a jig to guide your saw blade. When cutting, the saw does not have to go all the way through the plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Using a Utility Knife<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you find power tools quite intimidating, then a utility knife is your best bet. A utility knife is more appropriate for making a small number of cuts on plywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 To cut with a utility knife, you have to mark out the portion to be cut with a pencil and metallic ruler on both sides of the plywood. Placing the plywood to be cut on a cutting surface, begin to score the marked area deeply with a utility knife. Do this on the other side of the wood flipping back and forth until the line of cut meets in the middle and the wood separates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After cutting, you can clean out the excesses by trimming off the edges with the utility knife. To finish it up, sand the cut surface with sandpaper to make it appear smoother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Cut Plywood In a Straight Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The type of tool available for cutting goes a long way to determine if a straight cut is attainable. For this to be achieved, two things are required; a good power tool, and a straight guide. <\/strong>Also, equally important is the sharpness of the blade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two methods for supporting your plywood to get a straight cut;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Using a straight edge<\/strong>: In woodshops where table saws are used to cut, a straight edge is used as a sort of fence to support the piece of plywood to be cut. In the absence of a straight edge, the factory side of a piece of plywood can be used instead because it normally comes straight.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    For the best result, the fence is clamped on top of the plywood to be cut in order to support it to get a straight cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n