How Thick Is A Table Saw Blade And How To Choose The Right One?

The classic table saw blade tends to be 1/8 or 0.125 inches thick for the standard woodworker. However, other blades are also available, from thin-kerf blades to varying standard thicknesses. Though all of them have various uses, the blade you want to use depends on the projects you end up doing, so learning the answer to “How thick is a table saw blade?” is essential.

This intersects with the kind of material you want to cut, the type of cut you want to make, and, consequently, the blade you’ll choose because of it, and we cover this information in this article!

But First: Does Blade Thickness Even Matter?

In determining how to choose the correct blade, it’s important to decide based on the thickness. This is because the thickness determines the total volume that is removed by passing through the saw blade each time. A thicker blade generally takes up more material than a thinner blade.

The full-kerf blade is 1/8 inch thick, so you will need several passes with slight overlapping to cut holes 3/16 of a meter wide.

It’s also important to note that different blade thicknesses determine what project you’ll end up working on, so choosing the right one becomes that much more important. Moreover, the thickness can also interfere with adjustment and alignment – though for that, we’ve got guides on adjusting a table saw and aligning a table saw blade for you to check out.

Types of Table Saw Blade Thickness

Standard Blades

Standard blades have a .07″ or .08″ kerf or width. Thin kerfs, however, were introduced by manufacturers to increase their profit margins as they increased production due to low cost and excellent cutting experience.

Thin-Kerf Blades 

Thinner blades often require a lower horsepower motor and less weight in the saw, which makes them easier to transport and move around in a shop.

Moreover, thin blades have a kerf of .042″. If you want to cut wood somewhat neatly, such as when building, for instance, a bookshelf, you should use a standard blade. On the other hand, using a thin-kerf blade will provide better results for cutting plywood or sheet goods.

What Blade Should You Choose?

• Start with a 40t General Purpose or 50t Combination Blade thickness.

Let’s hear the story behind these knives. It isn’t surprising that everyone in table saws wants a single blade to accomplish everything. However, that’s not entirely achievable, so the closest multipurpose blade thickness you can get is this one. It cross-cuts and appropriately rips almost all hardwood materials and can also cut double-sided plywood with just slight cracks.

This blade can be used for most woodworking tasks. Generally speaking, high-quality cutting tools run between $100 and $150.

• Honorable Mention: 60t or 80t Cross-Cutting Blade

A good cross-cutting knife ensures smooth grain cutting without splinters or burning. 10-inch cutters must feature 60–20 teeth with an alternate top-notch grind, ensuring ultra-smooth cuts and better work for your project.

Take note of the teeth. If an 81-inch blade uses triple-gridded chips, it will be unable to cross-scrub the wood with very good accuracy. It can, however, cut wood melamine or plywood effectively.

• As your skills progress, Get a 24-tooth Ripping Blade.

A dedicated ripper can save time and effort while you cut a large amount of board. Furthermore, it can prep well for the edges of the board.

If you need more blades for various applications, you’ve got to go with a quality blade. If splicing slots on the table are used, you will require an ad-hoc cutting tool.

Important distinction: ripping occurs when you cut wood in grain rather than across the grain.

• Get an 8′′ Stack Dado Kit.

Those with no dado blade sets might not get full functionality from their table saws. The blade is especially sandwiched to an arbor to create wider grooves in timber, generally up to 3/4″ in thickness. They can save lives in furniture and cabinetry construction, where many kinds of joints require notches, grooves, and rabbets.

Using the saw blade to create the Rambo, Rabbet, and Dado joints lets you connect the face frames to cabinets for the perfect square. Of course, making these joints is no easy task. Learn more about cutting a Rabbet Joint with a table saw before you begin.

Why What You Cut Matters For Blade Thickness:

Before cutting the boards, you must know the process of the work. It should be carefully observed that the right blade is chosen. Ensure your boards have good graining and a thick board and keep in mind the expected results before cutting.

Important Note: Table saws are not intended to cut metal or plastic, so focus on cutting wood with these blades. If you want to learn more about general usage, feel free to check out the guide on using a table saw as well.

Other considerations

For each job, a particular blade would be perfect. Some jobs require a standard blade, while some would be best done by a thin kerf blade. Nevertheless, even beyond the information we’ve covered, you must understand that most table saws are of different materials, sizes, or dimensions, making their demand and purpose vary.

For example, the height of a table saw can very heavily impact what kind of blade will work for your choice project too. Luckily, you can also check out a guide on how high a table saw should be to help you out in that case.

Hence, these are a few more things that must be kept in mind while searching for the perfect blade thickness:

Cross-cutting

If you want to cut wood through the grain, you must use a top bevel cutting tool with an overall thickness of between 40 and 80.

A pair of 50 teeth can also help in the process. In addition, blades of good quality also impact the way they appear in the finished products; therefore, it is more beneficial to have an excellent 40-tooth blade than an 80-tooth blade.

Speaking of crosscutting, learn how to build a crosscut sled with us!

Ripping

Because ripped boards are cut to the proper size, there are a few viable options available:

• The initial blade is 24-tooth and has a coarse feel.
• A second option consists of a 40-tooth alternative top bevel blade and 50-tooth combo blades. The two cuts, although slow, need very little sanding afterward.

Sheet Goods

When we cut sheet paper into the desired size, we recommend mounting the alternative 40- to 60-tooth top-bevel blades on the sheets. The more teeth, the better the quality!

FAQs

How thick is a table saw blade made for cutting wood?

The plates of saw blades are usually 1-3 inches thick. This thinner plate can help reduce sand and potential waste.

Is my wood burning because of the thickness of the blade?

A more probable reason can be the saw blade being dull or dirty. You can combat this by keeping it clean or changing the blade to a newer, cleaner version when it stops working correctly.

The Bottom Line

So how thick is a table saw blade? It depends on your own personal choices. Full Kerf and sometimes called Thick Kerf are blades that are approximately 1/8th inch thick or 3.175mm. Be sure to research what table saw blade is best for the task you want to complete, as well as learn about kerfs to achieve the best results possible!

For that, we recommend checking out this YouTube video: