Freud D0744CD Trex Composite Deck Circular Saw Blade

After destroying a number of expensive saw blades trying to cut materials they weren’t designed for, you come to know that for every specific cutting job, there is a proper saw blade. A 24-tooth blade is a good choice for ripping or making rough crosscuts in heavy wood, while a 44-tooth blade, such as this one from Diablo, is ideal for giving a semi-smooth crosscut. However, blades designed for use with wood generally do not perform well with Trex or similar composite decking material. Some composites are made entirely of cellular PVC, while others are a combination of PVC and wood (plastic-wood). In either case, they are extremely difficult to cut as most saw blades designed exclusively for wood create too much friction and heat that can melt expensive composite decking material, severely dulling and destroying the blade in the process. This blade from Diablo is designed to dissipate heat, and is rigid so it won't flex and bend under load. I’m in the process of facing a deck with a combination of composite decking and cedar wood. To make my end cuts, I paired this saw blade up with my Milwaukee 7-1/4 circular saw. This blade’s ability to cut both composite and wood materials saves time by not having to change blades. Blades designed for cutting wood can handle short crosscuts of composite material, but will leave unsightly swirl marks on the end grains, but this saw blade from Diablo allows you to make clean end cuts without swirl marks. My only negative comment would be for the price of this blade, which is more than twice that of other blades designed for wood. If the quality of cut and appearance of the end grain on your composite material matters to you or your customer, then this blade from Diablo is worth the every penny, but if you intend to do general cutting and aren’t overly concerned about swirl marks on the end grain, there are less expensive options available. I recommend this blade for cutting composite material. This blade is also an excellent choice for wood cutting.