Saw Burn Marks? See How to Get Clean Saw Cuts in Wood

Why does wood burn when cutting it with saw blades? The simple answer is that there’s too much friction. The friction builds up heat in the blade and causes the burn marks and even smoke. Discover more projects and tips on our website WoodenItBeNice.ca
The first thing I look for when I notice my blades aren’t cutting right is to see how sharp they are. Carefully feel a tooth on the blade to feel how sharp the leading edge is. When you’re experienced, this is intuitive to know what sharp feels like. If this is new to you, compare a sharp blade with he one you’re testing so you can feel if there’s a difference. The more you do this, the easier it is to understand.
When inspecting my blade, I also look at how dirty it is. When blades heat up from cutting, they melt the pitch or sap in the wood. This will then get stuck on the blade. When the pitch builds up on the blade, it is harder for the sawdust to clear the cut and then creates more friction. This in turn can leave burn marks and create smoke. Pine and spruce have a lot of sap, so if you work a lot with these woods, make blade cleaning a part of your maintenance routine.
Another potential problem when you're getting burn marks on your wood cuts is cutting too slowly. There’s a balancing act you need to learn, especially when cutting hardwood such as maple or cherry. You want to move through the wood quickly enough that you don’t leave burn marks, but slowly enough you’re not overtaxing your saw’s power. This is a skill learned only from experience. Listen to the sound of your saw to understand how hard it is working.
When ripping boards on a table saw, there also might be a problem with the alignment of the saw blade and the fence. If the fence isn’t parallel with the saw blade, you could be pushing the wood through on a slight angle, which would cause friction on the blade, and therefore burn marks. Take time to align the fence properly by measuring from the front of the blade body, not the tooth, and the back of the blade body.
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#sawblade

[@lionelspencer-ward3527]

So nice to hear someone speaking calmly and clearly for a change.

[@Gnolomweb]

slow and boring. didn't solve my problem.

[@randymarcell]

This video was exactly what I needed to see. The explanations were crystal clear and made a lot of sense. It's 3:58 AM, and I can hardly wait for 8:00 AM so I can get some cleaner and clean the blade on my miter saw. THANKS.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Happy to hear this is helping you out! Thanks for posting your comment. Scott

[@itsacrazyworld87]

I agree with Lionel. The first thing I noticed was your calm, soothing voice. That's actually why I continued watching. And you helped me with my problem. Thank you!!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Awesome! Thank you! Scott

[@dotdattie]

Thank you so much! this was a very helpful video, I'm going to go clean my miter saw blade right now!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad I could help!

[@kombinezon85]

Thanks! I struggle with some burned edges and a smoke from time to time. Now I'm gonna brush the teeth ;-)

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it helped! Cheers. Scott

[@manouchehrmokhlesi257]

Thanks for your comments . They were very useful

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful! Scott

[@squarelevelplumb]

Burn is also caused by a blade that is not aligned, front to back, or tilt is not quite 90 degrees. Blade and mitre alignment should be done using the miter slots. In the method shown, if the blade is misaligned, you will misalign the fence with the blade. Align the fence and the blade using the miter slots.

[@MidwestCombatServicesLLC]

Thank you for the tip. Very short and comprehensive which is how these videos should be. I'm rough cutting new frame for my 100 year old house. This is my 1st big project and the 1st thing I encountered after my 14th or 15th OSB board rip was a binding blade. Now I know, can't wait to get back to it

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it helped! Thanks for sharing that with us - I love to hear success stories. Scott

[@luisarevalo6112]

This was very helpful and I tried cleaning the blade but that did not help. Then I realized the one thing you did not mentioned (and may have been said in a comment but didn't read any of them) was that all novice like me should remember to replace the blade with the teeth going in the right direction. Wow shows how much learning there is in life! TU for a great video!!!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Oh, yeah, I didn't mention that. Good advice though. Thanks

[@frankstar3417]

Excellent. What a well made and knowledgeable video. You are a pleasure to listen too. Loved your video.

[@adamblack1503]

Well explained in a calm no nonsense manner thanks for the tips

[@aljundating1574]

Thanks Bro. I am a new woodworker and I got a problem with saw burn marks. Your video provides a real solution.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

That's so nice to hear! I love that this is making a difference for you! Scott

[@thomasdeneuville8546]

What a wonderful video, Scott. I'm so glad I've found your channel! Thank you.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks Thomas! Scott

[@subatomicdig8520]

Mucky blade. Thanks buddy I wouldn’t of thought that pitch build up would do that but now I know. Thank you.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're welcome. Happy to share tips to make woodworking easier for people. Thanks for posting your comment. Scott

[@bnzbmw]

Very well explained. Presentation perfect. This video helped me thank you so much . Cheers from New Zealand

[@mdwsolutions-video]

Thanks Scott - very useful information on importance of checking circular saw blades often!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nigelstanley7940]

Thanks for this, really useful as I have been getting scorch marks on kitchen cornice and plinth trims.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@leestringer]

2 tips I’ve used in one day! Keep up the great work

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@trobert132]

You're a life saver, thanks so much!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Cool! Happy to hear this helped you out. Scott

[@francanfix9149]

Thank you so much, you just solved all my saw blades problems, nice! Happy Holydays!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

That's great! Nice to hear that it helped you out. Happy Holidays to you too. Enjoy. Scott

[@barlow2976]

Thanks for this, useful.Carburettor cleaner, or electrical contact cleaner cleans resin off beautifully, I don't even remove the blade. One of the less common causes of burn marks on stock is when I leave my spliff burning on an edge. Not very clever, and not very safe either, I really must invest in an ashtray.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for the additional tips on cleaning resin off blades! I'm sure that will be useful for our viewers. Thanks. Scott

[@Shagratt71]

LMAO

[@ddacombe4752]

thanks for the info, i have bad burning on a new plywood blade so will try cleaning it

[@ronbo30]

Good clear right to point explanation! Excellent.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful! Scott

[@user-qy2lz5yd1q]

thank you for sharing this. that really helped me know why this happened.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it helped! Scott

[@adrianwild2094]

Thank you for sharing this informative video .

[@AJN012]

Thank you this video, it helped a lot! Subscribed!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for the sub!

[@aj7470]

Hi Scott your video came up on my KZbin recommendation. I give it a thumbs up 👍

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@mikebirnie6381]

Great tips man...thankyou

[@andyl5645]

Great video. Concise and simple.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks. I appreciate that! Scott

[@-Colonel-Kernel]

Really useful. Many thanks.

[@don2458]

Great info. thank you!

[@curtismattingly7505]

Thank you this was very helpful! Great Job!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thank you Curtis for taking the time to post a comment. I find that encouraging. Scott

[@brianyee7840]

Lionel - great tips. I was about to re-align my blade to slot, then I realized it is likely my blade not being parallel to the fence. I will also clean my blade as well because I am sure I have some build up coming out of the winter.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad this will help you out. Thanks for your comment. Scott

[@fohanrahan]

very clear explanation - thanks

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful! Scott

[@patnelson4289]

Clear and very helpful / Would recommend your videos.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad you like them! Cheers. Scott

[@hittmanmusic]

What a great video. Thanks so much.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're welcome. Thanks for posting a comment. Scott

[@nungsangozukum4888]

Thank you for the video, I've learned a lot 👍

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chereejohnson2400]

Thank you so very much!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're very welcome!

[@merebarajas5708]

Very useful information, thanks

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful! Scott

[@chanhducphung2826]

Thank so much for your great tips

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad you like them! Scott

[@utube23567]

Great video. Now I know why Im getting burn marks

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Happy to hear that it helps! Scott

[@thiagoabsc]

Nice tips! Thanks

[@Jim-hg6iw]

Thank you, very good info and video.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

It's nice to hear you found it helpful. Thanks. Scott

[@kennyc388]

Simple and to the point with minimal yapping and stupid music. Great video, especially for the novice.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for the feedback Anton!

[@eddee4825]

Big help from your tip, TQ

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're welcome Ed. Happy to help. Scott

[@JLWoodArtistries]

Great tips and great job on the video.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

JL Thank you. I appreciate the feedback

[@lukewadel3675]

Great video, thank you!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad you liked it!

[@kerrygleeson4409]

Great tips thank for sharing your knowledge

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pawelinek6543]

Thank you, it was very helpful for me :}

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're welcome - happy to hear it helped you out. Scott

[@ebismo]

Really, once explained it seems obvious, but I would never hace thought of it having such a big effect. Just a few min and some cleaning products (stolen from the wife) and my sawblade is like a new one!!! So many thanks.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

That's great to hear this helped you out! Thanks for posting a comment. I appreciate that. Scott

[@GadgetsandbikesGB]

Now I understand why there was huge smoke it's because I didn't know how to cut, I am new to wood working

[@TommyBowerscoasters]

Fabulous, well articulated video. New sub!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Awesome, thank you!

[@jeffreynonles953]

very informative.thank you

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@captainsawdust8935]

This may help with cleaning stubborn bits on the blade. Since every dentist recommends soft toothbrushes take some tin snips and cut the bristles in half. It makes them much stiffer for scrubbing.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Great tip! Thank you! Scott

[@squarelevelplumb]

buy a brass bristled brush. won't hurt the blade and much better than a toothbrush, or buy a stiffer tootbrush at the Dollar store

[@regbowes1127]

Great explanation!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thank you Reg. Scott

[@arsyahrifai777]

Tanks fo sharing

[@farmerdave286]

Great video. Thanks!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thank you for your comment! Scott

[@jays1604]

Ty. Good info

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rachelmiller7465]

Great! Thank you

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Our pleasure! Cheers. Scott

[@WanderingNature]

Great video!!!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thank you! Cheers. Scott

[@onlineda1]

Good video. Thanks

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad you liked it! Scott

[@pedrolanna1551]

The Red Strip at the bottom of the thumbnail made me think I had already seen this video ^^.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Oh, thanks for sharing that. I didn't think of that, but I can't unsee it now. I will change that. Thanks Pedro! Scott

[@albertoortiz3574]

Great! Thanks!!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Our pleasure!

[@af3586]

Thanks a lot for posting this. Brilliant advice and will help give me clean cuts!!!! :-)

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Happy to help!

[@hasmukhvpatel4539]

very good, thank you.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for watching!

[@d.k.1394]

10 out of 10 video

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thank you!

[@darrylcrum2495]

Great help. Now I just have to figure out which one (or two) things are causing this.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad to help!

[@Litehamer]

Hi . Thank you for this video. I’m getting burn marks on my track saw , hopefully I can clean the blade or just change it

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad you found it helpful. I hope you find a solution that works for you. Scott

[@poormanoutdoors5091]

On those multi tools, the key is to keep a corner of the blade out of the cut. This will facilitate extraction of the dust out of the cut channel allowing for a clean, cool cut

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for sharing this tip Bill. I'll have to try that next time!

[@jhh243]

Great video! Subscribed and liked!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for the sub! Glad you enjoyed it. Scott

[@ibaig31]

Thank you🌹

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You’re welcome 😊

[@martinobrien4882]

i had the problem of burn marks,New table saw,new blade..after this informative video,im guessing its the bench guide..

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for your comment Martin. Let me know if making adjustments helps reduce the burn marks. Scott

[@OlliMSa]

Don't forget to floss! Just kidding. Thanks for the video as you helped me figure out what was wrong with my blade.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

I'm happy this video helped you out. Scott

[@lindaloftus8780]

great advise

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad you found it helpful! Scott

[@fireworxz]

Thanks

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're welcome! Scott

[@carolinelacombe4604]

Thank you for this video. I have a small band saw, I just changed the blade and it burns the wood. It even made the workshop foggy. I was not able to feed it at a "normal" speed. The engine slows down or stops. Wood is african caoba, but it does it with other woods too. Thank you in advance!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

That's odd. It sounds as if your bandsaw may be under powered or some of your bearings are shot. Inspect your guide bearings (top and bottom) and the thrust bearing (behind the blade) to make sure they are turning freely. They may be slowing down the blade. Scott

[@stevehenkel354]

I rented and used a compound miter saw for the first time today. After my first two cuts I thought my safety glasses were fogged up. It turns out there was a layer of smoke hovering just below the ceiling. I went to the internet and found your video. As soon as I heard you say one of the causes could be cutting too slowly I knew that was probably my problem. Combine the fact that I never used one of these before with the fact that I'm kind of a perfectionist and you get someone who can be too overly careful. I was in fact cutting slowly, on purpose. Sure enough, on the next cut I applied a steady force downward and like magic, no smoke. Your simple video solved my problem. Thanks!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

That's great news Steve! Thanks for sharing your experience with our viewers. I'm happy to hear you found this useful. Thanks. Scott

[@philfab5]

Great thanks

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

You're welcome. Cheers. Scott

[@clemmcguinness1087]

Good advice

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Glad it was helpful!

[@byronc7284]

I didn't know about cleaning the blade. I'm going to try that. On my table saw I found that is better if i have the back slightly away from the fence (about a mil difference) , it doesn't burn much. Its just really hard to get it perfectly parallel. Thx for the vid

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Byron Camey I'm happy you found it useful. Thanks for leaving a comment Byron!

[@ginoasci2876]

Assuming your blade is perfectly aligned up with the miter slots. Put a straight piece of wood that runs from front to back of the slot and bring your fence to that and adjust it accordingly. No guess work, it is perfect every time, but the blade has to be lined up with the miter slots, and depending on the model table saw you have because they are not all the same. Another way to align it is to use calipers as shown in this video, but using a scale is not accurate. Plus you must mark gullet you measure from on the back side to the fence, then bring that same gullet to the front and measure that to the fence. You can't hold the blade in the same spot and measure the back and front of the blade to the fence and expect it to be aligned perfectly. It's not going to happen because there is always runout on every blade. Granted, some less than others, but even if it's 0.003"....that's still not 0.000" Some new blades right off the shelf are as much as 0.011" out, and if you're doing fine finish or furniture building, that's not good. You may not be able to get to 0.000", but this method will get you as close as humanly possible. If the blade is not lined up with the miter slot, than don't waste your time aligning the fence, because the cut won't be 90 degrees to the table anyway.

[@kulraj8901243560]

Hi Scott, I got a door trimmline and it always cause burn marks on X-cut/along width of the doors. Its a 2 saw blade setup, 1 cuts from top and other from bottom. Mostly burn marks are from bottom blade. Cleaning blades do make a difference however, it's not efficient to clean blades every day.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

That sounds like misalignment of the bottom blade. Check that it's running parallel to the other blade. You can also try to increase the feed rate slightly to see if that makes a difference... feeding material too slow can cause burning. I hope that helps. Scott

[@sizif717]

Nice. ideo!

[@robertharper8702]

Hi yes that was helpful as my Makita plunge saw is burning badly,and it is durty so its coming off to be cleaned.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

I love hearing people have learned something useful from our videos. Thanks for your comment Robert! Scott

[@adhdpersons]

Great video. I have been experiencing all the things your video explained so was happy to come across it. I didn't know about the build up of resin. It's lucky I kept all my blades as I use to just replace them. I'll now give them a clean like you said. You mentioned that feeding wood through can sometimes cause issues so how fast should one feed the wood through a bench saw? I don't ever force wood through the blade; just slow and steady. Thanks.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Hi Alistair. The feed rate isn't a something I can explain. It comes to you with experience. The key is to not let the heat build up to cause the burning. What you can do is make some practice cuts by cutting your board longer than you need to see how it behaves. Hardwood behaves different than softwood. I hope that helps. Scott

[@adhdpersons]

@@HomeImprovementWoodworking thanks Scott. I'll give it a go. All the best. Al

[@MrAbugaarith]

Thanks, great vid. Could you shed some light on dangers of dull blades, especially table, mitre and circular saws

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

For liability reasons, I don't teach tool safety unless it's in person. Sorry.

[@hughmacgee1273]

Hi I also get the workpiece trying to climb the blade as well as burn and smoke why is that appreciate your first class video a great help

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Hi Hugh. The climb would indicate the space between the fence and the back of your saw blade is narrower than the space between the fence and the front of your saw blade. That would also explain the burn marks. Line up your fence so it's parallel to the blade and try that cut. Also, only raise the blade a "saw tooth" higher than the thickness of your material - this is the best setting for the saw blade depth. I hope that helps. Scott

[@davidbradley7281]

This makes so much sense why the wood is scorching. I will try cleaning the blade first. Are there certain types of wood to avoid using a circular saw blade on a mitre stand? I’ve witnessed scorching on maple and regular 2x4. Thanks so much.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Hard maple is the easiest to show burn marks because it's so dense. Next to that, cherry. If you're getting burning marks in a 2x4 you have a really really dull or dirty blade. I hope that helps. Scott

[@grampydeathblade2217]

liked it so much i watched it again LOL

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Well that's a great complement! Thank you. Scott

[@loubrifman850]

THANKS THIS WAS HELPFUL AND CLEARLY EXPLAINED. HOW DO YOU KNOW THOUGH WHEN YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE BLADE? ON A CIRCULAR SAW?

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

For a circular saw, buy a new blade and compare how sharp the teeth are to your existing blade. When the teeth loose a sharp edge, they still may cut, but less efficiently. When they get really dull, you will hear your saw having to work much harder than normal - not good for your saw. In general, circular saw blades are cheap, so when in doubt, replace it. I hope that helps. Scott

[@georgeridgeway7766]

I really enjoyed your video. Your presentation was concise and easy to follow. I wish you could include a visual list of the suggestions you offered as part of the video. You can do this by creating a slide deck. Check it out. Awesome presentation.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks for the suggestion George. My early videos had slides in them and it turns out that many viewers would drop off when the slides were shown so I learned it's not a good format for KZbin videos. Maybe I should add that content to our website. Cheers. Scott

[@alfredhanley1691]

BRILLIANT Al give mine a clean..

[@dirkvercauteren1876]

Hi there, at the second saw blade I notice the long and thin teeth. This saw blade is incorrectly resharpened, so usually on the front of the tooth. This reduces the lateral clearance angle on the tct. This will certainly accentuate the acquisition of burn marks. A saw blade with too many teeth can also cause this phenomenon. Cleaning saw blades is certainly a good thing. With best regards.

[@johnfisher4910]

Thanks Scott. Really appreciate you taking the time to put this together. I tried your affiliate link for the Trend CLEAN, but that product is no longer available. I'm going to try the CMT Formula 2050, instead.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Oh, yeah... it looks like it's only available in a 12 pack. I'd love to hear how the CMT product works for you. Scott

[@melissabarron1574]

Very helpful thank you! Guess what I’m doing tomorrow?🧰🛠

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Happy to hear it's helpful! Scott

[@DJ-zj4fb]

Hi Scott, I really enjoyed your video. Thank you for posting it. Unfortunately I am having trouble with my WEN band saw. It is smoking a lot. Any suggestions? Does it require oil?

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

The smoking is from excessive heat build up. On a bandsaw, that would suggest a dull blade. I hope that helps and thanks for your encouraging words! Scott

[@bananna_fish]

Thank you, your content is very informative for a beginner such as myself. I have a question about cutting vinyl floor board planks with a circular saw. I am seeing a few sparks using the standard blade and definitely getting burn marks. I think I'm going too slowly as far as the burn is concerned, but what type of blade would you recommend for cutting a composite material as such with the vinyl top and particle board or wood bottom? Using mainly a circular saw for the job. Thanks!

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

The sparks you are seeing is from the top layer of the flooring. It is extremely hard and will wear down a sharp blade very quickly. The burn marks are likely due to having a dull blade. I hope that helps. Scott

[@jayprakashsharma6216]

Hi Thanks for sharing nice tips to avoid burn marks. But with the same Table Saw blade I get burn mark only in Beech wood, while there is no burn mark on other wood. Can you suggest any special reason for getting saw burn mark on beech wood?

[@ALCRAN2010]

I got me a handy dandy kreg circular saw guide, the type you attach to the tool. New blade burns my wood, I'm going to guess there's angle stress and the blade wanting to kick out.

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Yes, it sounds like the fence needs to be adjusted as it's not parallel to the blade. Scott

[@James-dv1df]

Do you have any tips when getting burn marks when makes when cutting timber with a circular saw? Bought a 184mm 24T and got a few cuts with burn marks. Brilliant Video by the way

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Hi James. The 3 things I would look at are how clean is the blade, how sharp is the blade, and what speed are you cutting through the wood. Slow speed, dirty blades and dull blades are what cause most burn marks. Does that help? Scott

[@mysteriousplankton]

So simple.

[@d-zellruff5156]

Good

[@HomeImprovementWoodworking]

Thanks! Scott