How to Cut Furniture Board Without Splintering

Use a quality saw blade with the correct number of teeth for the type of wood you are cutting. Use an 80-tooth, 10-inch circular saw blade for furniture-grade hardwood, such as oak, maple or walnut. A 40- or 50-tooth blade will work on softer woods, such as pine or fir. A blade with sharp teeth is the best defense against splintering.

Adjust the saw blade height -- or depth -- to just greater than the thickness of the wood to be cut. This lowers the angle of the blade teeth as they come out of the wood, reducing the forces that cause splintering.

Saw furniture board with the good side face-up on a table saw or radial arm saw and the good side down with a hand-held circular saw. If there is splintering, it will occur on the side of the board you do not plan to have showing on the finished piece of furniture.

Score or cut a line across the board with a utility knife at the location of the intended cut. The knife cut will cut the board fibers that would be splintering if not already cut. You must saw right next to the scored line without crossing it to avoid splinters.

Put a strip of masking tape on the board where the cut will be made. The tape will hold the wood fibers in place, preventing them from splintering. The tape must be removed immediately after cutting to keep any tape residue from remaining on the wood. Test the tape first on another piece of wood to make sure it doesn't leave a significant amount of residue.