Article

Composite Decking is rapidly becoming the most popular choice for outdoor decking in Australia. Durable and long lasting, composite decking is seen as the hassle free alternative to traditional timber decking. Most composite decking is manufactured from a mixture of natural wood fibers and plastic or resin binders (often recycled products). When cut with a TCT circular saw blade, the presence of abrasive plastic and resin in the decking material contributes to a faster wear rate on the TCT teeth of the blade. Sharp saw blades are essential for working with composite decking products to maintain clean, smooth, sharp and accurate cuts.

In 2019, Austsaw introduced the ABRX range of multi material saw blades onto the Australian market. The ABRX blade was the result of two years of development work and involved testing many samples, including blades from all major competitors. The aim in developing the ABRX multi material blades was to produce a blade with class leading performance and at a price affordable to every trade user. The blade includes premium grade TCT teeth with a triple chip design for controlled cutting and an anti-friction coating, which helps the blade to run cooler and extend its life.

With the increasing use of composite decking, Austsaw has been receiving many enquiries on the most suitable blade to cut these products. In April 2020, we undertook a test using one of Australia’s leading brands of composite decking – Trex. The ABRX blade was chosen for this test, with the objective to prove its suitability cutting the abrasive composite material. 3000 cuts were made on a 255mm mitre saw, with the cut quality being checked every 100 cuts. After 3000 cuts, the ABRX blade was still producing a perfect clean cut – as good as the very first cut, and we have no doubt the same blade would be capable of thousands more.

For a decking contractor, this will give the confidence that the ABRX blades are a perfect choice for composite decking projects.