Plywood is a bugger to cut - so to get it right, here are some handy tips.

Tip1

Don’t cross cut - in other words, cut along the grain not across it.

Tip2

Don’t be lazy, use the right blade for cutting the plywood - generally a fine tooth saw blade is better.

Tip3

Use masking tape over the cut to keep the splintering to a minimum. Better still, attach a backing panel as well to take the brunt of the cut. Then score with your trusty utility knife and then again with your saw (ie just take off a small amount of wood - not the full thickness) before you go through it again with a second full thickness cut.

Tip4

When using a table saw, cut with the ‘best face’ up and if you’re using a circular saw, cut with the ‘best face’ down. Better still use a router fitted with a straight bit - using a pilot bit with a straight edge will ensure you get that perfect clean line. If you are planning to do a lot of plywood cutting then it may be worthwhile investing in a panel scoring kit which consists of a smaller blade that does the scoring for you before the cutter takes over to make the second full thickness cut.