Tag: Composite Decking

Composite decking boards were first developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s as an eco-friendly, low-maintenance alternative to traditional wood decking. Pioneered by companies like Trex, the earliest composite boards were made from a simple blend of wood fibers (or wood flour) and plastic (usually recycled polyethylene, polypropylene, or PVC), offering resistance to rot and insects, but often prone to fading, staining, and mold. In the mid-2000s, the industry introduced second-generation “capped” composites—boards with a protective polymer shell—significantly improving durability and aesthetics. Over time, manufacturers refined the materials and processes, leading to more realistic wood-like textures, improved resistance to the elements, and a greater emphasis on sustainability by using high percentages of recycled materials. Today, composite decking has become a popular and long-lasting choice for outdoor spaces, valued for its low upkeep and environmental benefits.

With the mixture of plastics and wood fibers, the question “how do I cut this?” comes up often. The easy answer is, with a CNC router bit of course! Choosing the correct one is the hard part which is exactly why I write these articles. We like to scrap chip-load calculators, throw any and every tool at a specific material, then optimize the best performing one.

Thanks to the CNC routers from Specialty Machinery Inc., we were able to do testing on both their Specialty Cutting Systems Legacy router as well as the Kimla Regency router with the exclusive MagLev™ technology.

Depending on the composite decking board thickness, you can choose the Razor Series tool diameter that fits your needs. In this case, we cut 1/2″ decking with a 1/4″ 3 Flute Spiral Upcut endmill called the XR2062-CB. This tool is meant to cut fast without sacrificing edge quality, and it did just that.

This tool optimized out at 200-300 IPM, 21,000 RPM, Climb Cut, at 2 passes. The 3/8″ version of this tool was able to cut it in one pass. The edge quality came out great and the speed was unmatched by any other tool. The Razor series bits were invented to cut Corian material (see our article on Corian material) but they do a phenomenal job with plastics and foams as well. In second place, the Omega Series cut these boards with great quality but at a lower feed rate.

Quick Facts

• Endmills: Razor Series
• Specific Tool: XR2062-CB
• Spindle Speed: 21,000 RPM
• Feed Rate: 200-300 IPM
• Direction: Climb
• Number of Passes: 1 to 1.5 times the diameter of the tool

If you have any questions about which tools to use for your project as well as how to program them for success, feel free to reach out anytime. Thanks for reading!