What Chainsaw Size Do I Need?

As we know by now, chainsaws come in various sizes. The perfect size of a chainsaw depends on its guide bar. What is a guide bar of a chainsaw? It is a bar made of iron or sharp steel. This is attached to the chainsaw. The chain of a chainsaw usually rotates around this bar. Of course, before you purchase a guide bar, a full description will be given to you in the instruction manual. If you didn’t get an instruction manual with your tool, it probably means the saw is not reliable. So what is the answer to what chainsaw size do I need? Lets look at it in detail.

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Different Chainsaw Sizes

Sometimes, old chainsaws are not advanced enough for this feature. Therefore, you might not know the length of your chainsaw. In that case, we are here to guide you. You will first need a tape measure. This goes without saying. If you want, you can use a regular foot ruler too. But this might not give you an accurate result.

Therefore, follow our steps for the best results. You need to measure the whole chainsaw right from the start of the chain. This is located at one end of your tool. From here, you need to drag the tape down to the opposite end. Take it to the base. This is the entire length of your chainsaw. Chainsaw measurements are always expected to be entirely even figures. If your measurement is an odd number, you can round it up. 

Choosing the perfect chainsaw size is very difficult. This is more difficult if you have never even used a chainsaw before. However, there is no need to get disheartened. Our website is here for you. There is a general rule of thumb that you can follow. According to this, a chainsaw needs to be at a minimum of two inches longer than the desired material you need to cut.

To make this simpler, read the following example carefully. If a particular woodblock is 6 inches thick, the guide bar of your chainsaw needs to be at least 8 inches long. This is only to maximize the ease of cutting. One more critical aspect to keep in mind while choosing the appropriate saw is engine power.

It merely states that the engine power should be equally proportional to the whole length of the saw. Right now, this might seem difficult to estimate. But here is some good news; most of this is already mentioned in your manual. One good thing about  One good thing about saws and most other power tools is that they allow you to change blades. This means that you can have blades of many chainsaw sizes. Once you are done, you can replace it for a new project. Before getting into ideal chainsaw sizes, we will look at how to select the right chainsaw size. Here are some factors to keep in mind.

1. The Nature Of Your Project

This is undoubtedly the first thing you need to keep in mind. If you are using a chainsaw for a home project, you might need a small one. Home projects generally include pruning, cutting branches, or trimming shrubs. For such tasks, a usually chainsaw size will be more than enough. The guide bar does not have to be too long. For such type of work, the ideal guide bar will be around 14 inches. However, if you need a chainsaw for jobs of an intricate nature, this will vary. Medium leveled tasks include cutting trees, cutting branches, and other types of furniture.

Such kind of work will need a guide bar that is around 16 inches to 20 inches. This will give your project an edge. Sometimes, you might need a chainsaw for high duty projects. These include cutting giant trees. Such plans are rare but still need a lot of attention. You need to use the right chainsaw to finish the work on time and with ease. For such projects, you should use a guide bar that is 22 inches or more. 

2. The Measurement Of The Material Being Cut

Another essential aspect to keep in mind is the diameter of your material. Usually, since chainsaws are used for cutting wood, we will stick to the example of wood. As mentioned, you need a guide bar that is two inches more than the length of the material you need to cut. If this is a task for you, you can still use a regular chainsaw to cut large trees. The only difference is that this will be time-consuming. You will have to use another technique to cut the wood. It is easier and much more practical to cut with a singular pass. For this, you need a chainsaw that matches the proportion of your wood. 

3. Your Experience

This is the most important thing while using power tools. This factor does not apply only to chainsaws. Sometimes your experience matters the most. You might have the best tool in the world, but this will mean nothing if you don’t know how to use it. Chainsaws are the most threatening of the saw family. Using a big chainsaw is even more intimidating. You have to adopt safety measures. If this is a hobby, you should start small. Beginners should use the smaller leveled guide bars. These are easier to control too. Once you are skilled, you can move up to the higher leveled guide bars. 

4. Your Stamina

This might sound unnecessary, but it is not. This point gels well with the previous point. Chainsaws are heavy. They require a lot of strength and agility. If you are not strong enough, you need some experience here as well. Preferably, work out and build upper body muscle. You will be able to control a chainsaw much better with increased arm strength. If you are still not comfortable, follow our advice from the previous point. You can always start small and make progress. 

5. Saw-Type

Saws are one of the tools that offer an incredible variety. Saws have various types and subtypes. Chainsaws, too, are continually developing. Due to this, they have many subtypes. You need to figure out what kind of chainsaw works best for you and your project. There are gas-powered, electric, and battery-powered chainsaws. You should pick out the one that is the most compatible with your project. Once this is done, you can move on and check the guide bars. In general, chainsaws are light. This makes it easier to use. But it is still essential to keep the safety factor in mind. 

Certain chainsaw sizes are best used for specific tasks. As promised, we will even give you these chainsaw size. If you want your work to be perfect, you need the perfect blade. Keep in mind that having the ideal tool will not suffice. You need to have the best blade too. 

Pruning (6 inches to 10 inches) If you use your chainsaw for pruning, follow these dimensions. The chainsaws needed for pruning are not all-inclusive. There are high chances that you need such a chainsaw for home projects. However, if you need to prune, cut, and saw branches, these dimensions are the best for you.

Keep in mind that these measurements are not for long and gigantic trees. If the branches are moderately thin, you may use these dimensions. If your branches and tree-limbs are thicker, you need to use a chainsaw of higher magnitude. Sometimes, if you can manually apply the right pressure, even a small handsaw will be useful. Using a saw and the skill you possess are positively correlated. 

Removal of branches (8 inches to 12 inches). As you can see the difference, you need a chainsaw of higher pressure now. If you have trees at home, it is difficult t remove the branches by yourself. Even if the branches are the same height as you. Tree branches are thick. They require a lot of strength. The branches itself are known to be about 6 inches to 10 inches thick. Therefore, according to the measurements, the chainsaw size needs to be 8 inches to 12 inches. The main advantage of this kind of chainsaw is that it helps make fast and smooth cuts. 

Cutting small plants or trees (12 inches to 14 inches). Sometimes, cutting down trees is challenging. We plead you to avoid this as much as possible. Our world needs trees now more than ever. But sometimes, you are a slave to your circumstances.

We completely understand that. Hence, we have your back. In case you need to take down the small trees in your backyard or garden, you can use these measurements. Cutting a backyard tree will require a chainsaw that has guide bars of 12 to 14 inches. The increased length is due to the size of a tree. Trees are thick to cut. Therefore a chainsaw needed for the purpose will be thick, too. 

Splitting or cutting logs (14 inches to 16 inches). If you are cutting logs, this means you need it for something productive. Usually, logs are required for firewood. If this is the case, you need thick blades. A chainsaw for chopping firewood should be significant. It should have a guide bar of about 14 to 16 inches, as mentioned. Keep in mind that these are for small to medium-sized trees. You will need a much larger power tool to dissect a huge tree. 

Cutting medium trees (16 inches to 18 inches). Yes, along with small trees, we will even give you information on medium trees. Sometimes, you might have a large garden that has excellent plantation. In such cases, the trees may grow at an undesirable place.

This is when you need to cut a few branches off. In extreme cases, you might need to tear down the whole tree. This is when you need a giant chainsaw. A chainsaw with a guide bar of about 16 inches to 18 inches will make the work quick and smooth. The whole tree will fall in one go. This might even reduce the guilt you feel of cutting a tree. 

Cutting down large trees (20 inches and larger). Yes, you read that right. Chainsaws can go on and on in sizes. Cutting down large trees is for the brave-hearted. Professionals mostly do this task. There are many safety hazards while cutting a huge tree. First of all, you need a technique to cut giant sized trees. You cannot just pick up your chainsaw and decide to massacre a tree.

You will need much more than just a saw to cut a tall tree. One of these is a ladder to climb on. Large trees are usually cut in parts. If you are not a tree trimming professional, you might still be able to ace this will the right amount of experience. We don’t want you (or our website) to get into any trouble. Therefore you need to have a permit and a valid reason for wanting to cut a large tree. Once you have this handled, you can buy the right sized saw and proceed for your mission. 

Sometimes, chainsaws might be either too long or too short. Even after keeping in mind the necessary dimensions, as humans, we make specific errors. Therefore, our website will also tell you how to manage if your chainsaw is not too long. 

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Final Thought

It is of utmost importance to choose right chainsaw size. If it is too small, it will take a long time to cut through your metal. At the same time, choosing a saw that is too big is not feasible either. These saws are massive and possess a lot of threats. More, if you don’t have the experience to use it. The tips provided above can help you to choose the best sized saw for your work. If you are still uncertain, always follow the two-inch rule. You will not go wrong with that. We hope this article helps you!