What Size Chain Saw Do I Need?
Wood Diameter
This is the point where the bar length comes into play.
If it’s too short, you will not be able to chop or cut wood in a single pass — not only increasing your workload, but it can also lead to splitting and imperfect shears.
Furthermore, there is also a chainsaw bar length v cc consideration. You need to ensure that the bar is suitably lengthy to tackle the wood size, but also that the engine grunt is sufficient to power through the density of the material. Naturally, larger diameter timber is tougher than smaller.
Here’s my brief guide to timber grades and the most suitable bar dimensions. The basic rule of thumb is — choose a bar that’s at least two inches larger than the wood diameter:
Limb Pruning – 6-Inch to 10-Inch Bar
If you’re just tidying up your garden with light trimming of hedges and shrubs with thinner branches — a 6-10 inch bar is ideal. That said, if the twigs are less than a couple of inches in diameter — don’t be lazy, just get out your manual handsaw.
Branch Removal – 8-Inch to 12-Inch Bar
Slightly more substantial timber branches on small to medium trees require a longer bar. To ensure an effortless single pass, utilize a chainsaw with an 8-12 inch bar.
Felling Smaller Trees – 12-Inch to 14-Inch Bar
Chopping down insubstantial trees and larger shrubs require a longer bar — usually around 12-14 inches. Bear in mind that some more stubborn flora, such as Camelia and Sambucus, will need at least a 45-50 cc motor to fell.
Splitting Logs for Firewood – 14-Inch to 16-Inch Bar
Dry, thick, and dense hardwood logs can be challenging. Always ensure they’re sufficiently secured before the address, and use a 14-16 inch bar with a gasoline motor unit.
Felling Trees – 16-Inch to 20+-Inches
The mother-of-all trees may require the mother-of-all chainsaws — even the biggest powered cutter may need more than one pass to fell a mature tree. Unless you’re a pro or seriously experienced amateur, I’d leave the chopping down of massive timber to the specialists — if you don’t want the trunk crashing down on you or your house.