Choosing chainsaw bar length
The guide bar should be about 2 inches (5 cm) longer than the thickest wood you cut regularly, so you can cut through in a single pass without the tip burying in the wood. Experienced users can fell trees up to roughly twice the bar length by cutting from both sides, but that technique takes training. For beginners, staying within the bar length is far safer.
Choose the shortest bar that does the job. A 14 in saw is lighter, better balanced and easier to control when limbing than an 18 in saw, and short bars produce less leverage when kickback happens. Many homeowners are best served by a 14–16 in saw, renting or hiring a professional for the occasional big tree.
Chainsaw classes
10–16 in bars, 30–45 cc or 40–56 V battery. Pruning, storm cleanup, a few cords of firewood.
16–24 in bars, 45–60 cc or high-end 80 V battery. Regular firewood, felling medium trees, larger logs.
20–36 in bars, 60–90 cc. Daily use, large hardwoods, logging. Higher power-to-weight and serviceability.
Engine size and power
| Bar length | Gas engine | Battery | Wood it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8–12 in | 25–35 cc | 18–40 V | Branches, pruning, small logs up to ~10 in |
| 14 in | 35–40 cc | 40–56 V | Storm cleanup, firewood up to ~12 in |
| 16 in | 40–45 cc | 56–80 V | Firewood, small trees up to ~14 in |
| 18 in | 45–50 cc | 80 V (high end) | Hardwood firewood, trees up to ~16 in |
| 20 in | 50–60 cc | — | Larger hardwoods, regular felling |
| 24 in+ | 60–90 cc | — | Big trees, professional use |
Chains: pitch, gauge and low-kickback
Chain pitch is the spacing of the links. Small saws use 3/8 in low-profile (also called 3/8 LP or 90-series) chain, which cuts smoothly and has low kickback. Mid-size saws use .325 in, and large saws use full-size 3/8 in chain. Gauge (.043, .050, .058 in) must match the bar groove. Beginners should use chains marked “low-kickback” (often with green labels), which have guard links behind each cutter.
How the firewood time is estimated
A stacked cord contains about 85 cubic feet of solid wood. The calculator splits that into 16 in rounds of your typical log diameter (about 60% of the largest diameter you entered), counts the cuts, and multiplies by a typical cutting time per inch of diameter – faster in softwood and with more powerful saws – then multiplies the pure cutting time by about three to allow for positioning logs, moving rounds, refueling and sharpening. Splitting time is not included.
Essential safety gear
- Chainsaw chaps or trousers with cut-resistant layers – the most important protective item.
- Helmet with face screen and hearing protection, plus safety glasses.
- Cut-resistant gloves and boots with steel toes and good grip.
- Keep the chain sharp and correctly tensioned; a dull chain makes you push and increases kickback risk.
- Never cut above shoulder height or with the tip of the bar, and don’t work alone when felling trees.