Circular saw buying guide

Dennis, self-taught DIYer, Bristol
18 guidesImportant features
- Power
- Cutting depth
- Plunge-cut
- Guidance
Circular saws: standard or plunge-cut?

Circular saw
The circular saw is the perfect tool for frequent straight-line cutting tasks. The circular saw is operated with both hands - one on the rear handle with the on-off button, the other on the front handle to steer. It rests on the piece of wood to be cut and can make straight cuts of a variety of lengths. The circular saw can cut boards of different lengths and widths but the thickness must not exceed the depth of the blade - this is adjustable and varies according to the diameter of the blade.
The depth of cut is predetermined before use. Circular saws have a tilting hood protecting the bottom of the blade and retracting as the cutting progresses.
Plunge-cut saw
The plunge-cut circular saw has a special feature: when you press the rear handle, the blade 'plunges' down and penetrates the wood (the latter is protected by a one-piece hood whose upward movement is resisted by springs). What this means is that you can start cutting a piece of wood from the middle.
Circular saws: which power rating to choose?

Power rating and cutting capacity of a circular saw
Essentially, a saw's power rating determines its ability to cut through material. It isn't very helpful in this case to talk in terms of maximum duration of use. Depending on your needs and the type and size of wood you plan to cut, you might choose a higher or lower powered saw. Go above 1800 or 2000W and you're into the big time.
You won't get through an 80mm x 1.5m oak timber with a puny circular saw under 1200W!
Power rating is also related to cutting depth, dictated by the diameter of the blade. A carpenter's circular saw with a cutting depth of 132mm requires a motor of at least 2300W and weighs around 18kg.
Circular saw with battery
Circular saws: why use a cutting guide?

Adjustable and laser guides
Controlling your circular saw's action with some kind of guide will immediately improve the accuracy of the cut. Most circular saws are equipped with an adjustable guide fixed parallel to the base. However, this isn't always helpful - especially when you're cutting a long way from the edge, or the edge isn't straight. Some saws are equipped with a laser guide but don't get too excited. The precision of the cut still mostly comes down to your own concentration!
Guide rails
The best control can be had with an aluminium guide rail, complete with non-slip brackets or clamps, which is placed on the piece to be cut. The base of the saw slides along the rail, ensuring a perfectly straight cut.
Circular saw: which features and accessories to choose

The blade of a circular saw can rotate up to 6000rpm - so enhanced safety options are not to be sniffed at. Depending on the model, you might have:
- A separator to prevent the already-cut part of the wood from jamming the blade;
- A blade brake to 'cut' stopping time down to 3 seconds;
- A variable-speed drive to adapt cutting speed to the material;
- Movable blade housing for added protection;
- A rear vent for chip clearing;
- A vacuum cleaner connection for less dusty work;
- A tilting base for bias cuts (45°);
- Adjustable blade depth for different thicknesses;
- A laser tracer to guide you along the cutting line.
Circular saw: how to choose a circular saw blade

Circular saw blade: cutting depth
Each model of circular saw is designed for a specific diameter of blade, and blade diameter determines cutting depth:
- A 160/170mm diameter blade allows cutting depths of 55mm.
- Diameter 185mm: depth 60mm;
- Diameter 190mm: depth 65mm;
- Diameter 230mm: cuts up to 85mm deep.
Circular saw blade: number of teeth
Multi-purpose circular saw blade
Circular saw blade: bore gauge
3 top tips for choosing your circular saw

Or are you the type to design your own furniture, never mind the lungfuls of sawdust? Then go for a higher-power circular saw - i.e. 1600-1800W - to get good performance and cut quality on hardwoods. Your choice of blade will depend on what you want to cut.
If you're a professional, don't hold back! You might even want more than one circular saw to serve various needs. Nothing gets through floorboards like a pro-level circular saw! As for blades, they can always be replaced, but you could also re-sharpen them yourself.
That just leaves the usual precautions to remind you of: gloves, goggles and ear protection!
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Dennis, self-taught DIYer, Bristol 18 guides écrits

I started doing DIY 10 years or so ago, when I bought a house that needed to be renovated.
After having installed loft isolation, and having refurbished the bathroom, the toilets, the kitchen, the bedrooms… I built an extension, installed a new fence with a gate and kitted out the house with a solar panel to make hot water. I have poured tens of tonnes of concrete into slabs or into the foundations and renovated the roof… I can say that building materials and tools are no stranger to me!
If I had a pound for every hour spent looking up information in forums and DIY magazines to find solutions to my problems, I'd be a millionaire! So passing on my knowledge on tools and home equipment is natural, as it is just giving back what I borrowed.