STIHL tip
When selecting construction wood, be sure to use straight pieces. The slats must be absolutely straight for the folding mechanism to work.
How to build a DIY sawhorse: instructions
You can quickly build your own wooden sawhorse – it’s so useful for your chainsaw projects. Let’s get to work.
24.06.2025
Preparation: build a DIY sawhorse
A self-built sawhorse is ideal for ensuring you can use your chainsaw at a comfortable working height during DIY tasks. Before you start building your wooden sawhorse, it’s a good idea to get your protective equipment and all the necessary tools ready first. Native softwood timber is a suitable construction material for this project; for safety reasons you should avoid using waste wood or pallet material. Here is the full list:
- 30 wood screws, 4.5 x 70 mm
- 6 pan head carriage bolts M10 x 70 mm
- 6 M10 self-locking nuts
- 6 washers for M10 bolts, internal diameter 10.5 mm, external diameter approx. 30 mm (max. 34 mm)
- 6 planed/chamfered wooden slats, 34 x 54 x 2000 mm
- 1 planed/chamfered wooden plank, 18 x 145 x 2000 mm
- Round solid rubber cord for holding the wood
- Chainsaw, for example STIHL MSA 70 or STIHL MS 162
- Tape measure
- Trestle
- Set square
- Pencil
- Cordless sander
- Cordless screwdriver with bits
- Wood drill bit 10 mm
- Forstner drill bit 35 mm
- Ratchet with 17 mm socket
Working with high-performance power tools is fun and allows you to broaden your skills, which is great if you can rely on effective and safe protective clothing.
Always wear your personal protective equipment when working with STIHL power tools. Find out more in the owners manuals for your product. Before using your power tool for the first time, fully familiarise yourself with it and ensure that it is in flawless condition before each use.
On request, your STIHL dealer will be happy to prepare your power tool for its first job, and will also advise you on models and sizes of protective clothing that you can try on at your leisure. Please remember that personal protective equipment is no substitute for safe working.
Choosing wood from sustainable forestry
It is preferable to use timber offcuts that you already have. If you need to buy wood, choose certified sustainable timber which has been regionally sourced and has not been transported great distances to reach your garden. That way you know exactly where your wood has come from and are making a good choice for the environment.
DIY sawhorse: instructions
This folding sawhorse can be used to make multiple cuts in a piece of wood at once, and can also be compactly stored. Read our instructions carefully before you start building your DIY wooden sawhorse. Enjoy your work!
Start by measuring out the wood for your DIY sawhorse using a tape measure. Use a set square to mark the correct lengths. You will need to cut wooden slats in lengths as follows: 1 x 65 cm, 2 x 67 cm, 3 x 70 cm, 1 x 95 cm, 2 x 100 cm, 1 x 123 cm and 2 x 128 cm. Your wooden planks should be cut to the following lengths: 1 x 70 cm and 1 x 75 cm.
First check the chain tension and oil level on your chainsaw. Now saw the wooden pieces for your DIY sawhorse to the correct lengths and sand the cut edges. You should take care when doing this as sawing may have caused the wood surface to splinter.
Before drilling, mark out drillholes for the connecting screws based on the construction drawing. The 35 mm Forstner drill bit is suitable for blind holes, while you should use a 10 mm wood drill bit for through holes.
STIHL tip
Be sure to drill blind holes for the screws where specified. A blind hole is a hole that does not fully penetrate through the wooden component. These are used so that the saw chain will not collide with any screws later on.
Lay out the moving parts together and make all the necessary screw connections, starting with the longest piece of wood. Screw the medium-sized piece of wood onto it first followed by the smallest piece. Pan head carriage bolts are suitable for this purpose. Use a washer and a self-locking nut for each screw connection. Tighten each screw connection with a ratchet – while making sure that the wooden parts still move so that you can fold the sawhorse.
Place the 70 cm plank on top of the wooden slats that have already been connected and screw in place using two 4.5 x 70 mm screws on each slat. Make sure that the plank is flush with the middle leg.
Fold the scissor joint so that the legs are at a 45° angle. With the wooden sawhorse standing, screw in the barrier strips using two 4.5 x 70 mm screws each – one barrier strip on the lower part of the sawhorse and two on the upper part. The barrier strips limit the range of motion of the three wooden struts. Finally, attach the second plank, 75 cm, underneath.
Now drill a hole for the solid round rubber cord in the lower barrier strip and thread the cord through it. This can be used to securely hold timber in place for sawing.
Now you can unfold your DIY sawhorse and secure a piece of wood on it to work on.
Your DIY sawhorse will be a great help for sawing firewood or building your own wooden furniture – how about a DIY garden table or bench for example? You can find the instructions on our STIHL website.
Important questions and answers
To build a sawhorse yourself, you should first measure and cut the wooden parts you need, then drill the necessary holes and join all the components together.
For your DIY sawhorse, it is important to use wood that is as straight as possible, so the folding mechanism works properly.
In addition, after construction your sawhorse must be stable so that you can safely cut wood on it.
Your sawhorse should be about 80-90 cm tall, so that it is suitable for someone to use with a chainsaw while standing.
You can decide what dimensions your own sawhorse should have. In our example, wooden slats with the following dimensions were used: 1 x 65 cm, 2 x 67 cm, 1 x 95 cm, 2 x 100 cm, 1 x 123 cm and 2 x 128 cm. Wooden planks of the following lengths were used in constructing the sawhorse: 4 x 70 cm and 1 x 75 cm.
