How to Cut a Hedge with a Chainsaw in 4 Easy Steps [2024]

Richard McMann

Knowledge Based

cutting a hedge with chainsaw in 4 easy stepsHedges come in different sizes length and width-wise. These nature-made fences create a beautiful boundary and keep unwanted intrusion out.

They need maintenance and care to hold their shape and beauty intact like humans. And like us humans, they require tools to do that.

Although hedges have a specific tool made just for them, it might be possible that you don’t have it. 

But maybe you have a chainsaw, and that may be the reason you are here. If yes, let’s see how to cut a hedge with a chainsaw.

If you are new to using a chainsaw or have been using it for some time, it is obvious that it is a big power tool. And a hedge is a shrub abundant in stems and leaves. 

With a tool like a chainsaw, proper safety measures are to be heeded and followed. But before all that, make sure to read the user manual that came with your chainsaw.

Precautions to Take Before Cutting Hedge with a Chainsaw

A chainsaw can be used to cut, trim, and reduce the hedge to half. In all cases, first and foremost, make sure that the hedge is not a home to an animal or bird. If yes, then make sure to remove that. In this article, you get a step-by-step guide to do all of it.

Cutting the Hedge with the Chainsaw in 4 Easy Steps

Hedges have thin barks compared to trees, but their barks are also hidden in the bundle of all their leaves and stem. Big ones like Conifer hedges can be treated as trees.

Step 1: Locate and Inspect the Hedge

  1. Check and locate possible animals or birds living on or in the hedge.
  2. Before starting cutting, it is good practice to mark the branches you want to cut.

Step 2: Clearing

Clean out the area around the bark if that is the target. 

Step 3: Cutting down the hedge

When dealing with the hedge, the whole thickness of its bark should be inspected. Thin ones can be taken down with straight cute but for a bigger one

  1. Locate the bark.
  2. Clean out some of the area around it using the chainsaw.
  3. Place the gas chainsaw at a 70-degree angle where you want the hedge to fall
  4. Make a horizontal cut that meets at the angle.

For thin ones

  1. Place the battery chainsaw horizontally on the visible region of the bark.
  2. Make sure to be on the side opposite where the hedge might fall.
  3. Slowly make a straight cut from one side to the other.

Step 4: Cutting down the branches

If the goal is just to cut down the unwanted branches, first make sure it is not home to some animal. If yes, make sure to remove that.

  • Place the chainsaw at a 30-degree angle and make swift cuts.

In case you want to shape the hedge, then precision is required. It might be easy to achieve on bigger ones. Small or even medium ones could be damaged.

  1. Place the chainsaw in the desired direction. Make sure it is below your waist.
  2. Make straight cuts from top to bottom.
  3. Cut down only 10-20% at a time.
  4. Slow down the speed when finishing to get a clean shape

Trimming the Hedge with the Chainsaw in 2024

A chainsaw is used for cutting down trees and thick wood. Hedges, on the other hand, have lots of branches small in size. Hence it requires finesse and low power in order to avoid any damage to the plant. 

  1. Put the chainsaw on the angle you want to trim it.
  2. Move it in the desired direction slowly. 
  3. Do a little bit at a time. Too much can cause unwanted damage to the plant or shape.
  4. Keep the chainsaw steady. 

Cutting the hedge in half using a chainsaw in 2024

Whether to cut the hedge vertically to make a way or horizontally to size it down, the chainsaw is an ideal tool. To half it down in size

  1. Place the chainsaw at the desired height at a horizontal angle.
  2. Move it steadily in line till the end of the hedge.
  3. Once the cut is done, remove the upper half and trim extra branches to make the cut clean.

To cut it in half to make a pathway

  1. Map out the desired length.
  2. Make two vertical cuts from top to bottom on both sides of the mapped outline.
  3. Cut down the barks horizontally at the bottom.
  4. Remove the cutout and do final trimming for a clean-cut path.

Here is a visual guide by SeriousSchitt that would help you cut down a hedge with a chainsaw without any hassle

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a chainsaw suitable for cutting hedges?

Yes, it is. A chainsaw is a strong and sharp tool used to cut down trees, Hedge leveling and cutting wood, etc. A hedge can easily be torn into pieces using a chainsaw.

Is a chainsaw a good choice for trimming the hedges?

Although a chainsaw might not be as precise, it gets the job done. If you have a steady hand with the chainsaw, you get delicate trims. For better outcome, we would recommend getting a mini chainsaw and nothing is better than Saker Mini Chainsaw at this time of the year. 

What differences do hedge trimmers and chainsaws have?

A hedge trimmer is a tool made especially to shape and trim the ends of a hedge, whereas a chainsaw is a powerful tool used to cut down trees and used in limber.

Conclusion: How to Cut a Hedge with a Chainsaw in 2024?

To cut, trim, or make a path in a hedge chainsaw does it all. It is a big tool that requires a strong, steady hand while cutting and precision while doing fine work such as trimming.

For any kind of work with a chainsaw, one should make sure that it is in good condition. Its chain is sharp and tightened. And all the precautions and safety measures are in check.

While dealing with hedges, it’s important to make sure that there is no animal living in them. Gloves to avoid prickly branches. Goggles protect your eyes. The size and density of the hedge. And the right tool to maintain this beautiful fence of nature.

Richard McMann
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