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Sawhorses are one of the best tools constructing homes, scaffolding, and other home improvements–and finding the best ones can make a big difference.
August 2020 has been a difficult time for everyone, but especially those living in Northern California. A global pandemic, uncertainty about the economy, and unrest is more than enough to point to rising rates of depression– but now Californians have devastating fires to cope with as well.
Kurt Balaseck survived the previous CampFire–only to find himself forced to flee for yet another fire. For Mr. Balaseck, the loss and challenges are great–meaning that a tool like a sawhorse becomes something more than a handy device for home improvement and an essential for rebuilding what’s been lost.
Aside from hardship, though, there actually are signs that people are starting to look into renovations and DIY projects, from selecting the right paint color to updating their attic insulation or even taking on the best kitchen improvement ideas.
While money may be tight, the real estate market is hot right now, and, with the influx of remote work, more are free to consider moves they may not have made. And a good way to ensure your home is more attractive to consumers? Updating your home.
In this guide, I’ll tell you my criteria for how to find the best sawhorses, what sawhorses are used for, and the best sawhorses you can buy from Home Depot, Amazon, and popular brands like Dewalt.
With nearly 3,000 ratings and high praise, this two in one sawhorse/ multi-function work table from WORX is easily one of the best sawhorses you can buy!
What is a Sawhorse?
Maybe you’re new to DIY projects or home renovations, or have just seen horses in Home Depot or on Amazon and wondered what they were used for.
sawhorses are a versatile tool for a variety or projects. You can think of them as a workbench. sawhorses are a plank designed with four feet and are made of wood, metal, or even plastic. The bean usually forms a classic A frame, and sometimes are equipped with other features, such as adjustable legs; swingable hinges; and straps.
sawhorses can be bought and also made for the more adventurous DIY gurus. While sawhorses were traditionally a few sizes and made out of lumbar, there are increasingly more options today.
What are SawHorses Used For?
Also known as a saw-horse or even mule in some regions, sawhorses are used as a working table for saw cutting projects. They can also be used to support logs, bulky wood, or other materials. In this way, they’re quite versatile. And since many tend to be portable, they can be handy for a long list of renovation and DIY projects to improve both the interior and exterior of your house.
Measuring and Cutting
The main reason you’ll use a sawhorse is for measuring materials and cutting. The stable frame provides the space you need, and protects you from potential accidents. It’s especially useful for free saws that don’t come with their own bench. If you buy the best sawhorse, it should be a versatile working space for nearly any measuring, cutting, or even some light drilling. By far the most common use, though, is to cut wood.
Scaffolding
Working on ceilings or other more ambitious projects? sawhorses can also serve as a workspace for scaffolding projects. Granted, the sawhorse must be able to support this, so make sure you check how much weight your sawhorse can support. If it’s a heavy-duty sawhorse, you should be able to use it to reach high areas while also having a place to easily access the tools you need.
General Work Bench
Need an all around work bench? Something I love about sawhorses is that not only do they serve specific purposes, but they’re all around one of the best options to have even if you just need somewhere steady to place your tools. And because most sawhorses are portable and some even foldable, it makes for easy storage and fuss-free set up.
General Rack
From sanding to painting to even washing clothes, a less conventional but still practical final use for sawhorses is as a general rack. You can easily dry what you need to, where you need to with a sawhorse.
How Do I Find the Best Sawhorses?
Now that you know what sawhorses are, and just how useful they are for home renovations, DIY, and scaffolding projects, let’s dive into how to find the best sawhorses.
As I mentioned already, there is no shortage of places where you can buy sawhorses, from Amazon to Home Depot to Lowe’s, Menard’s, and a myriad of other home improvement stores.
While it’s great to have a generous selection of sawhorses, it also means that it’s harder to select the best sawhorses. To make your buying decision easier, I’ll give you my criteria for how to find the best sawhorses, whether you’re shopping online or in stores. Then I’ll finish by telling you my favorite sawhorses you can buy right now.
What Material is Best?
sawhorses have been traditionally made with wood, but now you can also purchase metal or plastic versions and even steel. Your budget and planned projects should play a factor in what material you go with for your sawhorse.
Wood
Wood is a classic material for sawhorses and good reason. Wood tends to be sturdy and have a high level of durability; it also isn’t prone to rusting or corrosion. Not only that, but wood is usually reasonably priced. A downside is that wood sawhorses may require some maintenance; can splinter, and they also should not be left out in the rain.
Steel
Steel, of course, is a strong material for sawhorses, and may increase the weight the sawhorse can stand, making it ideal for scaffolding purposes. However, it’s by far the most prone to rusting. Steel is best for heavy duty projects.
Aluminum and Plastic
Aluminum is a tempting material for sawhorses, as it’s very light weight while still providing strength and support. Plastic is also quite lightweight and highly affordable, making both budget friendly and convenient if you’re using a sawhorse for multiple projects. Of the two, aluminum is more durable and can handle more weight than plastic. It also won’t corrode. The biggest downside is that there are simply less aluminum sawhorses available, which can limit your selection.
My Bottom Line: Go With Wood, or Aluminum for Light Work; Steel for Heavy Duty
Wood and aluminum are the two best materials for sawhorses. With wood, you may have more maintenance needed, but you’ll have a wider selection. Aluminum takes the idea of a transportable sawhorse to the next level due to its lightweight. Steel, meanwhile, you simply can’t beat in terms of strength and stability.
How Much Weight Should A Sawhorse Be Able to Support?
This next criteria is less clear cut, because a sawhorse that can support more weight does not inherently make it better. If you plan to use a sawhorse as a table to stabilize or hold lumbar, or for scaffolding, consider a sawhorse that will hold up to a few hundred pounds even up to 1,000 pounds of weight. Keep in mind that if you do plan to only do lightweight work, this is not necessarily an advantage.
What Other Features Do I Need?
You’ll be faced with different features, naturally, when looking for the best sawhorses. For that reason, here are some you should consider, and why.
Folding sawhorses
One of my favorite additional features is a foldable option. While not a must for all, foldable sawhorses are great for storage, great for a wide variety of projects, and tend to also be lightweight. If you’re like me and are always busy with a number of tasks on your plate, something that is easily stored away is a big plus. Keep in mind that this may not be a needed or ideal feature if you’re mostly planning on using sawhorses for heavy work.
The Ability to Add Accessories
Thinking about multi-purpose use for your sawhorse? One less common but nice feature for a sawhorse are those with other projects and accessories in mind. Some well-known brands, like Dewault, specifically design their sawhorses to fit with other tools they sell, like miter saws.
Padded Jaws and Heavy Duty Clamps
Jaws and clamps provide additional support; padded jaws are especially a good feature for more heavy duty projects. These increase stability and even safety, when used correctly. Detachable clamps are an excellent feature for more versatility.
Feet
Padded and nonskid feet will keep your sawhorses from ruining finishes or surfaces, while studded feet provide additional support.
Set-Up and Assembly
New to using a sawhorse? Some sawhorses offer easy assembly, while others take more work. A feature like gripping teeth is a great option for anyone wary of using nails and screws or not wanting face longer set up.
Reputation
This is one factor I don’t want to either rely too much on–or ignore. When it comes to finding the best sawhorses, going with a big name brand isn’t a guarantee, but a brand with a history of consistent quality products is a plus, as are high customer reviews. Steer away from ‘featured’ sawhorses (promotions) and instead pay attention to the company’s history of delivering quality products, as well as what real customers have to say.
The Best Sawhorses: My Picks
Now I’ll tell you my picks for the best sawhorses you can buy in 2020; where to buy them; and why I’ve selected each one.
From Menards
Menard’s is an excellent home improvement store with a nice selection of products, and that includes sawhorses. Menard’s is actually not the best place to shop for sawhorses, as they tend to be focused mostly on budget-friendly options. So for short duration projects it’s a great way to save money, but you won’t find top-end sawhorses.
Best Budget
This folding sawhorse may be bare-bones, but it’s a top seller for a reason. Rubberized non-slip feet provide stability for a sawhorse that can handle up to 250 pounds, while it’s foldable for easy storage. At just under five pounds, it’s easy to transport. It may not be the highest quality construction, but in a pinch, I love the simplicity and beyond an affordable price point.
Best Heavy Duty
For heavy-duty projects, Menard’s also offers a budget-friendly sawhorse, one which can handle up to 600 pounds–not as impressive as some sawhorses from other stores, but enough for most projects. I love features like no-slip feet, a sturdy clamp, and a shelf to store accessories.
Best All Around
If you’re looking for a classic sawhorse from Menard’s that can cover most improvement projects, I recommend Black and Decker’s Workmate. This portable sawhorse is great as an all around work bench, with no skid feet; the capability to support 350 pounds; and folding hinges for easy storage.
From Amazon
Amazon is truly a retail giant, among the big four tech companies and commanding the distinction as one of the most valuable retailers in the United States and the world. The upside is they offer a vast selection of products, but, unlike a home improvement store, do not specialize, so you’ll want to be choosy. Compared with Menards, they offer more expensive but potentially more durable sawhorses.
Best Budget
This folding steel sawhorse by Tough Built is a great option if you’re looking to spend under fifty dollars–a price point surprisingly much more difficult to stay under when you’re buying a sawhorse from Amazon. This sawhorse pairs lightweight transportation and easy storage with heavy duty steel for up to over a thousand pounds. Plus, it can be used for a wide range of products.
Best Heavy Duty
Bora Portmate offers a two-pack set of sawhorses that not only has some great features but also happens to rate well amongst customers and was selected as an Amazon Choice product. These sawhorses can hold up to 1500 pounds, making them ideal for scaffolding and related projects. I love that it’s mostly already assembled for you, and you get a one year warranty, making it more worth the investment.
With nearly 3,000 ratings and high praise, this two in one sawhorse/ multi-function work table from WORX is easily one of the best sawhorses you can buy!
Best All Around
With nearly 3,000 ratings and high praise, this two in one sawhorse/ multi-function work table from WORX is easily one of the best sawhorses you can buy on Amazon. I love that it comes equipped with clamps and holding pegs and can convert from standard workbench to sawhorse. The sawhorse supports up to 1,000 pounds and can take on a large variety of projects.
Best from Home Depot
Finally, let’s take a look at the best sawhorses from Home Depot. Home Depot is one of my favorite stores for home improvement projects, it’s the largest chain in the United States and is a great balance between Amazon and Menard’s, offering both budget and higher-end options.
Best Budget
A classic wooden sawhorse for under thirty dollars makes this a great pick. Made out of sturdy pine, this sawhorse can hold up to 100 pounds with both additional screws and glue that’s water-resistant to improve durability. Lightweight, simple to use, and transportable, it’s suited for light projects.
Best Heavy Duty
A similar option that was on Amazon, this Tough Built model is among my favorites for heavy-duty work. With this one, priced competitively at under sixty dollars, you get an adjustable height, handle for carrying, and an impressive weight capacity of 1,300 pounds. Made of 100 percent steel, I recommend this most for your biggest projects
Best All Around
Bora offers one of the best multi-purpose sawhorses you can buy at Home Depot. The two in one include a sawhorse that can accommodate heavy lumber that also converts into a sturdy work stand. Clamps and steel support all make this a great selection and you can even collapse it for easy storage and assembly.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have a sawhorse, for many projects you can use a multipurpose work table, and, in some cases, a workbench. A jaw stand is also an excellent tool for home renovation projects.
How much weight a sawhorse can hold varies widely. Some foldable ones can accommodate only up to a few hundred pounds, while heavy-duty ones, used for scaffolding and ceiling work, can handle a few thousand pounds.
How tall a sawhorse should depend both on your comfort level and the projects you’ll be using it for. A standard height range for a sawhorse is around 26 to 32 inches.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best sawhorse can make your next sawing, painting, or even renovation project easier. By using some criteria and setting standards, you can feel satisfied with your purchase and get on to the projects on your list.
With nearly 3,000 ratings and high praise, this two in one sawhorse/ multi-function work table from WORX is easily one of the best sawhorses you can buy!
