How to Cut Branches with a Chainsaw? | Safe Limb-Cutting Steps

Cut branches with a chainsaw by relieving tension with an undercut first, then cutting from the opposite side at full throttle.

For the full breakdown, see our best Chainsaw For Pruning guide.

Cutting branches with a chainsaw looks straightforward until a limb pinches the bar or tears bark. The right sequence prevents both. The techniques that follow come from official guidance by Husqvarna, the USDA Forest Service, and ECHO, and they apply to limbing and pruning work on the ground.

Start With the Right Stance and Gear

Before the chain touches wood, clear the work area of tripping hazards and plan a spot to stand while cutting. This stance keeps you stable when the cut finishes and the branch drops.

Wear a helmet with a face screen, hearing protection, gloves, and close-fitting protective clothing. Engage the chain brake before starting the saw, and use it again whenever you take a hand off the saw or walk more than two steps with it running.

Relieve Tension Before the Main Cut

A hanging branch under load will pinch the bar or tear bark if you cut it straight through. The fix is a two-cut sequence. First, make a small undercut on the compression side of the branch — the side that pushes together under the load — cutting one-quarter to one-third of the way through the diameter. Then finish with a downward cut from the opposite side. The branch drops cleanly without binding the bar.

Cuts made too far from the trunk create dangerous spikes that can injure anyone walking nearby.

Full Throttle, Sharp Chain, Safe Zone

Run the chainsaw at full speed for every cut, and keep the chain sharp. A dull chain forces you to push the saw, which causes kickback and ragged cuts. Let the saw’s speed do the work; don’t force it through the wood.

Keep the bar below shoulder height and avoid extending your arms to reach. The bar tip is the kickback zone — if it touches another branch or obstruction, the saw can lurch violently toward you. Stay out of that zone, and let the chain stop fully before you reposition.

These techniques cover ground-level limbing and pruning. They do not apply to overhead cutting, working from a ladder, or climbing in a tree with a chainsaw — official sources from Husqvarna and the USDA explicitly warn against those scenarios.

Common Mistakes That Cause Injuries

The most frequent error is cutting into the kickback zone with the bar tip, often while reaching awkwardly. Another is skipping the tension-relieving undercut, which ends with the bar pinched mid-cut or the branch snapping and throwing the saw.

Move only when the chain has stopped or the brake is engaged.

Anyone ready to buy or upgrade their cutting tool can compare tested options in our roundup of the best chainsaws for pruning, which covers bar lengths and weight trade-offs for branch work.