---
title: "How loud is a chainsaw?"
description: "A chainsaw reaches 100–115 dB. How that compares to other things, and where the number comes from."
url: https://atoneplace.net/loud/chainsaw/
site: "At One Place"
---

# How loud is a chainsaw?

**Typical loudness: 100–115 dB**

A hand-held saw with a cutting chain driven around a guide bar.

> At the operator ear position, compiled from manufacturer declarations. Hearing protection is mandatory at these levels within minutes.

## How that compares

*Chainsaw against things of a similar loudness.*

- Fire truck: 110–129 dB
- Ambulance: 110–129 dB
- Chainsaw: 100–115 dB
- Drum kit: 95–115 dB
- Jackhammer: 95–115 dB
- Church bell: 90–120 dB
- Motorcycle: 80–110 dB
- Blender: 80–95 dB

## How long you can safely listen

About 2 minutes a day before damage risk begins.

Decibels are logarithmic, which makes the intuitive arithmetic wrong in a way worth knowing: every 10 dB is ten times the sound energy, and two identical sources together are 3 dB louder than one — not double. So two 70 dB fans are 73 dB, not 140 dB.

> Levels are measured at roughly one metre unless stated otherwise. Sound falls off with distance — about 6 dB per doubling — so the same appliance is noticeably quieter across a room than beside your ear.

## More about a chainsaw

- [How much does a chainsaw weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/chainsaw/) — 3–10 kg
- [How much does a chainsaw cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/chainsaw/) — 120–1,500 $
- [Chainsaw vs Leaf blower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/chainsaw-vs-leaf-blower/) — Side by side
- [Chainsaw vs Toolbox](https://atoneplace.net/vs/chainsaw-vs-toolbox/) — Side by side

## Common questions

### How loud is a chainsaw?

A chainsaw reaches 100–115 dB. At the operator ear position, compiled from manufacturer declarations. Hearing protection is mandatory at these levels within minutes.

## Related pages

- [How much does a chainsaw weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/chainsaw/)
- [How much does a chainsaw cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/chainsaw/)
- [How loud is a lawn mower?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/lawn-mower/)
- [How loud is a generator?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/generator/)
- [How loud is a leaf blower?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/leaf-blower/)
- [How loud is a pressure washer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/pressure-washer/)
- [How loud is a jackhammer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/jackhammer/)
- [How loud is a air compressor?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/air-compressor/)
- [Chainsaw vs Leaf blower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/chainsaw-vs-leaf-blower/)
- [Chainsaw vs Toolbox](https://atoneplace.net/vs/chainsaw-vs-toolbox/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)
- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (https://www.osha.gov/noise) [Public domain (US Government)]