Chainsaw hire makes sense when you have one job to do: a fallen tree after a storm, a pile of branches to cut down to size, or wood to saw for the winter. You pay for a day or a weekend, the hire shop keeps the saw sharp and serviced, and you skip the cost of owning one. This page covers what to ask before you hire a chainsaw, what to check when you collect it and how to bring it back without losing your deposit. Send one request and local hire shops send you free quotes, with no obligation.
What to ask before you hire
- Engine size and bar length: a 40 to 45 cm bar suits most garden and plot work
- The day rate, half-day rate and weekend rate
- The deposit, and what ID or proof of address they want
- Whether fuel mix, chain oil and a spare chain are included
- Whether they hire out protective gear or insist you bring your own
- What happens if the chain is blunted on a stone or a nail
Some shops only hire saws to people who can show training, or offer a short handover. Take it.
Check the saw before you leave
Start the saw at the counter. Check that the chain brake stops the chain, the chain is sharp and tensioned, the chain catcher is in place and the oiler throws a fine line of oil when you rev it over a piece of card. Point out any damage before you sign. Ask which fuel mix ratio it takes and whether the mix is already in the tank. A saw run on plain petrol can seize, and that cost lands on the hirer.
On the day
Wear the full kit: helmet with visor and ear muffs, chainsaw trousers, boots and gloves (see chainsaw safety gear). Cut on firm ground, keep the bar out of the soil and stop to refill both fuel and chain oil together. Never cut above shoulder height. A hired saw is for cutting up wood that is already down or small trees with plenty of space. Anything over a roof, wall or power line is work for tree fellers.
Returning the saw
Bring it back on time, as late returns are often charged as a full extra day. Brush off sawdust and wipe the bar, and return the fuel can and any spare chain. Tell the shop about any problem honestly; a stone-damaged chain is cheaper to own up to than a dispute. If you find you hire every few weeks, it may be time to compare buying a chainsaw.
What to include in your request
- Date and number of days
- What you will cut and how thick
- Bar length you want
- Collect or delivered
- Whether you need protective gear too
Chainsaw Hire for different clients
- Homeowners: a day to cut up a fallen branch or tree after a storm in the garden
- Estates, complexes and body corporates: a weekend saw for the maintenance team after a storm in the complex
- Farms, smallholdings and plantations: extra saws for a week of cutting fallen gums and winter firewood
- Businesses and commercial property: a one-off day to clear storm damage from a parking lot or yard
- Schools, churches and municipalities: short hire for school and church grounds clean-up after heavy wind
- Developers and building sites: cutting up small trees and brush while a site is being cleared
- Servitudes and fire breaks: a spare saw when a team's own saw is in for a service
- Tree fellers, landscapers and garden services: a stand-in saw for garden services while their own is in the workshop
Frequently asked questions
How much does chainsaw hire cost per day?
Do I need training to hire a chainsaw?
Can I rent a chainsaw with an operator?
Will you hire me the chainsaw?
Chainsaw Hire by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg