Any project is only as good as the hands getting it done and the tools that are making it happen. There are a lot of tools that get attention, but one that is often overlooked is the humble sawhorse. A durable, high-quality sawhorse can mean the difference between a successful project with few setbacks and a complete mess. There are a variety of brands that make quality sawhorses, but the truly great options on the market largely depend on materials. There are a variety of styles to choose from, so let’s break down the best options when it comes to buying a quality sawhorse.
Sawhorse Styles
There are a lot of different sawhorse styles whose features are dictated by a few key elements of projects and construction. The most important aspects of a sawhorse are:
- Weight - the material dictates how much the sawhorse weighs, which contributes to its stability and ease of mobility.
- Price - the material of the sawhorse often dictates the price.
- Capacity - the material often informs how much it can hold for a job or project.
With that in mind, here are the different sawhorse styles and how they hold up under various situations.
Wooden
The wooden sawhorse is one of the most recognizable styles because it is an option you can actually make yourself. With basic tools and wood, a sawhorse is not difficult to make. The benefit of this style is that its largely inexpensive, and you can even build it on the job so you don’t have to worry about transportation. On that point, once built, they are not the most mobile sawhorses. Likewise, they are not necessarily meant for every job. For that reason, many look to a more feature-rich style of sawhorse.
Metal
Metal sawhorses are a great style for more intense jobs. Metal is much more durable in terms of natural wear and tear and can hold a heavier weight depending on what you are working with. For most jobs, metal is going to be a great option, and a lot of styles use metal at least for fittings and brackets. That being said, sawhorses made entirely of metal, while stable, can be heavy and difficult to move around the shop. This issue actually gave way to another popular form of sawhorse.
Plastic
Plastic sawhorses are a direct response to two things that come with metal: increased cost and weight. Plastic is a much lighter material, which makes taking a sawhorse from one jobsite to another much easier. In addition, they often cost less to purchase. Unfortunately, all-plastic models can be susceptible to warping and deformation under extreme heat and pressure, in if your shop is in a warm climate or you work with a lot of heavy materials, you’d do well to research bargain plastic sawhorses carefully. For these reasons, many of the best sawhorses take some plastic into the construction for its weight advantages, but do not rely solely on it for support.
Full-Featured
A good full-featured sawhorse features all of the best of these different styles. The Speedhorse, for example, is fully mobile and collapsible, but uses the power and strength of the best plastics and metals available to achieve an industry-leading blend of performance, portability, load-bearing ability, and value. When it comes to sawhorses, you can’t beat a full featured model. The Bora Tool Speedhorse is designed to be the best sawhorse on the market, and is now available in our online store.
