How loud is a circular saw?
DeWALT declares 89 dB(A) (DCS512, 12 V) and 91 dB(A) (DCS570, 184 mm) emission sound pressure at the operator in the standard test. On real construction sites, a cordless circular saw cutting steel studs averaged 110.4 dB LAeq at the worker's hearing zone, with C-weighted peaks averaging 125.2 dB.
- Level
- 89–110.4 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- 1 min 21 s a dayNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 5,248× energyabout 13.2× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Low end: manufacturer-declared LpA for two DeWALT cordless circular saws (EN 62841-2-5). High end: mean LAeq from shoulder-worn dosimeters while framers cut steel studs with a cordless circular saw on live construction sites.
Declared values come from a standard test cut and are meant for comparing tools: the DCS570 manual gives LpA 91 dB(A) and sound power LWA 102 dB(A). Field measurements show what happens with a hard material. In a 2024 study of steel stud framers, dosimeter microphones sat near each worker's hearing zone; the cordless circular saw, the only saw fitted with a metal-cutting blade, had a mean LAeq of 110.4 dB, the highest of the four saw types measured.
The same study found the level depends on whether the blade is in the cut: about 105 to 130 dBA during the cut, and about 90 to 95 dBA with the blade spinning freely. HSE gives 95 to 105 dB(A) as a typical uncontrolled level for circular sawing of metal in engineering workshops.
How long is safe?
NIOSH recommends no more than 1 min 21 s a day at 110.4 dBA (3 h 10 min at 89). OSHA's legal limit is 28 min.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 dBA | 3 h 10 min | No limit | 1 h | 3 h 11 min |
| 110.4 dBA | 1 min 21 s | 28 min | 26 s | 1 min 23 s |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Treat any circular saw as needing hearing protection. Keep cuts short, keep blades sharp and choose the right blade; keep other people away from the cutting area, since bystanders get much of the same noise.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Trumpet (86–108 dBA): this has about 1.9× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Headphones at full volume (80–115 dBA): this has about 1.7× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Marching band (91.2–112.3 dBA): it has about 1.6× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- NASCAR race (96.5–109 dBA): it has about 2× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 5,248× its energy and sounds about 13.2× as loud.
Questions
How many decibels is a circular saw?
Declared emission levels are around 89 to 91 dB(A) at the operator for DeWALT cordless models. Cutting steel studs on site, a cordless circular saw averaged 110.4 dB(A) at the worker's shoulder.
Why is a circular saw louder when cutting metal?
Noise rises sharply once the blade contacts the material: one study recorded about 105 to 130 dBA during cuts against about 90 to 95 dBA with the blade spinning free.
Sources
- DeWALT DCS512 12 V circular saw instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: dB_low: LpA 89 dB(A).
(emission sound pressure level) dB(A) 89
Checked 2026-11-03. - DeWALT DCS570 184 mm cordless circular saw instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: LpA 91 dB(A).
(emission sound pressure level) dB(A) 91
Checked 2026-11-03. - DeWALT DCS570 184 mm cordless circular saw instruction manual, DeWALT (manufacturer). Supports: body: LWA 102 dB(A).
(sound power level) dB(A) 102
Checked 2026-11-03. - Power saw noise levels during steel stud cutting tasks on commercial construction sites: a tool characterization from a worker exposure standpoint, Annals of Work Exposures and Health (2024), open access via PMC. Supports: dB_high: mean LAeq 110.4 dB, mean LCpeak 125.2 dB.
Cordless Circular Saw 110.4 125.2
Checked 2026-11-03. - Power saw noise levels during steel stud cutting tasks on commercial construction sites: a tool characterization from a worker exposure standpoint, Annals of Work Exposures and Health (2024), open access via PMC. Supports: body: in-cut vs free-running levels.
This data recording included not only the noise level produced during the cut (~105–130 dBA) but also the noise level of the saw prior to or following contact with the stud when the blade/cut-off wheel was rotating but not touching the stud (~90–95 dBA).
Checked 2026-11-03. - Power saw noise levels during steel stud cutting tasks on commercial construction sites: a tool characterization from a worker exposure standpoint, Annals of Work Exposures and Health (2024), open access via PMC. Supports: distance: hearing zone.
Dosimeters were attached to the participant’s shoulder with the microphone near the participant’s hearing zone (i.e. two-foot-wide sphere surrounding the head).
Checked 2026-11-03. - Noise in engineering, Health and Safety Executive (UK). Supports: body: 95-105 dB(A) circular sawing metal.
Circular sawing metal 95-105 dB(A)
Checked 2026-11-03.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.