Can Angle Grinders Cut Wood?

Yes, angle grinders can be used to cut wood. However, when using an angle grinder to cut wood, you will need a wood-cutting blade that is designed for use with the tool. These blades typically have teeth made of a harder material, such as carbide, which can more effectively cut through the fibers of the wood.

You will also need to use a low-speed setting on an angle grinder with a variable speed setting and apply gentle, steady pressure to the blade as you cut to avoid splintering or damaging the wood.

That said, there are risks to undertaking this possibly hazardous task. So here’s the verdict on whether you should or should not partake in this potentially risky activity. Let’s get to it!

Can I Use a Metal Cutting Disc on Wood?

The short and stupid answer is, yes. But, it’s not ideal and most pros would very much advise against using a metal cutting disc to cut wood.

Why is that? Because using an abrasive blade on a grinder to cut a combustible material like wood, could likely result in tragedy.

Apart from that obvious reason, there is another potential hazard associated with using an angle grinder to cut wood: kickback.

When you’re utilizing a high-speed power tool like a grinder to make a cut on a piece of metal or even when attempting to cut concrete with a diamond saw blade, there is more resistance due to the density of the material.

“Grinders spin crazy fast! Typically at 11,000-12,000 RPM! Which compare that with a circular saw that does about 5,000 RPM, and you can see where the speed stress comes from when cutting with a grinder.”

Ethan Daniel James – The Honest Carpenter

This isn’t the case with wood. With a small change in position by slightly twisting your wrist when cutting a lightweight material like wood, and the grinder could radically alter course. 

When this does happen, your reaction time will not be fast enough to counteract the almost instantaneous change, and you could now have an out-of-control grinder spinning at up to 15,000 RPM.

Plus, (most) grinders usually don’t have an electric brake mechanism and are slow to spin to a stop, and I’m assuming you don’t want to get in the way of an angry grinder floating through space and time.

So yeah, all-in-all, making use of a grinder with a metal cutting blade to chop wood isn’t the greatest of ideas.

What’s the Safest Alternative For Cutting Wood Quickly?

Well, this all depends on what tools you have access to, but you can use either a circular saw, a miter saw or even upgrade the blade on your existing angle grinder with an “angle grinder wood blade” to effectively cut any wood material… within reason.

There is a speed-cutting blade from Graff that has been specifically engineered to cut wood as it utilizes three tungsten carbide teeth.

This is the ideal blade to use as opposed to your traditional crosscut or ripping blade, which has a far greater number of teeth. Why? The more teeth, the more friction.

As long as you match the rotation of the blade with your grinder, you can conclusively slice through wooden material with a three-teeth angle grinder blade with little difficulty.

This type of blade from Graff has been designed to operate at high speed, thus reducing the risk of potential kickback.

As we mentioned, this type of saw blade is relatively new to the market and could be considered a specialty blade, so finding it at your local hardware store could be a bit of a challenge.

Your best bet in locating one of these unique saw blades would be to either scour the internet in-between frequent visits to PornHub or unenthusiastically venture out your front door to hunt down this mysterious blade in real life.

Or then again, you could just grab one from Amazon –

The Risks of Cutting Wood With an Angle Grinder

Unfortunately, accidents do happen in the workplace, even when the right precautions have been implemented. But did you know that more accidents occur in the homes of DIYers than on job sites in the United States?

This is because construction and manufacturing sites are controlled environments with independent employees who oversee any and all safety-related concerns. 

The fact is, in the 20-plus years I’ve worked in the construction industry, I’ve never seen anyone cut wood with an angle grinder. Why is that? Because the risk isn’t worth the reward, and you want to go home (or to the nearest bar) at the end of the day, not the emergency room. 

If such a catastrophe does occur, attempting to cut wood with an angle grinder, you could be in for a world of pain.

Anyway, why risk it? There are two much better cost-effective power tools that are literally made for cutting wood that doesn’t pose the same risks.

If you have a decent amount of lumber to cut and you’re a DIY enthusiast that always has one job or another on the go, get yourself a miter saw or even a circular saw.

Best Budget Power Tools for Cutting Wood 

Here are three of the top options I’d advise investing in that are both high-quality and budget-friendly. 

Honestly, there’s not much of a price difference between these power tools, but they are vastly dissimilar in regard to what you can accomplish with them. 

Either way, they are a huge step up in terms of capability and performance when compared to cutting wood with an angle grinder. 

Now, if you’re only looking to cut small woodcuts (like the edges of trim), or carve sections of wood, an angle grinder obviously has its place. But again, just make sure you use either a three-tooth wood-cutting disc or a wood-carving disc. 

Lastly, the one material I’d avoid cutting with an angle grinder is plywood, and that is with or without a 3-tooth cutting disc. Not worth the risk! It’s just too damn flimsy.

Honestly, you’re better off using a table saw or circular saw when attempting to cut plywood, especially if you’re ripping boards of plywood.

Is Cutting Wood With an Angle Grinder Effective?

There are certain evident safety concerns related to cutting wood with an angle grinder, and I wouldn’t recommend using an angle grinder for your beginner woodworking project. 

But, if you take the necessary precautions, use the correct three-tooth cutting disc, and you’re only cutting a few edges here and there, using an angle grinder is a viable option. 

That said, do everyday woodworkers really recommend using an angle grinder on a regular basis? Yep, they sure do. An angle grinder for woodworking is like that side piece you regularly use for fun but never mention to anyone.

They are the often-forgotten champion of power tools in every woodworker’s and carpenter’s tool chest. But that said, use them wisely and with care.

How Do You Use an Angle Grinder on Wood?

Angle grinders are perfect for tasks such as carving, sanding, and shaping. With a wood carving disc attached to your angle grinder, you can decisively sculpt wooden materials like a master craftsman. 

But using an angle grinder for productively cutting wooden materials on a regular basis? Hmm, I’d say, a grinder is not the best choice of power tool for effectively cutting wood. You’d be much better served using a table saw, circular saw, or even a miter saw. 

Again, for cutting small sections of wood using a three-tooth cutting disc, yeah sure, have at it, tiger. But for anything beyond that, I’d recommend using a power tool that has been specifically designed and engineered for such purposes.   

Either way, just remember to always use the appropriate PPE gear like; safety goggles, ear protection, and cut-resistant gloves, which are really the bare minimum when wielding a grinder. 

Honestly, all power tools should be handled with care. But when it comes to grinders, there are over five thousand serious injuries reported each year in the united states, so considerable caution should be taken when conducting work with a grinder.

Lastly, if I could offer one piece of advice whenever using an angle grinder to cut any material, I would never remove the guard unless the power supply is isolated.

Note, operating a grinder without a guard when cutting any material could result in you leaving the hospital with a face full of stitches or a mangled hand. 

In Conclusion

As you can see, the discussion on whether angle grinders should be used to cut wood is not that straightforward. The reason is that this tool may be too powerful for most wood materials and thus can increase your chances of injury due to possible kickback. 

That said, you do have options regarding alternatives when wanting to cut wood with a grinder as you can simply switch the disc to a three-tooth disc for small jobs.

While we think that there are certain benefits to using an angle grinder for carving, shaping, and sanding, you need to be fully focused and understand the limits of the grinder in comparison to other tools.

If you have access to either a circular saw, table saw or even a miter saw, you’d be better off going in that direction when attempting to make precise miter cuts or when endeavoring to rip boards of wood.