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Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Framing

Guide Home
Chapter
  • Introduction to Framing
  • Framing Tools, Techniques, and Materials
  • Framing Floors
  • Framing Walls
  • Framing Stairs
  • Framing Roofs
  • Efficient Framing Methods
  • Timber Framing
Mastered in a Minute

How to Cut a Notch with a Circular Saw

The saw doubles as a plane for quick notches in framing lumber.

By Matthew Millham

Cutting notches in framing for bracing or other reasons is often done with a circular saw. Here’s how.

First, use the material that needs to fit in the notch as a marking guide. Mark the edges of the notch with a pencil or marker.

Next, use the material that needs to fit into the notch to set the saw’s depth. Place the material on a hard surface, and place the saw on the material, letting the blade hang off the side. Adjust the saw so the blade just touches the surface below the material that needs to fit into the notch.

Starting at one of the marks on the piece to be notched, make a series of cuts until you make it to the other mark. Use a hammer to knock out most of the waste between the cuts.

Then use the saw to clean out the bottom of the notch. With the saw’s shoe resting on solid wood to the side of the notch, hold the guard up, and carefully run the saw from one end of the roughed-out notch to the other until the bottom of the notch is flat. For wider notches, work from both sides of the notch to make sure the saw’s shoe stays in solid contact with the workpiece.

More resources for efficient framing:

Wall-Framing Layout, Step by Step – Following a systematic sequence will ensure that your wall framing comes together without any mistakes.

How to Frame Walls Plumb and Straight – When carpenters use consistent and efficient methods for framing a house, it makes the entire build go much more smoothly.

Advanced Wall Framing – Residential designer and carpenter Michael Maines describes framing details that can make a home more efficient to build and to heat.

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Guide

Framing

Chapter

Framing Tools, Techniques, and Materials

View Comments

  1. User avater
    PatrickMclaren | Aug 16, 2019 01:16am | #1

    Very informative video!

  2. User avater
    ChaseGraham | Sep 12, 2019 02:02am | #2

    Thanks for sharing information!

  3. User avater
    RodgerMckinley | Oct 04, 2019 06:55am | #3

    Good job!

  4. User avater
    AshlieDPerron | Oct 12, 2019 04:20am | #4

    Nice technique!

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Framing

Framing

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Introduction to Framing
  • House Framing Concepts, Tips, and More
Framing Tools, Techniques, and Materials
  • Tools
  • Techniques
  • Framing Lumber
  • Steel
Framing Floors
  • Floor Framing
  • Engineered Floors
  • Floor Sheathing
Framing Walls
  • Wall Framing Basics
  • Layout
  • Wall Assembly
  • Raising and Straightening Walls
  • Framing Rough Openings
  • Blocking
Framing Stairs
  • Stair Layout
  • Building Stairs
Framing Roofs
  • Roof-Framing Basics
  • Roof Design
  • Laying Out and Cutting Rafters
  • Framing Valleys
  • Working with Trusses
  • Dormers
  • Special Situations
Efficient Framing Methods
  • Advanced Framing
  • Double-Stud Walls
Timber Framing
  • Timber-Frame Construction
  • Timber-Frame Design

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