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For most shops, the best DeWalt saw horses choice comes down to two real options: the heavy-duty metal sawhorse (DWST11155 / ToughSystem-style folding metal legs rated around 2,000 lb per pair) if you want maximum capacity and rock-solid stability, and the compact folding sawhorse (DWST11154-style) if you need light weight, fast setup, and easy storage. Below is a head-to-head on capacity, weight, leg adjustment, and how well a pair doubles as a temporary worktop.
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Contents
DeWalt Saw Horses: Spec Comparison
DeWalt’s sawhorse lineup has stayed consistent: a metal folding sawhorse with a 2×4 lumber channel on top, and a lighter-duty folding variant aimed at finish carpentry and DIY use. Here is how the two main styles stack up:
| Spec | DeWalt Metal Folding Sawhorse (e.g., DWST11155) | DeWalt Compact Folding Sawhorse (e.g., DWST11154) |
|---|---|---|
| Load capacity (pair) | Up to ~2,000 lb | ~1,000 lb |
| Weight per horse | ~15 lb | ~10 lb |
| Frame material | Steel legs, composite top rail | Steel legs, lighter composite body |
| Top channel | Accepts a 2×4, clamp-ready edges | Raised clamp lugs; works best with a 2×4 added |
| Leg adjustment | Fixed height (~30 in working height) | Fixed height (~30 in) |
| Folding | Legs fold into the body; carry handle | Folds flat; integrated handle |
| Typical price range | $35–$50 each | $25–$40 each |
Note that neither model offers adjustable-height legs — DeWalt has kept both at a fixed ~30-inch working height. If you need telescoping or adjustable legs, that’s the one gap in the lineup, and you’d be looking at a different category of stand entirely.
Capacity and Stability: Where the Metal Model Wins
The metal folding sawhorse’s roughly 2,000 lb pair rating isn’t just a number — it changes what the horses are for. A pair will comfortably hold:
- A full sheet of 3/4″ plywood plus a circular saw and track
- A 12-foot hardwood beam or glue-up blank for planing
- A cast-iron machine head (planer, drill press) during assembly or repair
The steel legs splay wider at the foot than the compact model, which matters when a long board overhangs one side and creates tipping leverage. On the compact folding horse, that same setup is stable for sheet goods and trim work, but the lower ~1,000 lb pair rating and narrower stance make it twitchier under point loads near the ends.
Weight and Portability: Where the Compact Wins
The compact model is about 5 lb lighter per horse, folds flatter, and hangs more cleanly on a wall hook. If your sawhorses live in a truck, a shed, or get carried up stairs regularly, that’s the difference you’ll actually feel. Ten pounds saved across a pair, twice a day, five days a week, adds up to roughly 100 lb of extra carrying per week.
The metal model’s folded package is bulkier, but the legs fold into the body without latches to fumble, and the integrated handle is comfortable under 15 lb.
Using a Pair as a Temporary Worktop
Both models include the channel or lugs designed to accept a standard 2×4 across the top — and this is the feature that turns two sawhorses into a bench. The practical setup:
- Set the horses 4–6 ft apart, legs fully opened and on level ground.
- Drop a 2×4 into each channel. Use construction-grade lumber, not warped framing scraps — a twisted 2×4 telegraphs rocking into the top.
- Lay a sacrificial sheet (1/2″ or 3/4″ plywood or MDF offcut) across the rails.
- Clamp the sheet to the 2x4s if you’re routing or planing; sawing and assembly work is fine unclamped.
The result is a roughly 32-inch-high, full-sheet work surface that supports several hundred pounds and breaks down in under a minute. The metal model’s deeper channel holds the 2×4 more positively; on the compact model the lumber can lift out if you lever against it, so add a quick clamp for aggressive work.
Because DeWalt horses have matching heights and the rails align parallel, the surface stays flat across the span — a real advantage over mixing sawhorse brands where a 1/4″ height difference leaves a rocking panel.
Ownership Realities
- What wears first: The pivot bushings where the legs fold. Keep them clean; grit accelerates wear. A drop of light oil twice a year keeps the action smooth.
- Consumables: The 2x4s themselves. Cutting into them is normal — budget a couple of studs per year rather than babying them.
- Common mistake: Loading one horse asymmetrically. Ratings assume the pair shares the load. A concentrated weight on a single end can tip even the 2,000 lb model.
- Cold weather: The composite rails get more brittle in freezing conditions. Avoid impact loads (dropping lumber onto them) in sub-freezing shop temperatures.
Decision Matrix: Which One for Your Situation
| Your situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| Framing, demolition, heavy timber, machine stands | Metal folding model — the capacity headroom matters |
| Finish carpentry, jobsite work, carry daily | Compact folding model — lighter, flatter package |
| Small shop, horses stored on a wall | Compact — hangs flatter and weighs less |
| Primary use is a temporary worktop/outfeed | Metal model — deeper channel, more stable under load |
| Occasional DIY, tight budget | Compact — usually $10–$20 less per pair |
The Bottom Line
If you can only buy one pair, the metal folding DeWalt sawhorse is the more future-proof choice — you’ll never exceed its capacity in normal woodworking. Buy the compact pair instead if portability is genuinely a daily factor; a sawhorse that’s annoying to move ends up staying unfolded in a corner, and that’s the worst of both worlds. Whichever you choose, plan to feed it fresh 2x4s regularly — the lumber channel is the feature that makes either model a real workbench substitute.