Ultimate Guide to Hair Clipper Guard Sizes

If you’re new to self-haircutting or have decided to try a new hairstyle, choosing the right clipper guards for your haircut can be a bit confusing. Do you start with #1 or #2, and which guard will give you the right length on top? Not to worry! Consider this your ultimate guide to selecting the right hair clipper guard sizes for your next haircut.

How Hair Clipper Guards Work

Clipper guards are accessories that come with your hair clipper. They attach to the clipper blade and are designed to evenly cut hair to the length listed on the guard. For instance, if you use a #8 guard, listed at 1 inch, then you will cut hair that is longer than 1 inch down to that length.

Hair Clipper Guard Size Chart

Most hair clippers include a series of attachment guards with numbers on them. The higher the number, the longer the hair.

Here are the standard guard numbers and sizes:

Guard Comb Number	Size in Inches
#1/2	1/16"
#1	1/8"
#2	1/4"
#3	3/8"
#4	1/2"
#5	5/8"
#6	3/4"
#7	7/8"
#8	1"

Your Guide to Haircut Numbers

Clipper guards will dictate the length of your haircut. What haircut can you expect from each clipper guard number?

#1/2 haircut: This is as short as you can go, outside of bald. Think Skin Fade.

#1 haircut: A Short Buzz Cut. Just enough hair to keep it interesting.

#2 haircut: A Traditional Buzz Cut.

#3 haircut: Still a Buzz Cut, but on the longer side. You can also fade up to this length, starting with #1/2 at the bottom and working your way up to a #3.

#4 haircut: You’re officially in Crew cut or Brush Cut territory. For a tapered look, start with a lower number guard toward the bottom and work up to a #4.

#5 haircut: Enough length to style it with some product.

#6 haircut: Just enough length to part the top or pull the bangs up a bit.

#7 haircut: You have the flexibility to pull off a variety of styles, including the Side Part, Peaked Cut, Crew Cut or Caesar Cut.

#8 haircut: This is as long as it gets with a hair clipper. Consider this length for the top of the head while going shorter on the sides and back.

Haircut Lengths to Try

It’s much easier to understand what clipper guard lengths look like by viewing actual haircuts. Here are some different hairstyles and the guard sizes for each. You can also check out the tutorials on how to achieve these looks.