Circular saw keeps binding - am I doing something wrong?

I bought a DeWalt 20V circular saw last month and I've been having issues. Every time I try to cut through a 2x4, the saw binds and almost kicks back. I'm using a sharp carbide blade and I'm making sure to let the blade do the work - not pushing hard. What am I doing wrong? Is this normal or is my saw defective? First time using a circular saw so maybe I'm missing something.

Will - are you using the correct blade for the material? If you're cutting wood with a combo blade designed for plywood, that could be your problem. Also, make sure you're not trying to cut wet or pressure-treated lumber - that stuff will bind any saw. Another thing - are you supporting the piece properly? If the wood is bending or twisting as you cut, that causes binding. Try clamping down your workpiece and see if that helps.

Also check your blade depth. If it's set too deep, you're creating more friction than needed. The blade should only extend about 1/4 inch below the material. And definitely check for pitch buildup on the blade - pine sap will gum up even new blades. Clean it with some lacquer thinner or just get a dedicated framing blade. Framing blades have bigger gullets for clearing sawdust.

Thanks! I think I might be setting the blade too deep - I just eyeballed it. And yeah, it was pressure-treated lumber actually. That might be it. Let me try again with regular lumber and proper depth setting. I'll report back!