Printable pilot hole chart
The same numbers as the full chart, laid out to print on one sheet. The full chart has the sources, the tiers behind each number and the reasons.
One page on Letter or A4. To save a PDF, pick “Save as PDF” in the print dialog.
For a sheet that matches the screen, choose portrait, Letter or A4, and 100% (actual size) scale in the print dialog. Saved as a PDF, it opens on a phone or tablet in the shop with no signal. The numbers change only when the full chart’s sources do, so check the full chart now and then against the copy on your wall.
| Screw | Pilot, hardwood | Pilot, softwood | Clearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | 5/64 | 3/64 or 1/16 | 7/64 |
| #6 | 3/32 | 5/64 | 9/64 |
| #8 | 7/64 or 1/8 | 3/32 | 11/64 |
| #10 | 1/8 | 7/64 | 3/16 |
| #12 | 9/64 or 5/32 | 1/8 | 7/32 |
| #14 | 5/32 or 11/64 | 9/64 | 1/4 |
Median of the published charts: Engineers Edge, Engineering ToolBox, McFeely’s, MISUMI and Bob Vila; clearance also WoodBin. Test in scrap when the fit matters. woodworkingmath.com/fasteners/pilot-hole-chart/ Version 8 Nov 2026. Free to share under CC BY 4.0: credit Woodworking Math (woodworkingmath.com).