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Woodworking Math

1/16 inch in decimal and mm

Decimal inches

0.0625 in

Millimetres

1.5875 mm

From the standard, the international inch, 25.4 mm exactly

The math

  1. A fraction is its top number divided by its bottom number: 1/16 in = 1 ÷ 16 = 0.0625 in.
  2. An inch is exactly 25.4 mm, so 0.0625 × 25.4 = 1.5875 mm, or 1.588 mm to three places.
  3. In feet, divide by 12: 0.0625 ÷ 12 = 0.005208 ft. In centimetres, divide the mm by 10: 0.15875 cm.
  4. The same size in finer steps: 1/16 = 2/32 = 4/64. A tape marked in 16ths, 32nds or 64ths shows it at those marks.

1/16 to the nearest 1/8

A tape or rule marked more coarsely than 16ths can’t show 1/16 exactly. The nearest marks, and how far off each is (plus means the mark is bigger; a size exactly halfway goes to the bigger mark):

NearestMarkOff by (in)Off by (mm)
1/81/8 in+0.0625+1.588

Drills, plywood and lumber at 1/16 in

Drills either side of 1/16 in
DrillSizeOff by
1.5 mm0.0591 in−0.0875 mm
1.6 mm0.063 in+0.0125 mm

Every drill is on the drill bit size chart.

Bits of this size

Sizes either side

FractionDecimalmm
3/64 in0.046875 in1.191 mm
5/64 in0.078125 in1.984 mm

Every size is on the fraction to decimal chart; any other size goes in the fraction to decimal calculator.