Convertools
Menu

Drill Bit Sizes for Screws

Find practical drill bit sizes for softwood pilot holes, hardwood pilot holes, and clearance holes by screw gauge.

Author

Dr. Aisha Bello

Woodworking editorial contributor

Nigerian public health specialist with an MPH from Harvard, working on vaccine distribution logistics in West Africa

Reviewed by

Prof. Anna Kowalska

Woodworking content reviewer

Polish biostatistician at the University of Warsaw, advancing Bayesian methods for clinical trial design

Last updatedFebruary 22, 2026

PublishedFebruary 22, 2026

On this page

  1. Reference values
  2. Calculator
  3. Reference table
  4. FAQs
  5. Methodology and review
  6. Related conversions

#8 screw =

1/8 in softwood / 5/32 in hardwood

Representative value from the Drill Bit Sizes for Screws reference table.

Reference Values

Browse 12 reference values with individual detail pages for quick lookup.

Browse all reference values

Screw Drill Bit Size Lookup

Select screw gauge and hole type to get a practical drill bit recommendation.

Recommended Bit

—

Reference Table

Use this complete table for quick lookup and internal linking to specific value pages.

Drill Bit Sizes for Screws Reference
Screw SizeSoftwood Pilot BitHardwood Pilot BitClearance Bit
#2 screw1/16 in5/64 in3/32 in
#3 screw5/64 in3/32 in7/64 in
#4 screw3/32 in7/64 in1/8 in
#5 screw7/64 in1/8 in9/64 in
#6 screw7/64 in9/64 in5/32 in
#7 screw1/8 in9/64 in11/64 in
#8 screw1/8 in5/32 in11/64 in
#9 screw9/64 in5/32 in3/16 in
#10 screw9/64 in11/64 in13/64 in
#12 screw5/32 in3/16 in7/32 in
#14 screw11/64 in13/64 in1/4 in
#16 screw3/16 in7/32 in9/32 in

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Drill Bit Sizes for Screws, formulas, and typical use cases.

Why are pilot bit sizes different for hardwood and softwood?

Hardwood fibers are denser and split more easily, so hardwood pilot holes are typically larger for the same screw size.

What is a clearance bit size used for?

A clearance hole lets the screw shank pass through the first board so threads pull the second board tight against it.

Should I match bit size exactly every time?

Use these as starting points, then adjust slightly for wood species, screw type, and desired holding strength.

Do I still need countersinking?

For many woodworking joints, yes. Countersinking or counterboring helps seat screw heads cleanly and reduce splitting near edges.

Methodology and Review

This page combines a live calculator, precomputed reference values, and FAQ content from the same conversion definition to reduce mismatch between calculator output and lookup tables.

Editorial metadata (author, reviewer, and update date) is rendered on the page and in structured data. See our editorial policy, review process, and corrections policy.

For compliance-sensitive work, verify final values against project requirements, governing standards, and manufacturer documentation.