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Pilot Holes for American Wood Screws

 
These dimensions are for standard American wood screws, which are tapered. They are not suitable for screws which are not tapered, such as dry wall screws. All dimensions are in inches. The shank pilot hole is one which will clear the thickest part of the screw body.
 
 

Screw Gage #

Body Dia.

Shank Pilot Hole

Pilot hole in Softwood

Pilot Hole in Hardwood

0 0.060 1/16 1/64 1/32
1 0.073 5/64 1/32 1/32
2 0.086 3/32 1/32 3/64
3 0.099 7/64 3/64 1/16
4 0.112 7/64 3/64 1/16
5 0.125 1/8 1/16 5/64
6 0.138 9/64 1/16 5/64
7 0.151 5/32 1/16 3/32
8 0.164 11/64 5/64 3/32
9 0.177 3/16 5/64 7/64
10 0.190 3/16 3/32 7/64
11 0.203 13/64 3/32 1/8
12 0.216 7/32 7/64 1/8
14 0.242 1/4 7/64 9/64
16 0.268 17/64 9/64 5/32
18 0.294 19/64 9/64 3/16
20 0.320 21/64 11/64 13/64
24 0.372 3/8 3/16 7/32

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