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Woodworking Resources

These resource lists are helpful for planning woodworking projects using softwood lumber including raised garden beds, planters, potting tables, birdhouses, and more.

TIP: Always check actual measurements of each piece of lumber before building to be sure they are accurate.

Softwood Lumber Dimensions (North America)

Units listed are Imperial/US units (inches and feet)

Example:
Nominal name: 2 x 4 x 8 means 2-inches deep (thick) by 4-inches wide by 8-feet long.
Actual dimensions: 1.5 deep x 3.5 wide by 8-feet long.

NominalActualDecimal
1 x 2 3⁄4 x 1 1⁄2.75 x 1.5
1 x 3  3⁄4 x 2 1⁄2.75 x 2.5
1 x 4 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄2.75 x 3.5
1 x 5 3⁄4 x 4 1⁄2.75 x 4.5
1 x 6 3⁄4 x 5 1⁄2.75 x 5.5
1 x 8 3⁄4 x 7 1⁄4.75 x 7.25
1 x 10 3⁄4 x 9 1⁄4.75 x 9.25
1 x 12 3⁄4 x 11 1⁄4.75 x 11.25
2 x 21 1⁄2 x 1 1⁄21.5 x 1.5
2 x 31 1⁄2 x 2 1⁄21.5 x 2.5
2 x 41 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄21.5 x 3.5
2 x 61 1⁄2 x 5 1⁄21.5 x 5.5
2 x 81 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄41.5 x 7.25
2 x 101 1⁄2 x 9 1⁄41.5 x 9.25
2 x 121 1⁄2 x 11 1⁄41.5 x 11.25
4 x 43 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄23.5 x 3.5
4 x 63 1⁄2 x 5 1⁄23.5 x 5.5
4 x 83 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄43.5 x 7.25
6 x 65 1⁄2 x 5 1⁄25.5 x 5.5
8 x 87 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄27.5 x 7.5
1 x 12 Barn board1 x 121 x 12

Standard Lengths (feet/inches):

  • 6 (72), 8 (96), 10 (120), 12 (144) , 14 (168), 16 (192), 18 (216), 20 (240), 22 (264), 24 (288)
  • Fence boards are also sold in 5-foot (60-inch) lengths.

Wood Screw Pilot Hole Sizes

Softwood

Screw SizeTapered BitStraight BitCountersink Size
#25/64″1/16″1/4″
#33/32″1/16″1/4″
#43/32″1/16″1/4″
#57/64″5/64″5/16″
#61/8″3/32″5/16″
#79/64″3/32″5/16″
#85/32″7/64″3/8″
#911/64″1/8″3/8″
#103/16″1/8″7/16″
#1213/64″9/64″7/16″

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
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