What drill bit do I need?
Pick your screw size and what you're drilling into — we'll give you the one pilot-hole bit to grab, so you don't split your board.
Screw size
Covers #4–#14 wood screws — the common range.
Drilling into
Drill this pilot bit
Get the gear
As an Amazon Associate, WhatDrillBit earns from qualifying purchases.
Why this size
Your pilot hole matches the screw's inner core — the solid part under the threads — so the threads still bite, but the wood isn't forced apart.
Split-safe — when in doubt, start one size smaller and test on scrap.
Full pilot-hole chart
| Screw | Softwood | Hardwood |
|---|---|---|
| #4 | 1/16"1.6 mm | 5/64"2.0 mm |
| #6 | 5/64"2.0 mm | 3/32"2.4 mm |
| #8 | 7/64"2.8 mm | 1/8"3.2 mm |
| #10 | 1/8"3.2 mm | 9/64"3.6 mm |
| #12 | 9/64"3.6 mm | 5/32"4.0 mm |
| #14 | 5/32"4.0 mm | 11/64"4.4 mm |
Softwood — pine, fir, cedar, spruce · Plywood uses the Softwood column.
Hardwood — oak, maple, walnut, birch · MDF uses the Hardwood column (use fine-thread screws).
Where these numbers come from
Straight-bit pilot sizes for modern wood screws, sized to the screw’s root diameter — a standard woodworking approach for a hole that grips without splitting — and cross-referenced against widely used charts (Bolt Depot, McFeely’s, WorkshopCalc). We lean slightly larger than the strength-optimized minimums, because for most projects not splitting the board matters more than maximum holding power. Plywood follows softwood; MDF follows hardwood / fine-thread practice.