Pilot Hole Size for #9 Wood Screws
#9 screws (0.177″ shank) turn up in general woodworking. Here are the three bits to chuck before driving one.
- Pilot — hardwood 1/8″0.125″ — receiving piece
- Pilot — softwood 7/64″0.109″
- Clearance 3/16″0.188″ — top piece
- Countersink 3/8″flat head flush
Rule Pilot matches the screw’s root so the threads cut instead of split; clearance clears the 0.177″ shank so the head can clamp. Size the pilot up 1/64″ in hard maple, hickory, white oak, or tropical hardwoods — and always for brass screws.
#9 screw questions
What size pilot hole for a #9 screw in hardwood?
Drill a 1/8″ (0.125″) pilot hole for a #9 wood screw in hardwood — oak, maple, cherry, walnut. In very hard stock like hard maple or hickory, go up 1/64″.
What size pilot hole for a #9 screw in softwood?
Use 7/64″ (0.109″) in pine, cedar, fir, and other softwoods — one size under the hardwood bit, because soft fibers compress around the threads.
What clearance hole does a #9 screw need?
3/16″ (0.188″) through the piece being fastened, just over the #9 shank’s 0.177″, so the screw slides through and clamps the joint instead of holding it apart.
What countersink fits a #9 flat head screw?
A 3/8″ countersink lets a #9 flat head sit flush. A #9 combination pilot-countersink bit drills pilot, clearance, and countersink in one pass.
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