Woodworking Guides
Written for people who plan their own projects. Each guide explains a decision you have to make before the calculator gives you a number.
Material and planning guides
These explain the arithmetic and the code behind the calculators: how board feet work with fractional thicknesses, why nominal lumber sizes are wrong by design, what waste factor a given project actually needs, and which dimensions a building inspector will measure.
- How to calculate board feetThe formula, with fractions
- Nominal vs actual lumberWhy a 2x4 is 1.5 x 3.5 inches
- How much lumber wasteWaste factor by project type
- Deck planning basicsSize, layout and permits
- Plan a deck frameBeams, joists and build order
- Plywood sizes explainedThickness, grades and stamps
- Choosing hardwood flooringSpecies, grades and finishes
- Paint coverage ratesSquare feet per gallon
- Fence post spacingSpans, depth and frost line
- Roof pitch & raftersPitch, birdsmouth and ridge
- Stair rise and run codeThe IRC limits inspectors check
- Beginner woodworking toolsThe 12 tools to start with
- How we calculateEvery formula and its assumptions
Tool buying guides
Written for someone standing in an aisle rather than reading a spec sheet. Each one names the two or three properties that change how a tool behaves in real work, says which are pure marketing, and where the next price step actually buys you something.
- Best cordless drillsVoltage, torque and platforms
- Best table sawsJobsite versus cabinet saws
- Best orbital sandersPad size and dust control
- Best home workbenchesHeight, top and footprint
- Best wood stainsOil, water and gel compared
- Best pocket hole jigsSpacing and jig types
- Best dowelsSizes, flutes and glue-up
- Best wood screwsGauge, head and coating
How to use these guides
Read the guide for your material before you run the calculator, not after. The calculator tells you how much to buy; the guide tells you what to buy and why the number came out that way. Most estimating mistakes are decisions made before any arithmetic happens: the wrong plywood grade, the wrong waste allowance, a stair layout that cannot pass inspection.
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