🧰 Xcat – DIY Help, Tool Advice & Real Solutions
Welcome to the Xcat Community, a friendly place for DIYers, tradespeople and tool users to share advice, solve problems and learn from real experience. Whether you’re choosing the right tool, fixing a project issue, or looking for trusted recommendations, the Xcat Community connects you with people who actually use the tools.
Here you can ask questions, post project photos, discuss tools, and help others build better results. In addition, members earn loyalty points for contributing helpful answers and sharing their knowledge.
What You Can Do in the Xcat Community
- Get practical DIY advice from experienced users
- Discuss power tools, batteries, and workshop setups
- Share project ideas, fixes and techniques
- Earn Xcat points for helpful contributions
For product recommendations, browse our Power Tools, Power Tool Batteries, and Power Tool Accessories. For official UK safety guidance, you can also visit the Health & Safety Executive.
Finally, if you’re new here, introduce yourself and let the Xcat Community help you get started.
I'm fixing decking boards and the screws keep splitting the timber.
What drill bit should I use for a 6mm screw?
For a 6 mm wood screw, the pilot hole size usually depends on the type of timber.
• Softwood: around 4 mm pilot hole
• Hardwood: around 3.5–4 mm pilot hole
Drilling a pilot hole helps prevent the wood splitting and also makes it easier to drive the screw straight. If you're working with decking boards, pilot holes are especially important near the edges of the timber.
A good tip is to match the drill bit roughly to the core diameter of the screw (not the threads).
If you're unsure about different screw sizes, we also have a pilot hole calculator that quickly works out the recommended drill size for common wood screws:
👉 https://xcatalogue.co.uk/calculators/pilot-hole/
It’s useful if you're switching between different screw sizes or working with hardwoods where splitting can be a problem.
I’ve actually used the pilot hole calculator several times now and it’s surprisingly accurate 👍
Really useful when switching between different screw sizes or working with hardwood where you don’t want to risk splitting the timber. Saves a lot of guessing compared to just picking a drill bit by eye.
Simple tool but genuinely handy to have bookmarked.