Squaring a board in woodworking is the process of making its faces and edges perfectly flat and perpendicular to each other, creating a stable and reliable starting point for further cuts and joinery. This essential technique results in lumber that is straight, flat, and true, ensuring your projects fit together accurately.
According to common woodworking practices, including those outlined in guides on using power tools for this task, squaring a board involves a specific sequence of steps utilizing machines like a band saw, jointer, and table saw.
The Squaring Process with Power Tools
The method for squaring a board using power tools typically follows these key steps:
- Initial Sizing: Begin by cutting the board to rough dimensions using a tool like a band saw. This removes excess material, making the board more manageable for subsequent steps.
- Flatten One Face: The first critical step is to flatten one face of the board. This is achieved by running the board over a woodworking jointer until the surface is perfectly flat and free of cups, bows, or twists. This flat face becomes the primary reference surface.
- Joint One Edge: Next, you joint one edge of the board square to the freshly flattened face. You achieve this by holding the flattened face against the jointer's fence and running the edge over the cutterhead. This creates a flat edge that is precisely perpendicular (90 degrees) to the flattened face. This squared edge becomes the secondary reference surface.
- Note: Some guides emphasize the importance of this step by listing it twice, highlighting that the edge must be squared specifically to the flattened face.
- Rip to Final Width: With one face and one edge flat and square to each other, you can now rip the board to its final desired width using a table saw. Position the squared edge against the table saw's fence to ensure the cut is parallel to this edge and perpendicular to the flattened face, creating the second squared edge.
- Cut to Final Length (Optional but Common): While not always listed as part of the core "squaring" process which focuses on faces and edges square to each other, cutting the board to final length is often done after squaring the faces and edges. This step is typically performed using a table saw with a crosscut sled, a miter saw, or a hand saw guided by a square, ensuring the ends are square to the faces and edges.
By following these steps, you transform rough or warped lumber into dimensionally stable and square stock ready for precise joinery and assembly in your woodworking projects.
| Step | Tool Used | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Size to Rough Dimensions | Band Saw | Make board manageable, remove excess waste |
| Flatten One Face | Woodworking Jointer | Create the first flat reference surface |
| Joint One Edge Square | Woodworking Jointer | Create the first square reference edge (90° to face) |
| Rip to Final Width | Table Saw | Create the second square edge (parallel to first) |
This systematic approach guarantees that your material has a truly flat face and a truly square edge to reference from, which is fundamental for accurate woodworking.
