What miter angle for a hexagon?
A hexagon needs a miter of 30 degrees on both ends of all six pieces, and each corner of the frame is 120 degrees. With 12 in sides cut from 2 in wide stock, the short point is 9.69 in (9-11/16 in) and the frame is 24 in (2 ft) corner to corner.
How to work it out
- 180° ÷ 6 sides = 30 degrees on both ends of every piece (12 cuts)
- Long point − short point = 2 × 2 in × tan 30° = 2.309 in → long 12 in, short 9-11/16 in
- Table-saw miter gauge setting (only if your gauge reads 90° for a square cut): 90° − 30° = 60°
Hexagons turn up as honeycomb wall shelves, mirror frames, planters and segmented bowl rings. Twelve cuts go into one ring, so the angle has to be right before the first good board goes under the blade.
Adjust for your project
- Corner angle where the pieces meet
- 120 degrees
- Long-point (outside) length
- 12 in
- Short-point (inside) length
- 9.69 in
- Outside size, corner to corner
- 24 in (2 ft)
- Outside size, flat to flat
- 20-13/16 in
- Total stock (before kerf and waste)
- 72 in (6 ft) (6 ft)
Hexagon sizes by side length (2 in stock)
| Side (long point) | Short-point (inside) length | Outside size, corner to corner | Outside size, flat to flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 in | 3.69 in | 12 in | 10-3/8 in |
| 8 in | 5.69 in | 16 in | 13-7/8 in |
| 10 in | 7.69 in | 20 in | 17-5/16 in |
| 12 in | 9.69 in | 24 in (2 ft) | 20-13/16 in |
| 16 in | 13.69 in | 32 in (2 ft 8 in) | 27-11/16 in (2 ft 3-11/16 in) |
| 24 in | 21.69 in | 48 in (4 ft) | 41-9/16 in (3 ft 5-9/16 in) |
What to know about cutting a hexagon
Set 30° on a miter saw that reads 0° at square. On a table-saw miter gauge that reads 90° at square, the same cut is 60°. The classic mistake is mixing the two up: a hexagon’s pieces meet at 120°, the triangle it is built from has 60° corners, and one of those numbers ends up on the wrong scale. If your first dry-fit leaves a big gap or will not close at all, check the scale before the saw.
Stock is easy to plan. Six 12 in sides add up to 72 in at the long point, but if you flip the board end for end between cuts so the trapezoids nest, the ring uses only about 67 in of a plain board, kerfs included — a 6 ft board with a little to spare. Profiled or rabbeted stock cannot be flipped, so allow a full 12 in plus a 2 in wide offcut per piece.
For honeycomb shelves, the depth that matters is the flat-to-flat size, 20-13/16 in here, not the corner-to-corner size. Several hexagons hung side by side meet flat to flat, so cut every piece against one stop block or the cells will not line up on the wall.
If you want eight sides instead, What miter angle for an octagon covers the same questions at 22.5°.
Different size? Use the full Miter Angle Calculator.
What you’ll need
- Compound miter sawPremium price
Fast, repeatable crosscuts, miters and bevels for trim, frames and cut lists. A sliding model handles wider boards.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Band clamp with cornersBudget price
Pulls all the corners of a frame, hexagon or octagon together at once — the easiest way to glue a mitered ring.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab) - Wood glue (PVA)Budget price
Standard yellow glue for joints and panels. Choose a water-resistant type for outdoor projects and check the open time on the label.
See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.
Frequently asked questions
How much board do I need for a hexagon frame with 12 in sides?
About 67 in of 2 in wide stock if you flip the board between cuts so the pieces nest, or 72 in plus offcuts if the profile means every piece must face the same way.
What are the cut lengths for a hexagon with 18 in sides?
Long point 18 in · short point 15-11/16 in when cut from 2 in stock, still at 30 degrees. The frame is 36 in (3 ft) corner to corner and 31-3/16 in (2 ft 7-3/16 in) across the flats.
What is the short point of a hexagon cut from 3-1/2 in wide boards?
With 12 in outside sides, the short point is 7.96 in (7-15/16 in) — the wider the board, the shorter the inside edge.
How long is each hexagon piece if the inside edge must be 12 in?
Cut the long point to 14.31 in (14-5/16 in) with 2 in stock, so the inside edge comes out at 12 in. The outside is then 28-5/8 in (2 ft 4-5/8 in) corner to corner.
Other common sizes
- What miter angle for an octagon — 22.5 degrees