10 Best Woodworking Squares For Carpentry – Top Picks In 2026

Are you sick and tired of buying low-quality woodworking squares? 

After all, with so many options at the hardware store, making a good-enough choice can be a laborious and confusing task.

After a vigorous assessment, we have delineated the best woodworking square, along with accurate measurement information for you to make the desirable choice.

And with so many “great” options, comes the great responsibility of choosing the right one. Fortunately, our team tried out most of the woodworking squares.

We tried and tested each one for different uses. A woodworking square is also known as a carpenter’s square.

What Are The Types Of Squares Used In Woodworking?

There are many different types of woodworking squares carpenters must have. Here are the 5 best woodworking squares available for woodwork:

Try Square

Also commonly known as the tri-square. This square is mostly utilized to measure 90-degree angles. This tool helps in ensuring two objects are square, and in relation to one another.

Usually, this tool is made up of a metal blade and a handle or stock made up of wood. Try square is an essential square used in woodworking. 

The word “try” in square comes from trying the surface to check the straightness of the surface corresponding to the adjacent angle. 

This is the best square to have in your tool kit if you are just beginning with woodworking. 

Speed Square

The speed square or the rafter square is a triangle-shaped tool. Even though the name “Speed Square” is trademarked by the company Swanson Tool, these types of woodworking square tools are still typically known as the same.

This tool offers woodworkers multi-purpose uses at once. This includes a ruler, T-edge, and an angle marker. There are multiple uses for a speed square in most projects. 

Determining the right angles and marking on boards for cutting a speed square is an important instrument. 

Framing Square

This is an L-shaped woodworking square that’s larger than a try square. It helps in making the edges and corners more symmetrical and keeps the angles accurate.

This tool can be used for a lot of projects, from DIY projects to professional work.

Combination Square

This tool is a combination of two tools: a ruler and an attached anvil. This anvil comes with a straight side, and the angled side is known as the shoulder.

The tool is used to draw out accurate perpendicular lines, and to hold angles to transfer measurements with ease.

Double Square

The double square is used to measure 90-degree angles in sets. Much like the name, the double square, the head has two sides.

The double square can only be used to measure a 90-degree angle and not 45 like a combination of square blades.

This tool comes in handy when using saw blades, to measure consistent lines, and check squares.

10 Best Woodworking Squares – Our Top Picks

Swanson Speed Square – Best precision woodworking square

The best part about the Swanson speed square is that it can be used for 5 different functions for a woodworker. These functions include:

• Try square
• Milter square
• Saw guide
• Line scriber
• Protector

Verdict

The square comes with a slot for an adjustable locking pin and has ¼ – inch notches. The tool is super handy and so durable, that you will not have to buy one for a very very very… long time. You can use this tool to do your 90 and 45 degrees on the go.

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Irwin Combination Square – Best combination square