Golden Ratio Calculator

Find the golden partner of any measurement, or check whether your piece is in proportion.

Project Details
Enter your measurements and requirements
Results
Calculated estimates for your project
Long side60.00" (60")
Short side (long / 1.618)37.08" (37-1/16")
Whole (long + short)97.08" (97-1/16")
One step up (x 1.618)97.08" (97-1/16")
Two steps down (/ 2.618)22.92" (22-15/16")
Rule of thirds on the whole, for comparison64.72" (64-3/4") and 32.36" (32-3/8")

Turn these numbers into a build plan.

  • 60.0 x 37.1 in top
  • 28.0 in height
  • 35 bd ft lumber
60.00" (60") x 37.08" (37-1/16"), ratio 1.618

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Project plan · built from your numbers

Golden ratio table, 60.0 x 37.1 x 28.0 in

A table proportioned on phi: the top is 60.0 in long and 37.1 in wide (1.618 to 1), at 28.0 in tall. About 35 board feet of hardwood with 25% waste, glued up, joined with aprons and finished.

Materials
$375
Time
2 weekends
Level
Intermediate
6 steps 5 tools 4 materials
  1. 1

    Draw it full size

    Sketch the top at 60.0 x 37.1 in and the legs at 28.0 in. Adjust to whole inches if you like; the eye cannot see a half inch.

  2. 2

    Mill and cut the parts

    Flatten and square the boards, then cut the top boards, four legs and four aprons to length.

  3. 3

    Glue up the top

    Alternate the growth rings, clamp evenly, and let it cure overnight before flattening.

01 · Your numbers
Top
60.0 x 37.1 in
Height
28.0 in
Lumber
35 bd ft
Est. cost
$375
02 · The plan

6 steps · 5 tools · 4 materials

3 more steps, the full tool list and a shopping list you can check off as you go.

03 · Finished

Your plan is 60% built. Save it.

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Golden ratio table, 60.0 x 37.1 x 28.0 in

Finished in 2 weekends · $375 DIY

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Golden ratio by job

Golden ratio for furnitureDivide your length by 1.618 to get the golden ratio width. Worked sizes for tabletops, bookcases, cabinet doors and drawer stacks, plus a free calculator.Golden ratio for roomsA golden ratio room is 1.618 times longer than it is wide: a 12 ft wide room is about 19.4 ft long. Plan rooms, rugs and furniture zones in the free calculator.Golden ratio for art and framesMultiply the short side by 1.618 for a golden rectangle canvas: a 16 in wide piece is about 25.9 in tall. Size canvases, frames, mats and gallery walls.

What is the golden ratio (phi = 1.618034)

Split a length so the whole is to the long part as the long part is to the short part: (a + b) / a = a / b. Solving gives a / b = (1 + square root of 5) / 2 = 1.6180339887, called phi. Divide by phi to step down and multiply to step up. Consecutive Fibonacci numbers (5, 8, 13, 21, 34) approach the same ratio, which is why 8 x 13 and 21 x 34 rectangles look golden.

Golden ratio table of common sizes

Given the long side; whole = long + short
Long sideShort sideWholeShort (fraction)Long in cmShort in cm
12"7.42"19.42"7-7/16"30.518.8
18"11.12"29.12"11-1/8"45.728.3
24"14.83"38.83"14-13/16"61.037.7
30"18.54"48.54"18-9/16"76.247.1
36"22.25"58.25"22-1/4"91.456.5
48"29.67"77.67"29-11/16"121.975.4
60"37.08"97.08"37-1/16"152.494.2
72"44.50"116.50"44-1/2"182.9113.0
84"51.91"135.91"51-15/16"213.4131.9
96"59.33"155.33"59-5/16"243.8150.7

How to check if dimensions are golden

  1. Measure the two sides. Width and height of the piece, or length and width of the top, in the same unit.
  2. Divide long by short. 60 / 36 = 1.667.
  3. Compare with 1.618. 1.667 / 1.618 = 1.03, so it is 3.0% longer than golden. Within about 2% reads as golden to the eye.
  4. Find the fix. Keep 60 and make the short side 60 / 1.618 = 37.08, or keep 36 and make the long side 36 x 1.618 = 58.25.

Golden ratio in furniture and rooms

Coffee tables run about two thirds of the sofa, then golden in width. Shelf openings can step down by phi from the bottom up. Doors and windows read well near 1 : 1.618 or 1 : 2. Worked example: a 48 in desk top gets a 29.7 in depth, and a 7 in drawer front steps down to 4.3 and 2.7 in above it. Take the numbers to the cabinet door calculator for the fronts and the trim calculator for the moldings, and the lumber calculator for board feet.

Golden ratio calculator FAQ

What is 1.618 of 60?

60 x 1.618 = 97.08, and 60 / 1.618 = 37.08. So a 60 in table top pairs with a 37.08 in width, or a 97.08 in length if 60 is the short side.

What is a golden rectangle?

A rectangle whose long side is 1.618 times its short side. Cut a square off one end and the piece left over is another golden rectangle, which is where the spiral comes from.

What is the golden ratio for height to width?

Height = width x 1.618 for a tall piece, or width / 1.618 for a wide one. A 24 in wide bookcase is about 39 in tall, a 36 in wide one about 58 in.

Golden ratio vs rule of thirds?

The rule of thirds splits a length into 67% and 33%; the golden ratio into 61.8% and 38.2%. They look similar, which is why the calculator shows both.

Are the golden mean, golden section and golden proportion the same?

Yes. Golden ratio, golden mean, golden section, golden proportion, divine proportion and phi all name the same number, 1.6180339887.

What are golden box dimensions?

Three sides in the ratio 0.618 : 1 : 1.618, used for speaker boxes and storage boxes. With a 30 in longest side that is 30 x 18.5 x 11.5 in.

How do I use the golden ratio for a coffee table?

Make the table about 2/3 of the sofa length, then the width that length / 1.618. An 84 in sofa gets a 56 x 34.6 in table, at 16 to 18 in tall to match the seat.

Does the golden ratio really matter in design?

It is a reliable starting point, not a law. Ergonomics come first: a dining table is 29 to 30 in tall whatever phi says. Rounding a golden dimension to the nearest half inch makes no visible difference.

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