Do I need a Cricut or a laser to make a 50-star wood flag template?

No. The generator produces letter-size pages you print at home and tape together, then cut with a craft knife or trace with carbon paper. SVG and DXF cut files are also provided for those who have a cutting machine or use a sign shop.

How big should the stars be on a wood American flag?

Each star's diameter is 0.0616 of the flag's height, the official proportion. The union is 2 fifths of the flag's width and 7 thirteenths of its height, with 50 stars in nine rows alternating six and five.

How are the 50 stars spaced on an American flag?

The union is divided into twelve columns and ten rows. Stars sit on rows one through nine. Odd rows carry six stars in columns 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11; even rows carry five stars in columns 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. That gives five rows of six and four rows of five, which is 50 stars.

Free Printable Star Template for Any Size Wood Flag — 50-Star Layout

Type your flag's width and height. You'll get the exact star field — a point-up, 50-star custom layout — as pages you print on regular letter paper and tape together, plus SVG and DXF cut files if you have a machine. No email required. The tool checks the dimensions and limits each layout to 100 sheets.

Flag width (inches)

Flag height (inches)

Measure the whole flag, edge to edge. A 3-foot flag is 36" wide. Thirteen 1×2 boards laid flat makes a flag 19.5" tall. Fractions are fine — 19.5 means 19½".

Want the whole build, not just the stars?

The star layout is the part people get stuck on, so it's free and always will be. If you want the rest — the cut list, how many boards to buy, and the build steps from stripes to finish — I put it in a two-page printable plan and I'll send it to you free.

Get the free build plan → · Or see the full DIY Kit ($25) →

How to use the printed pages

Print at 100% — "Actual Size." Not "Fit to Page." This is the one step that ruins templates.
Check the ruler on sheet 1. It must measure exactly 6 inches. If it doesn't, your printer scaled it — print again.
Tape the sheets together. Overlap matching artwork by half an inch. Trim or fold a joining paper margin, line up the repeated stars and field lines, and tape without gaps. Dashed lines show the overlap.
Check it against your board before you paint. The printed box should match your blue field. If it doesn't, stop and re-measure.
Then either spray-glue the sheet down and cut the stars out, or slide carbon paper underneath and trace them.

Common questions

Do I need a Cricut or a laser?

No. That's why the print-at-home option exists — regular letter paper, tape, and either a craft knife or carbon paper. The SVG and DXF files are there for people who do have a machine, or for a sign shop.

Is the star spacing actually correct?

Yes. The blue field is 2/5 of the flag's width and 7/13 of its height. The 50 stars sit in nine rows — six, five, six, five and so on — and each star's diameter is 0.0616 of the flag's height, a height-based star-size convention. Every number comes from your input; arbitrary flag dimensions are not all regulation proportions. Standard DIY-kit stencil measurements differ.

My flag is an odd shape. Will this still work?

Enter a whole flag 4–360 inches wide and 2–240 inches tall, with width at least 1.4 times height. The layout must also fit within 100 letter sheets, so some size combinations exceed the limit. Custom proportions can differ from a regulation flag; the preview shows the layout before you download.

Why is this free?

Because the star field is the part that stops people building, and I'd rather more flags got built. I make my money building flags and furniture by hand, and on the kit for people who want the whole process written down.