How many beads do you need? Here's how to calculate it
Simple rule: width × height. Quickly find out if your bead stash is enough — and how to recover if you run out halfway.
The first question when planning
"Do I have enough reds?" "Do I need to buy more blues?" "How many beads is a big board, really?" These aren't questions you need to guess at. Here's the simple math — plus a table you can refer back to.
The basic rule
The number of beads is width × height. That's it. A 20×20 board uses 400 beads. A 50×50 board uses 2,500.
But the important thing is the distribution across colors — that's where you can come up short.
Common board sizes in numbers
- 20×20: 400 beads. Small smiley or heart.
- 29×29: 841 beads. Standard pegboard.
- 40×40: 1,600 beads. Detailed motif in 1-2 hours.
- 50×50: 2,500 beads. Big project, weekend.
- 87×87: 7,569 beads. 3×3 boards joined.
- 100×100: 10,000 beads. Mega project.
- 150×150: 22,500 beads. Wall decoration.
How many are in a bag?
A typical Hama bag of a specific color contains about 1,000 beads. That means:
- A 29×29 board in one color = 1 bag (with leftover)
- A 50×50 board in one color = 2-3 bags
- An 87×87 pattern with 10 colors mixed = 5-10 bags total
Tip: check the shopping list first
When you make a pattern on Perleland.dk, you get a PDF with a precise list: "1,074 pcs. Pastel Lilac (H96), 566 pcs. Yellow (H03)..." — for EVERY color. Use it as a shopping list before you start, so you don't run out halfway through.
What do I do if I run out?
- Switch color for the rest. A "mistake" can become a signature — like a striped tail instead of solid.
- Mix two shades. If you're out of one blue, use 50/50 of a lighter and a darker — it adds texture, and people see it as an artistic choice.
- Order online. Hama and similar brands sell single-color bags. Check local hobby shops first — it's faster.
The easy shortcut to planning
You don't need to count yourself. Perleland.dk gives you a precise bead counter for every color before you start. Make the pattern, download the PDF, and see exactly how many of each H-code you need. Then you know if your stash is enough.
Patterns with a clear bead count
Each of these patterns gives you a precise color list with counts:
Regnbue Løve
Isvaffel med tre kugler
Regnbuekat