Stripboard is a widely used prototyping material in electronics, especially among hobbyists and engineers. Known also as veroboard or vero board, stripboard provides a simple, solderable base for assembling electronic circuits without designing a printed circuit board (PCB).
This guide teaches you how to use stripboard effectively, explains its layout, and provides practical tips to help you design and build a stripboard circuit successfully.
Table of Contents
- What Is Stripboard?
- Advantages of Using Stripboard
- How to Use Stripboard
- Common Stripboard Layout Considerations
- Tips for Stripboard
- Did You Know About Stripboard?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Stripboard
- Conclusion
What Is Stripboard?
Stripboard is a pre-drilled insulating board with parallel copper strips on one side and a grid of holes (usually spaced at 0.1 inch or 2.54 mm) on the other. These copper strips form electrical connections between the holes, allowing components to be mounted and interconnected through soldering.
Stripboard is often confused with similar products, such as perfboard, which lacks continuous copper strips. Vero board is a trademarked version of stripboard, though many people use the terms interchangeably.
A piece of stripboard is shown below. As can be seen in the image, the strips of copper on the bottom layer are shown. In addition, the evenly spaced holes are also visible in the board.
Advantages of Using Stripboard
- No need to design or etch a PCB
- Ideal for quick prototyping and one-off circuits
- Works well with through-hole components
- Readily available and inexpensive
How to Use Stripboard
Building a stripboard circuit requires planning the layout, preparing the board, mounting components, and soldering connections. Follow these basic steps:
1. Design Your Stripboard Circuit
Start by drawing a schematic of your circuit. Then transfer the schematic to a stripboard layout, aligning component pins with stripboard holes and copper tracks.
Tools like DIYLC (DIY Layout Creator) can help you plan and visualize the layout.
A 555 LED flasher circuit is used as an example. This circuit flashes a single LED on and off continuously. See the circuit diagram below.
2. Prepare the Stripboard
- Cut the stripboard to the needed size using a small saw or a score-and-snap method.
- Clean the copper side using isopropyl alcohol to ensure good solder flow.
The following image shows the board cut to size and the components ready and lined up with the circuit diagram. It is easy to make each electrical connection on the board and then mark it off on the circuit diagram. This helps to keep track of every connection, ensuring that each one is made in order that the circuit is properly built.
3. Break Copper Tracks Where Needed
Use a track cutter or a drill bit to break copper tracks between holes where connections must be isolated. This is essential to avoid unintended short circuits.
4. Insert Components
Place components through the holes, ensuring correct orientation for polarized parts (e.g., diodes, electrolytic capacitors, transistors).
5. Solder and Inspect
Solder each connection carefully. Trim excess leads, and inspect your work under good lighting. Watch for:
- Cold solder joints
- Solder bridges between adjacent tracks
In the first image below, the bottom of the board is visible. It shows the broken tracks in the middle and the solder joints. The second image shows a top view of the circuit. As can be seen in the image, three jumper wires are used.
The following image shows the complete circuit with the battery clip that connects to a 9V battery.
Common Stripboard Layout Considerations
When working with strip board or vero board, keep the following layout tips in mind:
| Layout Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Align ICs across tracks | Allows for proper pin spacing and ease of wiring |
| Leave space between components | Improves airflow and debugging access |
| Use track breaks wisely | Prevents unintentional connections |
| Label layout during planning | Reduces errors during assembly |
Tips for Stripboard
Here are some practical suggestions to improve your stripboard builds:
- Plan before soldering: Lay out all components first before making any connections.
- Label your components: Use a layout diagram to keep track of part numbers and values.
- Use headers for external connections: Makes debugging and testing easier.
- Color-code jump wires: Helps identify different voltage rails or signals.
- Avoid long tracks for high-frequency circuits: They can introduce noise or instability.
Did You Know About Stripboard?
- Stripboard originated in the 1960s and was trademarked as Veroboard by Vero Electronics in the UK.
- It was one of the first mass-produced prototyping tools and remains in use today.
- Stripboard is not ideal for surface-mount components, but adapters exist.
- Professionals still use stripboard for early development before committing to PCB design.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stripboard
What is the difference between stripboard and veroboard?
There is no functional difference. Veroboard is a brand name for stripboard. Both terms are often used interchangeably in the electronics community.
Can I use stripboard for power circuits?
Yes, but you must be cautious with track current limits. The copper strips can handle moderate current (up to around 1A), but wider tracks or reinforced connections are better for higher loads.
How do I cut stripboard cleanly?
You can score the board along a row of holes using a hobby knife and snap it, or use a fine-toothed saw. Sand the edges afterward to remove burrs.
How do I make reliable track breaks?
A stripboard cutter tool is the easiest and cleanest method. A 3mm drill bit can also be used by hand. Always check the break with a continuity tester.
Is stripboard reusable?
Technically yes, but desoldering can damage the pads and tracks. It’s better to treat it as single-use unless you’re experienced in rework.
Conclusion
Stripboard is a reliable and accessible solution for assembling and testing electronic circuits without designing a full PCB. Whether you’re a beginner building a simple amplifier or an engineer prototyping a new design, understanding how to use stripboard effectively is an essential skill.
With proper planning, careful layout, and clean soldering, a stripboard circuit can be just as functional and dependable as one built on a custom board.