How to Use a Measuring Tape
This brief tutorial will walk you through the essentials of using a measuring tape, from understanding increments to taking precise measurements.
Using a measuring tape
Here's a little refresher on how to use a measuring tape. First, let's talk about the increments. We'll assume you're using the English or Imperial system of feet and inches. Extend your tape measure several inches and find the large 1 and 2. The smallest increment on most English measuring tapes is 1/16 of an inch. This means there are 16 equally spaced marks between 1 and 2 inches on the tape. When measuring, count how many of these marks you are beyond the nearest inch. If your piece measures 3 inches and another 8 marks, that is 8/16 (1/2) for a total of 3-1/2". Let's say you were taking your second measurement (see below), and this time you counted 9 marks past the 4-inch mark. That means your piece is actually 4-9/16" long.
- Ruler image not shown at scale.
The clip on the end of my measuring tape slides back and forth. Is it broken?
No! The sliding clip on the end of the tape is designed for two different types of measurements. When you take an outside measurement (where you hang the clip of the tape over an edge), the clip slides out a little to account for the thickness. When you take an inside measurement (push the clip up against a surface), the clip slides in, again accounting for its thickness. The measuring tape self-adjusts so, either way, you get an accurate measurement.
Measure twice, cut once
Once we cut a stock size piece, we can't ever sell it as a full-size piece again. So, PLEASE MEASURE CAREFULLY, and DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MEASUREMENTS BEFORE YOU ORDER. The old adage is especially true here: measure twice, cut once. WE do it before we cut your piece, and YOU should do it before you order.