How To Read Tape Measures. Complete Guide And Tips
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It doesn’t matter what type of project you are trying to accomplish, accurate measurements can impact the final output. Some may think its no big deal, but not all crafters know how to read a tape measure properly.
Before you make a mistake with your cut, please follow our guide on how the tape measure works and all the perks that it offers.
What To Know About Tape Measures
A measuring tape is one of the most common measurement tools anyone can find in the market. Tape measures can be purchased in a variety of sizes, including those that measure 15 cm to 102cm or longer in hardware stores.
You can use shorter measuring tapes if you are engaged in light activities such as hanging artwork or measuring cabinets.
However, you should consider ones with longer tape measure markings (around 64 cm marks or up) when doing large tasks like decking and framing.
Parts Of A Tape Measure
Tape
The tape could come in yellow or white, with numeric measurements printed on its surface. You can stretch the tape further with a wider tape without worrying about it buckling. Wide tape measures are also more durable than those with narrower gauges.
Its designed like a flexible ruler with a curved construction, so it wouldnt get deformed when extended to its longest line. To ensure precise measurements, it would be helpful if the tape was kept flat.
Housing and Belt Clip
Every tape measure sold in the market is held together by durable housing. There are two types of housing: metal or plastic. This prevents measuring tapes expanding while being used.
The tapes should have a belt clip on their exterior. This allows you to attach the measuring instrument to your clothing for easy access.
Hooked End Tab
If you look at the tapes tip, youll find a metal hook. You can hook it into the materials edge to prevent the tape from steering away from a straight line.
On top of that, it also serves as a stopper to prevent the tape from going all the way into the housing once it recoils.
Push Button Stops
Once you have extended these handy markers, push the button to recoil the tape. It will trigger the flat spring connected to the tool and lead the tape back to its housing.
Reading An Imperial Tape Measure
It is easy to read a tape measurement using imperial measurements. These are often called inches or feet. Looking at the tool closely, the markings for inches are the boldest lines in a typical metric system.
You wont have difficulty spotting these markings, as all the numeric measurements are visibly big and have the longest lines. Youll spot two half-inch marks in every inch as they have lines slightly shorter than the one-inch marks.
A one-inch mark also carries four-quarter inches. As you compare the lines, youll notice that these are noticeably smaller marks than one half-inch marking. If you combine two quarter-inch markings, thats how youll get a half-inch mark. In short, two quarter-inches equal a single -inch.
The second shortest lines in the tape are called the eighth-inch markings. When you read these measurements, remember that a quarter-inch marking equates to two-eighth inches, and a single inch is composed of eight-eighth inches.
The sixteenth marking is the smallest in the tape measure. If you followed the previous measuring pattern, youd know that two sixteenth markings equal an eighth inch. Youll also get 16 of these shortest markings in a single inch.
Your tape measure may only be able to measure inches.
Typically, youll see a black arrow above all those individual inches signifies imperial units for reaching the one-foot mark, two-foot mark, three-foot mark, and further down the entire tapes length.
Metric Tape Measurement
Metric tape measures arent the easiestmeasurement toolsto read for newbies. Although these options come in the same length, its composed of little lines where one centimeter is broken down to ten millimeters.
The entire length of a metric measuring instrument does not have incremental unit markings. This is in contrast to standard tapes. To count the measurement, you can refer to the red indicators after every 10th centimeter.
A line of shorter length is considered one millimeter within one-centimeter ruler markings. When you read the metric tapes, the 5th-millimeter marker will stand out as it has a line longer than others.
This design allows users to spot the half measurement of one centimeter easily.
The Special Markings
What Are The Red Numbers And How Do They Work?
Most tape measures have bold and red markings for professional builders at every 16 inches. These indicators serve as standard markers for 41 cm stud placements.
What Do The Black Diamonds Signify?
If you see a black diamond above the numeric measurements, know that these indicators are for setting trusses. These markers will allow users to set six trusses in an 2.4 m length.
Will The Hook Affect The Measurement?
It can affect the measurement precision. The hook should slide on the material edge and be held in place to mark the mark.
How To Measure With A Tape Measure
- Put the tape measures hook at the materials edge. It should align with the area you want to mark or measure.
- Hold the measuring tape. Bring it up to the edge of the material, or the bottom of the area that you wish to mark.
- Find the right length. Depending on the tape markings, you can add inch and foot metrics to get the measurement you need. For metric tapes, you will need to convert the measurement to millimeters or centimeters.
Measuring Test
Here are some easy measuring tests to practice your skills. Refer to the red lines that we have marked. Based on the above reading methods, tell us what measurement you are using.
Answer: 1 inch
The distance between the 8 cm and 10cm markers is equal to 3cm. The red marker is placed beyond the 10 cm mark and falls into the marking.
Answer:
It is easy to determine the measurement by the red lines that run around the one-centimeter mark. They are slightly longer than other millimeter markings.
Reading Tips
When measuring, make sure to keep the tape straight and in one line. If the tape’s hook moves around the material, your readings won’t be accurate. To ensure greater accuracy, mark the material with a v-shaped line instead of just one.
Safety Tips
Avoid recoiling the tape measure at full speed. The hook can flutter and cause injury to your finger, or worse, fly right in your face. If you can, wear safety goggles and gloves while working on your project.
Conclusion
After learning how to read a tape measure properly, we dont doubt that getting the exact measurements wont be as tricky as before for you. Dont forget that putting marks on the right spots helps maintain accuracy when drilling a small hole or making a cut on the material in use.
