What is a measuring tape?
A measuring tape is a measuring tool that’s used to measure every sort of dimension, it can be made from multiple materials such as cloth, fiber, and metal strips. A measuring tape has a hook on the end and markings on the strip in millimeters and/or inches.
How do you read a measuring tape?
Measuring tape sizes are divided into meters, centimeters, and millimeters and/or feet, inches, and inch fractions you read it by checking the last whole number and adding the additional lines to get your final size.
Here I will be using a measuring tape in the metric system.
- The first thing is to program your mind to read in millimeter and not centimeter or meter.
- For example, 1 meter will be 1000 millimeters and 1cm will be 10mm
- Your read the cm in 10mm and each line is 1mm with the middle line being 5mm
- In the image “1” shown you will read 260mm, not 26cm
- In the second image below, you can read it as 1810mm or as 1 meter 810mm
All measuring tapes start at zero even if it doesn’t look like it. The clip on it can move to accommodate the difference in the thickness of the hook. This allows it to always start at zero no matter if you hook it or hold it against a wall.
How to use a measuring tape properly
- Hook the tape to where you want to measure.
- Pull the tape’s casing for the measuring tape to come home
- Engage the lock
- Make use the size isn’t obstructed
- Follow the steps on how to read.
When reading a measuring tape you want to show your size clearly so you can get the correct size.
For example, when measuring the height of something avoid putting your tape in the middle like in this image, rather measure the side as what is shown in the second image.
If it is a bit difficult or not possible to hook the tape. Try holding it at a whole number, I recommend holding it at the 100mm/10cm mark because it is a lot easier to subtract 100mm from the final number. For example, let’s say the size measured is 1245mm where you held it at a hundred then your final size will be 1145mm. This is a lot easier than holding it at 50mm then having to subtract 50 from the measured size.
How to see if something is square with a measuring tape
If you measure the diagonals of a squared object and they read the same amount then you know it is square. This can be done on anything that has to be squared. If you have a table you can check from the ends of the legs to the opposite sides where they connect to the table top.
Using a tape to check if something is squared is mainly used for square items, meaning if you only have a 90 degree angle then it will be better to use a square.
What do we use a measuring tape for?
Measuring tapes are used to get every sort of dimension possible.
- Length
- Width
- Height
- Diameter
- Circumference (Øπ)
- Diagonals
How to check if your measuring tape is accurate
It is simple to check how accurate your measuring tape is. You can achieve this by hooking it onto a steel rule and seeing if the markings coincide.
If they don’t match then your tape might be off or the hook is a bit off. Double-check this by using another tape on the rule.
What is the difference between a measuring tape and a tape measure?
There’s no difference between a measuring tape and a tape measure. It is just different call names for the same tool. You can also call it a tape, but it can be confusing when you are also working with different tapes like duct or masking.
