This allows your edge to line up as precisely as possible. You can often pull out the metal teeth to leave a gap between them and the start of the tape. By opting to forego an inch on the front end-the total measurement will always be one inch shorter-you can ensure an accurate measurement every time.Ĭarpenters and woodworkers live by these tricks of the trade. The metal hook can sometimes be loose or adjustable, which can lead to inaccurate measurements. 'Burn an Inch'Ī common practice among professional carpenters and woodworkers, rather than hook the tape measure's metal teeth at the beginning of what you need to measure, align the one inch mark to the beginning instead. While this may sound self-explanatory, it can be tempting to estimate when a measurement falls between an inch or ends at a 1/16 mark, but take care to write down the exact line rather than round up or between between inches. How to Get the Most Precise Measurement Possibleīecause one-sixteenth of an inch matters when you want drapes that just kiss the floor. If you need to measure entire rooms, walls, or surfaces that exceed the tape's maximum length, we recommend investing in a laser distance measurer. Tape measures measure only a limited area, which can leave you adding up various totals. They typically have a shorter maximum length than traditional tape measures, so keep that in mind if you need to measure large, round items. Flexible Tape Measureīest for fabrics, bodies, and rounded items, a flexible tape measure is great if you need to calculate around something.

Most can stand on their own, so you have to hold only one end, allowing you measure farther than your arms can reach. The most versatile option, a traditional retractable tape measure is ideal for flat or vertical surfaces like walls, furniture, wood, and more. It's helpful to have a variety of measuring devices on hand to be prepared for any type of project. What Kind of Tape Measure is Right for You? Millimeters: There are 10 millimeters per centimeter, and these will be marked by smaller lines between each centimeter. More common on the kind of flexible tape measures used for sewing than retractable ones, the reverse side may show measurements in centimeters and millimeters in addition to the inches and feet on the front side.Ĭentimeters: The largest line and marked with a number, the centimeters are the clearest measurement on the tape measure.

Labeled measuring tape