How to Read a Tape Measure: The Simple Guide
Those tiny lines between the inches confuse almost everyone. Here is what each mark means.
A tape measure has marks at every 1/16 of an inch. The longest line is the inch. The next longest is the half inch. Then the quarter inch, eighth inch, and finally the sixteenth inch (the smallest mark). Between 0 and 1 inch, there are 16 marks total.
Reading the Marks
Inch marks: numbered, longest lines. Half inch (1/2): second longest line, exactly between two inch marks. Quarter inches (1/4, 3/4): third longest lines. Eighth inches (1/8, 3/8, 5/8, 7/8): fourth longest. Sixteenth inches: shortest marks. To read a measurement: find the nearest inch, then count the marks beyond it. If the mark is the 11th line past 3 inches: 3 and 11/16 inches.
Common Fractions in Construction
Lumber is sold in nominal sizes (a 2×4 is actually 1.5 × 3.5 inches). Drywall screws are placed every 12 or 16 inches. Studs are spaced 16 inches on center. Plywood is 48 × 96 inches (4×8 feet). Knowing these standard dimensions means fewer measurements and faster work.