A Carpenter's Trick For Finding The Center

When you need to find the center of a board, or something larger like a whole wall or even a house, using just a tape measure and some math may be a mistake. Your tape measure can introduce inaccuracy and your math skills at the end of a long day can suffer too. That's why I use a trick to find the center which does not rely on my math skill or the accuracy of my tape measure. In fact, you don't even need a tape measure to use this trick. It's accurate and it works every time to find the center of a board or sheet of plywood both in length and in width. Woodworkers, carpenters and other trades can use this method.

[@brians5539]

All those stupid diy channels found out about the trick of angling your tape to find center and made a “pro” tip video about it. This however is much more useful. I use it all the time, mostly to find the center of a wall to hang something on. Thanks for putting your actual “pro” tips out there.

[@enduringcharm]

Yeah, I do this by habit now and it has served me well.

[@krn14242]

Great tip John. Thanks... I finally learned how to get more accurate measurements between walls... You know how the measuring tape bends at the end and you can't get a perfect measurement...? I now measure 10 inches from one direction and make a small mark, then measure from the other direction to my pencil line and add 10. Great for measuring to cut trim. I wonder if YOU taught me this now that I'm thinking about it..

[@enduringcharm]

I use that idea when measuring for crown, especially since it's easier to see the mark or a finish nail than to bend the tape into a corner.

[@casapinka9715]

This is amazingly helpful!

[@rickfarber4243]

It's great to see a tip that doesn't involve buying some new-fangled device to take up space in my toolbox. Thanks.

[@enduringcharm]

Yeah, simple is usually better!

[@woodworkerroyer8497]

Definitely useful! How would I figure out if my tape is worn or inaccurate? Same method, but off a known length board and using the actual number of the middle (so 18" board and 9" to middle) and if the marks don't match up in the center, the tape is off?

[@enduringcharm]

Well, you bring up an important point. Accurate compared to what? Truthfully, it isn't that important for a tape measure to be accurate in most cases, but consistent. In other words, if a tape is consistently off by a 1/16th it doesn't matter unless you end up switching to another tape in the middle of a project or you are working with somebody else who has a different tape. When I work with a partner, we compare tape measurements before we start and then make adjustments if needed. When working alone I try to keep the same tape at my side throughout the project. Inconsistent tapes can be found by taking several measurements of the same item or mark or by looking closely at the end hook for damage. Sometimes the hook gets slightly bent, for example, and it will throw off the measurement depending on which side gets hooked on the workpiece.

[@jastew1971]

Would you recommend this method for finding the center of a room when laying tile? First time doing it so I'm trying to find the best way.

[@enduringcharm]

Laying out tile in a room requires a balance of circumstance. Finding the exact center of the room is probably not going to be very critical in comparison to the influence of other factors. You could use this method, for example, to find two center points between two walls and then connect those points with a straight line. Perfect, right? Except that the two walls may not be parallel, so now when you get your tile pattern to the wall the grout line will make it obvious. Sometimes it's better to set up the pattern parallel to one wall and recognize that the other wall being out of square will be hidden by a vanity or furniture or whatever. I suggest you take a look at this video on the subject: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6StqpmLobGtqMk

[@2326TOM]

Thank you sir

[@izzyc.4746]

Love it

[@privacy3116]

❤❤❤❤ At last , sense! Thanks for the solution to my search. I can now mark my floor centre for the tiler, who thought he knew how but doesn't really. 😊

[@lemurpotatoes7988]

Antithetic variates!!

[@SJtoobsox]

Tape measures are so 1890

[@enduringcharm]

You prefer a folding rule?

[@chareve1958]

What to use instead?? I'm in if you know the solution!! :)