How to Make Pieces Fit Perfectly! (Measure and Scribe at the Same Time)

How to Make Pieces Fit Perfectly! (Measure and Scribe at the Same Time) We'll show you a cool trick to help make all your cuts fit tighter and look more professional!
Anyone who works (or lives) in old homes knows how frustrating it can be to try and fit a perfectly square piece into a corner that is anything but- and adjusting your piece to fit the space can be equally infuriating. After all, how do you mark and measure a piece that doesn't have any right angles?
Luckily, if you've got a few basic tools hanging around you can both measure AND scribe your piece to fit perfectly AT THE SAME TIME. Oh, and the best part? Its so easy that you'll be able to do it yourself in no time.
From floating shelves to countertops, even stair treads and risers- this technique can be used to help you make virtually anything fit better. Give it a try, and be sure to let us know how it goes!
Looking for more 'infotainment' from the Refresh guys? Follow the links below for more DIY-friendly home renovation tips, as well as tons of satisfying, easy to watch videos on our other social media pages!
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[@wombat1011]

Awesome tip! Can't believe all these years of doing this stuff more difficult....there is an easier way! Huge thank you for sharing this one!

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

You are so welcome!

[@maryhansen7021]

Great video: Short, simple and to the point! Beautiful results!

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Kind words! thanks 👍

[@leodabelstein58]

This worked like a gem for built in floating shelves I'm doing thank you for that amazing trick!

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Love to hear that! Happy to help 👍

[@rdot980]

I'm here for the exact same project. Floating shelves in my pantry.

[@Fosgen]

Thank you

[@jenniferhiggins2671]

Thank you for making this simple for the people who aren’t expert carpenters, and not having to buy unnecessary tools for one project.

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Thanks 👍 that’s exactly what we set out to do (happy it’s working 😉)!

[@jenniferhiggins2671]

@@RefreshHomeImprovements and just to make sure I understand this method, the idea is to keep the poster board flush to the back wall at all times? I can only can go so far over because the side wall angles in that much. So the poster board is flush with the back wall and about an inch away from the back corner because the front part of the post board is up against the wall and can’t move over any more.

[@tomalophicon]

​@jenniferhiggins2671 the back wall should also be scribed in ideally

[@sixteeschyl]

Gorgeous result, friend. Once countertype is scribed to fit, just give the aperture of the alcove one last measure to make sure before the final cut 👌

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Great tip!

[@lala_land86]

Agreed, measure twice, cut once 😊

[@artillerystudio]

If it’s a shelf you are putting up what do you put the paper on to figure all this out ?

[@IRISHERETIC]

Try white lead for the Pica

[@davidscott688]

Another great tip, explained very clearly. Thank you.

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Amazing! Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@igorpolovinkin8755]

Great video!

[@user-hx3uz4bg7n]

Amazing, thank you, very very helpful

[@sarahbailey7862]

Sheer genius!!!

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

It can really save time 😉

[@semicountryliving3095]

Where did you get your tool bags at?

[@treystills]

Awesome!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. Great on IG even better on YT

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

That’s what we like to hear! Thanks for the kind words 😎👍

[@gullenator1]

I’ve seen this done a lot of different ways and this is by far the best method that I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing! What do you do if the back wall also needs scribed?

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Glad it was helpful!

[@DavidLee-cw6ci]

​@@RefreshHomeImprovementsyou didn't answer the question! What if the back wall is also wonky?

[@samgregg4833]

Nice approach. Well explained. Thanks!

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jcode3]

What is the point of marking underneath the paper? I get scribing the sides but how do you get an even reveal on the front if the back wall is bowed?

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Great question! I used the marks underneath to determine the depth of my piece first. The wall was relatively straight, so i used one mark on the right side of the paper, then another on the left, transferred the marks to my piece and connected the two dots (gave me the exact depth) then added 3/16” for the reveal and cut my piece to the final depth before i cut my side scribes. Apologies that its not more clear in the video 👍

[@morokeiboethia6749]

Just curious have you tried using those digital angle finders for square/rectangle shaped cutouts that don't necessarily have 90 corners? I picked up one made by Husky that was $20 and it's extremely accurate and is my favorite tool for gauging corner angles. They make a manual / non digital version angle finders but the problem with those is they only give you a physical scribe of the angle when you lock the 2 legs but they don't give you numerical degrees so if you're doing 2 pieces of molding thats joining on a wall corner to make an angle of X-degrees you dont know what to evenly split that angle at for the 2 work pieces so you kinda need a protractor to then read the manual angle finder but you lose a little accuracy doing that as well as time. The digital angle finder is the best of both worlds b/c it does the same thing as the manual one but also tells you how many degrees with a numerical reading so you can from there easily calculate in your head what to set miter angle to with your miter saw. But for what you're doing in the video all you would need are the angles on the corners and lengths of 3 of the 4 sides.

[@NarayananS-st5bv]

Nice

[@savchuktaras]

Nice thank you

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

You’re welcome 👍

[@kimama03]

Mind blown. Im trying to do this for a closet to go up against the wall but i cant figure out how to transition this to that. Any thoughts?

[@thinkingaboutit2738]

I'm missing how you compensated for the sides being angled differently. Sides should have had different angles.

[@mugosai]

Thanks for the video.

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

You’re welcome!

[@theDudeknows]

Gotcha brother.

[@charliehiggins9355]

You don't mention nor do you show which saw you use to make your cut. Wouldn't the tear out be different for a jig, track (circular), or table saw? I'm guessing an average homeowner, for whom you're producing this video, would use a circular saw. Even with a finish blade, it would be more advantageous to mark and cut on the bottom of your finish material so the top stays protected from tear out. This would change your order of operations. It seems like a critical detail.

[@StuckInTheM1ddle]

Great video and way of scribing that is a bit easier for the basic DIY’er. Would have been a nice addition if you had shown how you cut the piece without chipping (tape?)

[@mrki412]

It is simple, just turn the nice side down or use counter side jigsaw.

[@CR3DT]

great video ! - can I ask what tool vest you are using, please?

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Sure! It’s a SuspendaVest from Occidental Leather

[@jayjohal6892]

Do I fit the wall brackets first at the sides so I can rest the template onto??

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

That would make sense yes!

[@Mattyouyous]

Clever

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

🙌

[@ismaelsoto2833]

Great video. Thanks

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

Happy to help 👍

[@chrisblack6331]

I have two questions. First, will this method work on counter tops with a built in backsplash? Second, how would you use this method on a countertop that is 14 feet long? (Would you use a piece of paper that is 8 feet, or can you use one the size in this video?).

[@nielsvanvlerken3398]

You can use a sheet like in the video but the possible error becomes bigger the more times you use a sheet. Hence, i wouldnt do it with a sheet this size. And to your first question: a backsplash wont change the method.

[@ChestnutRidgeWorkshop]

What's that tool harness you're wearing? I love that it's shoulder only, I want one!

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

It’s awesome! We did a review on it here if you’re interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3KrhImcZbB_o80 . I’ll add a direct link too 👉 amzn.to/3AT7BsZ

[@veriboop]

What if the walls are irregular or curved?

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

For the sides, if they’re curved, you’ll want to use a tool that allows you to consistently scribe the wall at the same distance and ‘trace’ the curve (instead of using a straight edge and doing multiple marks as shown here). You can use a washer, or something like this scribe-tool.com works great too. For the back wall, I like to tape two pieces of the paper together at the exact width of the back and then scribe the profile of the back wall the same way I described above. Cut out the profile on your paper and transfer it to the piece your cutting and cut the back profile first, then proceed with the steps we outlined in the video 👍

[@veriboop]

@@RefreshHomeImprovements Great! Thank you for taking the time to explain!

[@samueljackson6188]

I just use cardboard to create a jig. Then trace the lines around the cardboard onto the wood. Maybe I'm weird.

[@telosfd]

So, we need a paper twice times of the length of the paper, that must cover all the length of the surface!

[@johngaspar4425]

Like I tell my wife: I aint just a pretty face!

[@IRISHERETIC]

Cabinet guy here, I'm furious and you know why. Stop tricking people.

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

🤔 genuinely not sure, can you elaborate? Not our intention to mislead anyone.

[@zachhot]

If your walls have a bowed section then this would work. Otherwise, it's crap

[@RefreshHomeImprovements]

How so? Isn’t that the point of what we’re doing?

[@oscarcedeno5800]

What’s the solutions?

[@IRISHERETIC]

@@RefreshHomeImprovements I believe he's saying that if the wall was deeper toward the center, then your finished top would be too small (depth).