This video reveals the correct way to use a tape measure: Have you been using it wrong all this time?
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With more of us taking to do-it-yourself (DIY) fixes and redecorating efforts in our homes during these times to save a few dollars here and there, chances are you’ve already had a go at doing some work around the house.
Most of us are probably quite familiar with the metallic ‘bendy’ measuring tapes favoured by tradies (or really, by anyone who’s ever taken a crack at a bit of DIY), but have you ever stopped to wonder if you’ve been using it the right way all this time?
A bloke named Sidney Raz has recently shed some light on the correct way to operate a measuring tape, claiming that many people measuring something have been doing it all wrong.
Before we get into it, let’s think about how we would normally measure things. For example, to get the correct width of a window, we would bend the tape measure to ensure we’re measuring it from end to end.
This method gets the plastic housing of the measuring tape out of the way.
However, Sidney showed that there is an easier way to do this. He shared a video on social media saying, ‘Here’s something I wish I knew before I was in my thirties.’
‘Tape measures have their length on them?!’ he exclaimed later.
He stated that many people haven’t yet realised that the plastic cases actually display a number which states the measure of the case (for example, 3 inches, which is about 7.6 centimetres).
Sounds confusing, but all it means is that you can just add that number (3 in/ 7 cm) to the measurement already showing on the tape.
This way, when measuring an inside measurement, you’re able to pull to the top and then use the dimensions of your tape measure—no bent tape and no approximation needed!
He demonstrated this method in the video, measuring the inner sill of a window.
The measure comes up to 39 inches. He explained: ‘So 39 inches (99cm) plus 3 inches (7.6cm) is 42 (106.7cm).’
Sidney’s video has gone on to be viewed more than 765,000 times—with many people confessing to having made the same mistake for years of bends and approximations when measuring things.
‘Well, I didn’t know that either, and I’m in my 60s! So don’t feel bad,’ a social media user commented.
‘Just learning this from you at 47!’ another remarked.
A third person wrote: ‘Seriously, I never noticed that. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve bent the tape?’
‘I worked 16 years as an interior decorator, and my dad and I measured so many rooms... We both didn’t know that,’ someone admitted.
You can watch Sidney’s video here:
He isn’t the only one who shared this technique. Earlier this year, a tradie named Cory Keen posted a video about different facts about tape measure—and he mentioned the trick Sidney shared.
He also shared that the hole at the end of the tape measure serves a purpose: it is actually meant to hook a nail or a screw to make it easier to measure things by yourself.
Additionally, Cory’s video revealed that the slop at the end of the tool is not a design flaw, as many suspected. It is a deliberate feature that ensures exact measurement was given for either inside or outside measurement.
You can learn more about the other facts Cory mentioned in this video:
It’s never too late to learn something new, and we have to say, this revelation seems to have made life a lot easier for many of us DIY-ers!
Do you know about this method, members? Or do you bend your tape measure? Let us know in the comments below!
Most of us are probably quite familiar with the metallic ‘bendy’ measuring tapes favoured by tradies (or really, by anyone who’s ever taken a crack at a bit of DIY), but have you ever stopped to wonder if you’ve been using it the right way all this time?
A bloke named Sidney Raz has recently shed some light on the correct way to operate a measuring tape, claiming that many people measuring something have been doing it all wrong.
Sidney revealed the correct way to use a tape measure. Credit: @sidneyraz/TikTok
Before we get into it, let’s think about how we would normally measure things. For example, to get the correct width of a window, we would bend the tape measure to ensure we’re measuring it from end to end.
This method gets the plastic housing of the measuring tape out of the way.
However, Sidney showed that there is an easier way to do this. He shared a video on social media saying, ‘Here’s something I wish I knew before I was in my thirties.’
‘Tape measures have their length on them?!’ he exclaimed later.
He stated that many people haven’t yet realised that the plastic cases actually display a number which states the measure of the case (for example, 3 inches, which is about 7.6 centimetres).
Sounds confusing, but all it means is that you can just add that number (3 in/ 7 cm) to the measurement already showing on the tape.
This way, when measuring an inside measurement, you’re able to pull to the top and then use the dimensions of your tape measure—no bent tape and no approximation needed!
He demonstrated this method in the video, measuring the inner sill of a window.
The measure comes up to 39 inches. He explained: ‘So 39 inches (99cm) plus 3 inches (7.6cm) is 42 (106.7cm).’
Sidney’s video has gone on to be viewed more than 765,000 times—with many people confessing to having made the same mistake for years of bends and approximations when measuring things.
‘Well, I didn’t know that either, and I’m in my 60s! So don’t feel bad,’ a social media user commented.
‘Just learning this from you at 47!’ another remarked.
A third person wrote: ‘Seriously, I never noticed that. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve bent the tape?’
‘I worked 16 years as an interior decorator, and my dad and I measured so many rooms... We both didn’t know that,’ someone admitted.
You can watch Sidney’s video here:
He isn’t the only one who shared this technique. Earlier this year, a tradie named Cory Keen posted a video about different facts about tape measure—and he mentioned the trick Sidney shared.
He also shared that the hole at the end of the tape measure serves a purpose: it is actually meant to hook a nail or a screw to make it easier to measure things by yourself.
Additionally, Cory’s video revealed that the slop at the end of the tool is not a design flaw, as many suspected. It is a deliberate feature that ensures exact measurement was given for either inside or outside measurement.
You can learn more about the other facts Cory mentioned in this video:
It’s never too late to learn something new, and we have to say, this revelation seems to have made life a lot easier for many of us DIY-ers!
Do you know about this method, members? Or do you bend your tape measure? Let us know in the comments below!
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