Significance of 16" Marking on a measuring tape 2

[bmoorthy]

Hello all

Every 16" in a measuring tape has a distinct marking (Either an arrow or a dot) to indicate some thing, what is that? is it some old unit of measurement?

 

[ERV]

It is the layout for framing on 16" centers. Some tape measures also have a small diamond at 19.2" indicating floor joists on 19.2" centers. Both work for 8' sheets of plywood. They don't mark tape measures for 24" layout because most everyone should be able to figure that out!

 

[jimbo]

My father, a carpenter, said that 16" is the usual stud spacing in residence walls.

 

[cjw81]

Funny you should ask, I just called Lufkin and aked about the markings, the 16" is a standard stud spacing. Teh 19.5" measurement is for most construction for USA Federal specifications, so on the federal jobs you would use the 19.5" mark.

 

[ERV]

cjw81,

It is 19.2" (19.2" X 5 = 96&quot, and originally came about with the introduction of wood I-joists, where spacing and spans of joists could be increased. 19.2" for joists and rafters is widely used in residential construction.

Not too common with solid sawn lumber since standard span tables (usually) do not list the 19.2" spacing, however, (most) I-joist manufactures do list this spacing in their standard span tables.