Measurements in construction trade?
Question:im looking to get into the construction trade i will have to brush up on how to measure things what is the best way to learn and will it mostly be inch cm or foot any comments much appreciated im only 16 and want some good advice
Answers:
In the U.S., tradesmen and architects use feet and inches. Most engineers use the decimal system. Brush up and know how to add/subtract fractions and decimals. Best experience is on the job training. Find contractors or builders that will hire you. YOU WILL START AT THE BOTTOM! Meaning you will spend a lot of time cleaning up job sites and carrying things around. But do the job and show an interest in learning and they will notice. See if you can take vocational classes in school. Good luck to you. It can be very good money if you work hard. Most young people do not want to go into this business.
if your in the uk the metric system cm, mm, m is the legal measurment system; however most of the old boys in the trade can work with both imperial and metric. buy a diary as they have conversion charts in them. if you look at it ocasionaly you get used to converting between both quite quickly.
good luck
Get the book "Modern Carpentry" and it will cover all that and everything that you need to know.
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Metric system of measurement is the norm in the UK
if you get a tape measure this is all you will need to
show you the metric measurements.
u.k are in the metric system as in millimetres,centimetres,howeve... some places still use imperial as in inches,some glass firms still use this method, but the majority is metric? quick example :
1 ft = 305 mm
2 ft =610 mm
3 ft =915 mm
4 ft = 1220 mm
5ft =1525 mm
these are a few examples,i suggest you get yourself a convertion chart,and practise with your tape?
I not sure where you are from but in australia the measurements are all in millimetres or metres for larger measurements. Some older tradesmen still talk in feet and inches but your plans will be in millimeters, it would be benificial to be familiar with the older measurements so as to be accepted by the older guys. These guys know a lot and you could learn a heap from them so get them onside.
Timber is mainly sold in metric 'feet' - units of 300mm.
As many existing structures are built to Imperial measurements, wood based sheet materials (Block board, Plywood etc) are mainly sold in 2440mm x 1220mm - 8' x 4'.
Flooring grade chipboard is 2400mm x 600mm but is available in 1220mm x 320mm for boarding existing lofts.
Plasterboard is true metric - 2400mm x 1200mm.
Loose materials - cement (Euro-wimp size of 25kg which replaced the English size of 50kg/1cwt), aggregate - commercially by the tonne but some builders' merchants still sell by 0.8cu m - approximately 1 cu yard.
Plans and all associated calculations however are purely metric.
I is more important to learn the fraction intervals between an inch. If you have some difficulty, here is where you will find it as tape measures today really are user friendly. Also some tapes come with a pamphlet explaining the "on-center measurements and other techniques. Good Luck
1. measurements depend on where you live, in the US its English standard. (foot, inch, pound)...
2. go to a class at school or on summer break get a job with a construction company and try it out before making any plans...
I am a time served decorator and i would recommend you learn both systems. Many people in the industry use both at the same time,unless you learn about inch's and feet you will struggle to get on.
My father always told me to measure thing three times before you commit just to make sure, a lesson well learnt.
i work in a architectual woodworking shop and when i started i hated fraction and couldn't do measuring for a damn. but i learned as i worked day in and day out and it became second nature. my advice is get a tape measure and just start mesuring things. Do little projects for yourself like make a tool box, or bookshelf for practice.
Most trades work with in feet and inches.
when you start out in a trade you do a lot of grunt work, sweeping, hualing materials and gaining the respect from other workers. you won't really be doing extreme measuring.
The UK converted officially to the metric system in 1973 so sometime we may actually use metres properly. Right now, you will find new construction is done in metres, but repairs are likely to be on old properties that were built in feet and inches. So you will need to know your way around both systems.
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