Folding Rules and Tailor's Tapes

Folding rules fold and articulate into rigid sections, and are used to measure quickly and steadily on flat surfaces and to transfer dimensions. They are the tool of bricklayers, joiners, carpenters and installers, who use them to measure walls, furniture and window and door frames. They open out in a zig-zag and fold up into a small space, so they are always to hand.

Fibreglass is light, resists moisture and in the collection has red decimal markings for easier reading. Wood, such as beech or boxwood, is the traditional material of joiners, but can be affected by moisture. Aluminium, or duralumin, is rigid and suited to heavy use. Choose according to the working environment and how often you use it.

Beech is a hard, stable wood, used in joiners' rules with concealed rivets, such as the Pavan 4501 model. Boxwood is a fine, dense wood, chosen for professional rules with a tempered steel spring and a 90 degree click-stop, such as the Pavan 4500. More than the wood itself, what matters is how you want to use the rule: choose the model that gives you the rigidity you need.

The two-metre rule opens out to two metres, with folding sections that fold back on themselves. The collection includes two-metre rules in plastic, wood, aluminium and fibreglass, as well as some one-metre models, such as the aluminium Stanley. The 1 metre size is more comfortable in the pocket and for detailed measurements. The 2 metre one covers almost every dimension in a home or work setting.

The tailor's tape measure is a flexible tape, used to measure the body, fabrics and curved lines. It is wrapped around the piece and the measurement is read at the edge. In site work it is useful for measurements on curved surfaces, such as pipes, columns or soft coverings. Store it rolled up without creases, because creases deform the tape and alter the readings.

The pocket rule, without a spring, is thin and folds up to a few centimetres, convenient for quick measurements from your pocket. The telescopic rule extends in successive sections, from a compact length to a longer measurement, useful for heights and upper floors. Choose the pocket one for quick measurements and the telescopic one when you need to go beyond the length of a folding rule.

Open the rule completely and check that the joints are locked, because a joint that gives way alters the measurement. Rest the rule on the edge of the piece, without bending it, and read the measurement looking perpendicular to the graduation. For long measurements, check the reading twice. Keep the rule dry, because moisture can warp the wood.