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Objectives
• To identify the role of measurement in the
construction industry.
• To explain the U.S. customary system of
measurement and recognize its units.
• To explain the metric (SI) system of
measurement and recognize its units.
• To demonstrate proper measurement
techniques.
• To examine the process of drawing to
scale.
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 Main Menu

• Introduction

• Units & Conversion

• Techniques & Tips

• Drawing to Scale

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4
 Measurement
• Is the process of determining the
quantitative size or amount of an item
– quantitative refers to the use of numbers
– qualitative words and phrases are not
measurements
• for example, large, small, more, less, a lot, a
little

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 Measurement
• Is very important to the success of
construction
– without accurate measurements, structures
are unlikely to perform adequately and may
even pose a danger
• elements of a structure must fit together
properly

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 Possible Consequences
• Of poor measurement in the construction
industry include:
– increased cost due to wasted materials and
wasted labor
– increased risk of structure failure resulting in
dangerous situations
• structural damage, collapse, fire, etc.
– decreased function of structure resulting in
increased need for repair and maintenance
• water/gas leaks, electrical failure, etc.

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 Types of Measurement
• Commonly used include:
– distance
• amount of two-dimensional space
– weight
• force of gravitational pull
– volume
• amount of three-dimensional space
– temperature
• amount of heat

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 Types of Measurement
• Not as commonly seen, but used in certain
contexts include:
– speed ‒ torque
– air pressure ‒ electric current
– density ‒ acceleration
– force ‒ magnetism
– angle ‒ intensity of light
– energy ‒ radiation
– power

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 Measurement
• Requires the use of standardized units of
measure
– meaning the unit is defined by some authority
and accepted by a large number of people

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 Measurement Systems
• Commonly used today include:
– U.S. customary
– metric
• also known as the International
System of Units (SI)

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 U.S. Customary System
• Is the most commonly used system in the
United States
– however, the metric system may be used in
science and medical industries, as well as
international trade and commerce
• Is defined and governed by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST)

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 Modern Metric System
• Is also known as the International System
of Units or SI
• Is the official system of measurement in
almost every country in the world
– only the U.S., Liberia and Burma (Myanmar)
have not officially adopted the system
• Is defined and governed by the
International Bureau of Weights and
Measures (BIPM)
– located in Sevres, France

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14
• U.S. Customary Units

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 Distance
• Is measured in U.S. customary units
including:
– inch (in.)
– foot (ft.)
• equal to 12 inches
– yard (yd.)
• equal to 3 feet or 36 inches
– mile (mi.)
• equal to 1,760 yards, 5,280 feet or 63,360
inches

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 Weight
• Is measured in U.S. customary units
including:
– ounce (oz.)
– pound (lb.)
• equal to 16 ounces
– ton or short ton (T)
• equal to 2,000 pounds or
32,000 ounces

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 Volume
• Is measured in U.S. customary units
including:
– teaspoon (tsp.)
– tablespoon (tbsp.)
• equal to 3 teaspoons
– fluid ounce (fl. oz.)
• equal to 2 tablespoons or 6
teaspoons
– cup (c.)
• equal to 8 fluid ounces, 16 tablespoons or
48 teaspoons

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 Volume
• Is measured in U.S. customary units
including:
– pint (pt.)
• equal to 2 cups
– quart (qt.)
• equal to 2 pints or 4 cups
– gallon (gal.)
• equal to 4 quarts, 8 pints or
16 cups

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 Volume
• Can also be measured in U.S. customary
units including:
– cubic inches (cu. in. or in.3)
– cubic feet (cu. ft. or ft.3)
• equal to 1,728 cubic inches
– cubic yards (cu. yd. or yd.3)
• equal to 27 cubic feet or 46,656 cubic inches

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 Temperature
• Is measured in U.S. customary units
known as degrees Fahrenheit (°F)
– water freezes at 32°F and boils at 212°F

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• Metric (SI) Units

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 Metric (SI) Units
• Utilize a base unit for each type of
measurement
– meter (m) for distance
– gram (g) for weight
– liter (L) for volume
• Are expressed as multiples of ten of the
base unit through
the use of prefixes

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 Metric (SI) Prefixes
• Include:
– milli (0.001)
– centi (0.01)
– deci (0.1)
– deca (10)
– hecto (100)
– kilo (1,000)

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 Distance
• Measured in metric (SI) units:
– 1,000 millimeters equals a meter
– 100 centimeters equals a meter
– 10 decimeters equals a meter
– 10 meters equals a decameter
– 100 meters equals a hectometer
– 1,000 meters equals a kilometer

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 Weight
• Measured in metric (SI) units:
– 1,000 milligrams equals a gram
– 100 centigrams equals a gram
– 10 decigrams equals a gram
– 10 grams equals a decagram
– 100 grams equals a hectogram
– 1,000 grams equals a kilogram

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 Volume
• Measured in metric (SI) units:
– 1,000 milliliters equals a liter
– 100 centiliters equals a liter
– 10 deciliters equals a liter
– 10 liters equals a decaliter
– 100 liters equals a hectoliter
– 1,000 liters equals a kiloliter

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 Volume
• Can also be measured in cubic meters
– 1 cubic meter (m3) is equal to 1 kiloliter

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 Temperature
• Is measured in metric (SI)
units including:
– degrees Celsius (°C)
• water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C
• to convert to kelvin, add 273.15
• 1 degree Celsius = 274.15 kelvin
– kelvin (K)
• water freezes at 273.15 K and boils at 373.15 K
• to convert to degrees Celsius, subtract 273.15
• 1 kelvin = -272.15 degrees Celsius
• Units do NOT utilize metric (SI) prefixes

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 Converting
• U.S. customary units to or from metric (SI)
units is often necessary
– can easily be performed with help from an
online conversion calculator
– can be done manually with multiplication

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Converting Distance Units

U.S. Customary ≈ Metric (SI)

0.0254 meter
1 inch ≈
(2.54 centimeters)
0.3048 meter
1 foot ≈
(30.48 centimeters)
0.9144 meter
1 yard ≈
(91.44 centimeters)
1,609.344 meters
1 mile ≈
(1.609344 kilometers)

*Some figures are approximate.

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Converting Weight Units

U.S. Customary ≈ Metric (SI)

1 ounce ≈ 28.35 grams

454 grams
1 pound ≈
(0.454 kilograms)
907,184.74 grams
1 ton ≈
(907.185 kilograms)

*Some figures are approximate.

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Converting Volume Units

U.S. Customary ≈ Metric (SI)

0.02957 liters
1 fluid ounce ≈
(29.574 milliliters)
0.2366 liters
1 cup ≈
(236.588 milliliters)
0.9464 liters
1 quart ≈
(946.353 milliliters)

1 gallon ≈ 3.7854 liters

*Some figures are approximate.

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 Converting Temperature Units
• Requires a little more than simple
multiplication
– degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Celsius:
• subtract 32, then divide by 1.8
68°F – 32 = 36 ÷ 1.8 = 20°C
68°F = 20°C
– degrees Fahrenheit to kelvin:
• subtract 32, then divide by 1.8, then add
273.15
68°F – 32 = 36 ÷ 1.8 = 20 + 273.15 = 293.15 K
68°F = 293.15 K

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35
 Measuring
• Must be done with accuracy and precision
– accuracy refers to how close the
measurement is to the true value
– precision refers to how reproducible the
measurement is

high degree of accuracy high degree of precision

low degree of precision low degree of accuracy

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 Measuring Tools
• For measuring distance include:
– tape measure
– measuring wheel
– laser distance measure
– caliper
– standard ruler
– metric ruler
– measuring tape
– architectural/engineering scale

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Reading a Tape Measure

1/16 3/16 5/16 7/16 9/16 11/16 13/16 15/16

1/8 3/8 5/8 7/8
1/4 3/4
1/2

0 1
The longer the mark, the larger the
increment it represents.
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 Tips
• For using a tape measure include:
– ensuring tape is tight and does not sag
– holding tape level or plumb
• level – horizontally straight
• plumb – vertically straight
• either way, line up the tape with the material
being measured, do not angle it
– paying attention to which side of the tape you
are using if working with a customary/metric
tape
• typically, U.S. customary units are marked on
the top and metric units marked on the bottom
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 Measuring Tools
• For measuring weight
include:
– suspended hydraulic scale

– digital hanging scale

– electronic table or floor scale

– dial spring scale

– digital platform scale

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 Reading a Dial Scale
The longer and thicker the mark, the
larger the increment it represents. The
number of marks between the labeled
marks imply what each mark
represents. (In this case, one unit.)
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98
97
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95
94
93 100
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91

90

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 Tips
• For using a scale include:
– being sure the item being weighed is
completely on the scale, but nothing else is
– using a container when necessary
• weigh the empty container and tare (zero out)
its weight before adding the material to be
weighed or subtract the
weight of the empty
container from the total
weight of the container
and material

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 Measuring Tools
• For measuring the volume of liquids or
powders include:
– measuring spoons

– measuring cups
• includes all types of
cylindrical containers

– flow meter

– displacement meter

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 Measuring Tools
• For measuring the volume of solids are the
same as the measuring tools used for
distance
– to find the volume of a solid, measure its
length, width and depth, then multiply
• units are the same for distance, except they
are known as cubic units because they are
three-dimensional, for example, cubic inches
or cubic meters

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 Reading a Measuring Cup
The number of marks between the
labeled marks imply what each mark
represents. (In this case, one unit.)

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15
13
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9 10
8
7
6
5
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 Tips
• For using measuring cups include:
– placing cups on a flat, even surface when
measuring
– viewing the measurement
line at eye level rather than
from above or below
– pouring liquids and powders
into cups slowly
– leveling powders at the correct measurement
line
• in other words, the powder should not mound
over the top of the line
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 Measuring Tools
• For measuring temperature include:
– dial thermometer
– digital thermometer
– infrared laser thermometer
– glass thermometer
– thermocouple
– thermistor
– pyrometer
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Reading a Glass Thermometer
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68

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65

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The longer the mark, the larger
the increment it represents. The
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number of marks between the
61 labeled marks imply what each
60 mark represents. (In this case,
one unit.) 48
 Tips
• For using a thermometer include:
– paying attention to the placement of a
thermometer’s sensor to be sure it is
measuring the temperature intended
– reading the instructions for electric
thermometers to understand the function of
each button and the meaning of beeps and
other sounds

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 General Measuring Tips
• Include:
– choosing the appropriate measuring tool for
the task by considering the following:
• type and amount of material being measured
• type of measurement required (weight,
volume, etc.)
– measuring all elements of a project using the
same system (customary or metric) and,
when possible, the same units
• to make it easier to perform any math
necessary
– measuring twice to verify accuracy
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 General Measuring Tips
• Include:
– cleaning and maintaining measuring tools
according to instructions to avoid damage
– checking the precision of measuring tools
regularly
• compare measurements performed by multiple
tools of the same type
– calibrating tools when necessary
• process of making fine adjustments to ensure
a device is providing accurate measurements

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 Measuring Mistakes
• Can be caused by the following:
– imprecise instruments
• for example, a poorly calibrated scale or a
mismarked or worn-out tape measure
– human error
• for example, reading a scale
or tape measure incorrectly
• Should be checked for
and corrected

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 Tolerance
• Refers to the permissible deviation from a
specified measurement
– impractical precision should not be expected
• if a tape measure’s smallest unit is 1/16 inch,
instructions should not include measurements
with units smaller than 16ths of an inch
• Is usually specified by establishing upper
and lower limits to a given measurement
– for example, 6 inches ± 1/8 in. means a range
of 5 7/8 inches to 6 1/8 inches is acceptable

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 Drawing to Scale
• Is a method used in architectural,
construction and interior design drawings
• Means using ratios so the
elements of the drawing
are in proportion to the
actual room or building
• Allows for a drawing to
look like a miniature replica
of the actual room or building
– to avoid making unrealistic or impossible
plans
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 Ratios
• Are comparisons of numbers
• Show the relationship between two
quantities or measurements
– a scale drawing might have a ratio (or scale)
of 1:10, meaning one inch in the drawing is
equal to 10 inches in real life

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 Drawing to Scale
• Requires the following steps:
1. measuring the actual space to be drawn
2. deciding what scale to use based on the size
of the space and the size of the paper to be
used for the drawing
3. measuring other elements to be included in
the drawing and use proportions to scale
them down
4. making the drawing based on the scaled
down measurements, being sure to place
elements correctly based on actual
placement
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 Drawing to Scale: Step One
• Requires precise and accurate
measurements be taken
– using one type of unit (typically inches) is best
because it will be easier to scale down than if
more than one type of unit is used
• Requires measuring the largest elements
to be included in the drawing first
– this will help determine the scale which needs
to used

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 Drawing to Scale: Example
You are making a scale drawing of your
room so you can decide how to rearrange
your furniture.

Step 1:
You measure your walls

84 inches
and determine the entire
space is 120 inches long
by 84 inches wide.
120 inches

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 Drawing to Scale: Step Two
• Requires knowing the measurements of
the paper on which you will draw
– so you know how big the drawing can be

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 Drawing to Scale: Step Two
• Requires trial-and-error division to
determine the most logical and workable
scale
– divide room measurements until you end up
with measurements smaller than those of your
paper
• whatever number you end up dividing by will
be the second number in your scale

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 Drawing to Scale: Step Two
• Requires trial-and-error division to
determine the most logical and workable
scale
– dividing by whole numbers is preferable; it is
easier to remember and operate with a scale
containing whole numbers
• for example, a 1:4.5 scale would be more
difficult to work with than a 1:5 scale

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 Drawing to Scale: Example
Step 2:
You plan to make your drawing on a
standard 11 inch by 8.5 inch paper.

Remember, your room is

120 inches by 84 inches.

You try dividing by 10, giving you

measurements of
12 by 8.4 inches.
(120 ÷ 10 = 12 and 84 ÷ 10 = 8.4) 63
 Drawing to Scale: Example
Step 2 (cont.):
Because these measurements are larger
than the paper, you must go smaller.

You try dividing by 12 to get measurements

of 10 by 7 inches.
(120 ÷ 12 = 10 and 84 ÷ 12 = 7)

This will fit on your paper, so you decide

to use a 1:12 scale.
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 Drawing to Scale: Step Three
• Requires measuring all elements to be
included in the drawing
– you only need to measure dimensions to be
seen in the drawing (drawings are two-
dimensional while many objects to be drawn
are three-dimensional)
• for example, if drawing a space from above,
you will not need height measurements and if
drawing a space from the side, you will not
need depth measurements

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 Drawing to Scale: Step Three
• Requires using the scale to calculate the
proportional size each element should be
in the drawing
– set up and solve proportions for each
element; one ratio will be the scale and the
other ratio will be the variable over the
measurement taken

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 Drawing to Scale: Example
Step 3:
You measure your door, window, bed and
chest of drawers to be included in the
drawing.

Measurements are as follows:

Door: 36 inches wide
Window: 24 inches wide
Bed: 39 by 75 inches
Chest of Drawers: 21 by 15 inches
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 Drawing to Scale: Example
Step 3:
To scale down the measurements, you set
up the following proportions with x for the
variables. Then you solve for x.
1 x
Door: 12 = 36 x = 3
Window: 121 = 24x x = 2
1 x
Bed: length: 12 = 75 x = 6.25
width: 121 = 39x x = 3.25
1 x
Chest of Drawers: length: 12 = 21 x = 1.75
1 x
width: 12 = 15 x = 1.25
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 Drawing to Scale: Step Four
• Requires creating the drawing using the
scaled-down measurements
– it is often easiest to mark the measurements
largest to smallest or most important to least
important
• Can be easier with the use of graph paper
– with graph paper, it may be possible to count
squares rather than measure lines

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 Drawing to Scale: Step Four
• Requires correct placement of elements
within the drawing
– measure where on walls elements such as
doors and windows are
– if including mobile elements such as furniture,
it may be smartest to create separate scale
drawings and cut them out to allow for
adjustable placement in the main drawing

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 Drawing to Scale: Example
Step 4:
You draw your 10 by 7 inch room and realize
you need to know exactly where to place the
door and window. The door is on one of the 84
inch walls, and it is 6 inches from the corner.
The window is on the opposite 84 inch wall and
it is centered on the wall, 30 inches from each
corner. You scale down these measurements to
discover the door should be drawn 0.5 inch from
the corner and the window should be drawn 2.5
inches from each corner.
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 Drawing to Scale: Example
Step 4 (cont.):
You decide you may want to try a few
different furniture arrangements, so you
create scale drawings of your bed (6.25 x
3.25 inches) and chest of drawers (1.75 x
1.25 inches) on a separate piece of paper.

Now you can cut them

out and rearrange the
floorplan as you wish.
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 Tips
• For drawing to scale include:
– indicating the scale on the drawing
– providing actual measurements in the drawing
to avoid any possible conversion mistakes
– using the appropriate tools for drawing, such
as:
• triangular scale
• ruler
• tape measure and straight edge

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 Resources
• Measurement Conversions: Construction Knowledge.net.
http://www.constructionknowledge.net/general_
technical_knowledge/general_tech_measurement_
conversions.php
• Ellingson, Lee A. Measurement in Construction.
http://ascpro0.ascweb.org/archives/cd/2006/
2006pro/2006/CEUE18_Ellingson06_8400.htm
• How to Read a Tape Measure. http://www.carpentry-
tips-and-tricks.com/Tape-Measure.html

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 Acknowledgements
Production Coordinator
Amy Hogan

Graphic Designer
Melody Rowell

Assistant Brand Manager

Mike Barley

V.P. of Brand Management Executive Producer

Clayton Franklin Gordon W. Davis, Ph.D.
CEV Multimedia, Ltd.
©MMXVI 75