The ability to measure is an important part of human development. There are measurements for everything — length, girth, volume, weight, temperature, distance, time. Scientists attempt to measure the smallest particles of energy and matter and also make sense of astronomical distances by creating large units of space. Most people only need basic units to measure things in their daily life. Ounces, pounds, inches and feet are enough (or liters, grams, centimeters and meters if they prefer the metric system to the English standards).

It’s hard to imagine a household without at least one measuring tape . The reality is that most homes, whether a dorm room or a macmansion, have multiple measuring tapes, each with a specific use. It’s important to use the right tape for each measuring job, otherwise things can get tricky. Think what it would take to use a ruler to measure the square footage of a house or a yard stick to determine the girth of an animal, tree, or person.

The two basic types of measuring tapes are tailoring and carpentry tapes. They may have other names, but those are their original uses. Tailoring or sewing measuring tapes are generally used to measure body parts for clothing. They can also be used to measure the girth of anything that is irregular or round in shape. They can be used for short lengths, that can be stretched between two hands, but the tape will roll up, so longer distances aren’t really feasible. For those a carpenter or standard household measuring tape is needed. These can measure inches, feet, and even yards and the tape is stiff, so that it will stay extended across the length of a window, room, or even yard.