The Best Tape Measure for Carpenters

There are plenty of tools you need to run a successful carpentry business. But measuring up is the first and most important step of any project for good carpenters. If you get your measurements wrong then none of your cuttings will fit into place and you’ll have wasted a whole load of time, energy, and timber. 

That means you need a great tape measure. For carpenters, the best ones are durable, accurate, and easy to use. And, as a relatively inexpensive tool, it doesn’t hurt to have more than one of these little beauties up your sleeve for whatever different tasks you have to tackle. 

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1. Say goodbye to slip and slide: Stanley PowerLock
2. The easy reader: Crescent Lufkin Shockforce Nite Eye
3. The best bet if you’re a one-man band: Komelon Self-Lock Evolution
4. As tough as they come: Milwaukee Gen II Stud Tape Measure
5. One hook to rule them all: Stabila BM 300

1. Say goodbye to slip and slide: Stanley PowerLock

Nobody wants a tape that recoils when you’ve got your finger on the lock. You want something that locks reliably so you don’t waste time or energy remeasuring. The Stanley PowerLock doesn’t slip, so you can breeze through the workday calmly and at good speed.

Pros:

• The blade lock grip is viper-like meaning your tape never slips unexpectedly
• Good bang for your buck
• High-impact case defends against damage

Cons:

• No tip protection for the hook at the end of the tape

  

2. The easy reader: Crescent Lufkin Shockforce Nite Eye

If you can’t read your tape clearly then you’ll risk misreading it, and that can cause some serious headaches down the line in your project. Thanks to the Lufkin Shockforce’s large and clear yellow numbers set against a black backdrop, you’ll never lose time over a misreading again.

Pros:

• The tape is dual-sided
• The case is hard as nails 
• Easy to read with numbers and markings that really stand out

Cons:

• It’s heavier than most others
• The recoil spring is on the weaker side

3. The best bet if you’re a one-man band: Komelon Self-Lock Evolution

One of the smartest tape measures on the market, the Komelon Self-Lock Evolution is ideal for carpenters who do a lot of measuring and marking by themselves. That’s thanks to the self-lock feature here that holds the tape steadily in place so you can mark up with precision easily.

Pros:

• Frees up your hands so you can be more precise with your markings
• One of the easiest-to-use tape measures around
• Fairly light without sacrificing durability

Cons:

• Doesn’t have a manual lock option

4. As tough as they come: Milwaukee Gen II Stud Tape Measure

As a carpenter, your tape measure is always going to take some knocks and falls. So it’s important to have a piece of kit that can take a few bruises on the chin and not be affected. This tough cookie can handle almost anything you throw at it thanks to its reinforced casing. 

Pros:

• One of the toughest tape measures money can buy
• Includes a finger guard
• Tape is dual-sided

Cons:

• It’s a bulky piece of kit
• The end hook can be a little slippy

5. One hook to rule them all: Stabila BM 300

Having a hook that latches onto your surface without wriggling left and right or slipping off altogether is crucial. Helping you get through the day’s work swiftly, Stabila’s BM 300 has specially designed spikes on its hook to guard against any unwanted slip-ups. 

Pros:

• The grippiest hook around
• Scales on both sides of the tape
• Shock-absorbing soft grip casing

Cons:

• The tape’s edges are curled

Business management software that’s made to measure

When you’re starting up your carpentry business, the measure of success you’ll achieve doesn’t just come down to what measuring tape you choose. Having a great business management system, like Tradify, makes all the difference towards running a booming carpentry business.

Tradify’s software makes managing your business easier by helping you schedule jobs, send quotes and invoices, and handle customer enquiries. 

It’s already trusted by tens of thousands of carpenters around the world to help them run their businesses smoothly. And you can start experiencing the benefits too with a 14-day free trial! Or pop over to one of our live demo webinars to see Tradify in action.