Guides
How to measure anything. With pictures.
Short guides for people who have never held a tape. Each one ends with the quickest way to do it.
Start from the job
Pick what you are doing. We show you the guides, in the right order.
- Buy a sofa or a bedMake sure it gets in, and fits once it is there.
- Paint a roomBuy the right number of cans.
- Lay a new floorArea plus extra for cuts.
- Read a tape measureRead a tapeEvery line, inch to sixteenth.
- Find a ring sizeAt home, with no sizer.
- Hang a picture straightHang a pictureHeight, spacing and level.
Buying furniture
Check it fits in one tapMeasure the door, type the sofaGet TapepalGet
Measure the way in before the room.
Most furniture that goes back did fit the room. It did not fit the door, the stairs or the elevator on the way.
Check it fits in one tapMeasure the door, type the sofaGet TapepalGet- How to measure a doorwayWidth, height and the tight spot nobody checks3 min3 min
- Will my sofa fit through the door?Upright, on its back, or on its end5 min5 min
- How to find the square footage of a roomSo the sofa leaves room to walk around it5 min5 min
Check it fits in one tapMeasure the door, type the sofaGet TapepalGetAll guides
Updated November 2026
- How to read a tape measure6 min · Every line, from the inch to the sixteenthEvery line, inch to sixteenth
- What is 5/8 on a tape measure?2 min · Quick answer
- Will my sofa fit through the door?5 min · Upright, on its back or on its end
- How much paint do I need?4 min · With a calculator
- How to find the square footage of a room5 min · Any room shape
- How to measure your ring size at home3 min · US, UK and EU sizesUS, UK and EU
Rather not read a guide?Point your iPhone at it. Tapepal measures it in a tap.
- Roof pitch, explained4 min · Rise, run and degrees
- Is the iPhone Measure app accurate?5 min · Tested on real objects
- How to measure a doorway3 min · Width, height and the tight spotThe tight spot
