The carpenter’s square is a recognizable L-shaped tool used to lay out right angles in construction. It can also determine the flatness of building materials and has three sections: blade, tongue, and heel. It comes in various sizes and can be purchased at hardware or building materials stores.
One of the most easily recognized woodworking tools, the carpenter’s square is an L-shaped set square that is used to lay out right angles during the construction process. Sometimes referred to as a mason’s square, the carpenter’s square is a flat square often made of steel or aluminum and is relatively lightweight. Carpenter’s squares are often used in wall construction, roofing installation, and a number of furniture making projects.
Today’s carpenter’s square usually measures twenty-four inches by sixteen inches, which is the largest dimension ever associated with the tool. Typical square beam and roofing patterns in the 19th century tended to measure eighteen inches by twelve inches. Smaller squares are also available, ideal for smaller jobs.
There are several ways to effectively use the carpenter’s square. The main function of the device is to track and mark patterns related to framing jobs. This would include duties such as drawing corners for roofing work, building stair treads and making sure walls are joined at perfect right angles.
In addition to laying out such layouts, a carpenter’s square can also be used to determine the flatness of a board or sheet of building material. This is actually an excellent way to quickly qualify materials before purchase or use in a construction project. Since many projects require flat building materials to build properly, this simple control method will prevent the builder from using slightly warped materials.
There are essentially three sections to the typical carpenter’s square. The team’s longest arm is referred to as the blade. This section is slightly wider than the second, shorter arm of the carpenter’s square, which is called the tongue. The outside corner where the tongue and blade meet is known as the heel.
To make calculations easier and faster, the surface or face of the carpenter’s square has measurements. While in the past, the means of measurement employed was strictly linear, many carpenter square designs today will also include metric dimensions. A carpenter’s square can be purchased at any hardware store, as well as any building materials retail center.
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