What’s an adjustable square?

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An adjustable square is a tool used in construction and carpentry to determine if a component is perfectly square. Often by including a spirit level in the adjustable square tool, the device can be used to determine whether a board or other object is not only square, but level as well. Commonly manufactured with a steel ruler attached to a wooden or plastic handle fitted with a bolt and wing nut, the adjustable square is manipulated by the carpenter by loosening the wing nut, moving the steel ruler to the desired length, and re-tightening the wing nut . This now gives the carpenter an exact reading of the squareness of the object in question.

Generally small enough to fit in a carpenter’s tool belt, the adjustable square is a multipurpose tool capable of many tasks. While generally used to mark a cut line on a piece of material, the adjustable square can also aid in the installation of a door or window. By reading the bubble level in the handle of the square, the carpenter is able to determine the exact placement of a door or window to ensure the unit is level. This ensures that the door or window opens and closes without binding or sticking once finished and installed.

Using the adjustable square is also useful for measuring concrete and brick grades as well as gutter drop by monitoring the position of the bubble in the level. If installed improperly, a gutter will not drain rainwater, but will instead collect water and may even collect insect larvae. When attempting to build a concrete wall or brick wall to a particular grade, the adjustable square is an invaluable tool that allows the mason to periodically check the position of the level bubble, which corresponds to the grade, and make sure the job is done. is correct. One of the more common uses of the square is assigned to make-measure boards on a construction site. By marking the cut line with the square, the boards will snap together properly when nailed into place.

Another practical use for the adjustable square is to determine the depth of a particular space. By loosening the wing nut, the square can be placed over the depression or hole and the blade can be slid into the gap until it bottoms out by touching another surface. The wing nut can then be tightened and the square removed from the hole. By measuring the distance from the tip of the adjustable square blade to the face of the handle, an accurate measurement can be found to allow a trimmed board to fit neatly into the gap.

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