What’s Surveyor’s Tape?

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Surveyor’s tape is a durable, waterproof, and colorful strip of plastic used by surveyors to mark objects of interest. It is also useful for non-surveyors, such as gardeners and hikers. Surveying is an ancient science used to measure distances, boundaries, and spatial relationships. Surveyors use various equipment to collect data and mark areas for logging or construction. Different colors and patterns of tape are used to mark different objects, and moving the tape could alter important information.

Surveyors tape is a product designed for use by surveyors in the field. Despite the name, surveyor’s tape is not tape in the sense of an adhesive, but rather in the sense of a long, thin strip of material that can be cut to size. Although the surveyor type is a rather niche specialty, it can prove very useful for non-surveyors. Many hardware stores have surveyor tapes available, which can also be ordered through catalogs that cater to surveyors.

Surveying is an ancient science that involves measuring distances, boundaries and the relationship between places. It is used to collect data on spatial relationships, ranging from the pitch of a proposed road site to ocean depth. Surveying is often employed to determine accurate property lines, prepare a site for construction, or measure areas under review, such as forests that are about to be cleared. Surveyors use a variety of equipment to measure and note distances and other information about the area they are working in.

On site, surveyors often require markings so that various information can be tracked. This is when surveyor’s tape comes in handy. The brightly colored tape is typically made from plastic so that it is highly durable and waterproof as well as visible. It comes in an assortment of colors and patterns that can include stripes or diamonds, so surveyors can use different types of tape to mark different objects of interest.

Usually, a surveying company has a standard code used by all of its members. For example, surveyors marking a forest for logging will use one color on the trees that should be taken and another on the trees that should be left in place. In this case, surveyors can work exclusively on lumber projects and are trained as foresters so they can make decisions about where and when to log.

Because surveyor’s tape is colorful and durable, it can be used for a variety of applications outside of conventional surveying. Gardeners, for example, can use surveyor’s tape to mark bulbs that need to be dug up at the end of the season. The tape can also be used to mark hiking or walking trails, ensuring people don’t get lost.

If you’re out in the woods or on a construction site and you see surveyor’s tape, it should be left where it is. Moving the tape could have unfortunate consequences, as surveyor tape is something of a messaging shorthand. Because different people use different tape codes, you could inadvertently alter important information.




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