One of the challenges when creating corners is getting them square. While no room is ever PERFECTLY square, we need to get the corners as close to 90 degrees as possible. If not, any tile or carpet laid will be noticeably 'off' from one side of the room to the other. Using the 3-4-5 method for squaring corners will help ensure your corners are square. Use this approach when framing walls to make sure that your corners are square.
1To create corners, we use the 3-4-5 rule from basic geometry: A2 + B2 = C2. This means the square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the square of both legs.Ad
2Measure 3 feet (0.9 m) from the corner in one direction and make a mark.
3Measure 4 feet (1.2 m) from the corner in the other direction and make a mark.
4Measure the distance between your marks. If your corner is square, the distance will be 5 feet (1.5 m).
- If the distance is less than 5 feet (1.5 m), then your corner has a measurement of less than 90°.
- If the distance is over 5 feet (1.5 m), then your corner has a measurement of more than 90°.
5Adjust your framed walls as needed to ensure your corner is square.Ad
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- You can also do it in multiples of 3-4-5, such as 6-8-10.
- This method can be more accurate than using a carpenter's (framing) square, which may be too small to get precise measurements over greater lengths.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
Sources and Citations
Categories: Interior Walls Ceilings and Floors
In other languages:
Español: Cómo diseñar esquinas usando la proporción 3 4 5 del teorema de Pitágoras, Italiano: Come Creare Angoli Retti Usando la Proporzione 3 4 5 del Teorema di Pitagora, Português: Como Usar a Regra do 3 4 5 para Construir Cantos Quadrados, Русский: применять правило 3 4 5 при строительстве прямых углов
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