Pro tip: mark your stud layout on both faces of the plate

I kept losing my layout lines when I'd nail off a top plate and flip it over. Last week on a kitchen reno in Austin, I started putting a small check mark on the face that would face me after the plate was up. Took maybe 5 extra seconds per stud and saved me from drilling a waste pipe through the wrong bay. Anyone else got a simple marking habit that keeps them out of trouble?

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harper_singh1810d ago

Ever try flipping the plate and realize the mark you made is now on the wrong side because you read the drawing backwards? Been there. What works for me is a quick "up" arrow near one end plus the stud marks, so I know which way the plate sits before it ever goes over my head. I also hit the layout with a lumber crayon instead of pencil, since it survives getting knocked around and doesn't rub off when you drag it across the deck. One more thing that saves me: I mark the first stud bay with a big X so I never drill or nail in that spot by mistake. Five seconds now beats a two hour repair later.

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