You can find the center of a square or rectangle with ONE simple measurement. Here’s the trick - great for finding knob position on a drawer front or door panel.
Here’s a really simple trick to determining the center (both length and width-wise) of a rectangle or square.
One of your fellow viewer family members, @jaysaw8151, shared this simple trick and it’s a good one!
Since there are mathematical proportions throughout a square or rectangle, you can simply use one diagonal measurement, from opposing corners, and mark the halfway point. You have now found the halfway point from top to bottom and side to side of the rectangle or square.
To do this, use a ruler, yardstick (or meterstick), drywall square, or ruled straightedge and place it across the rectangle or square, with one edge aligned with two opposing corners. You have two ways you can now get the half point on the ruled edge.
You can put one corner at the zero point of the rule and note the total distance to the other corner. Then divide that distance by 2 to get the point.
Or, you can have the straight edge extend equal amounts over each corner. Then use the rule’s halfway point (like 24” on a 48” rule) to mark the center point.
Easy! You just need to be sure that you are working with a true square or rectangle, and the geometry will take care of the rest.
Hey, Dirt Farmer Jay here from DirtFarmerJay.com.
You want an easy way to find the center
of a rectangle or a square?
Well, there's a one-step move that gets it done.
Stay tuned, and I'll tell you all about it.
Dirt Farmer Jay from DirtFarmerJay.com.
Your fellow viewer at JSAW8151 wrote in
and gave me this great tip,
and I wanna pass on his wisdom to you.
Now, there are times in the shop
when you need to find the absolute center
of, let's say, a drawer front.
So you want the center from left to right
and from top to bottom,
and you wanna just do it in as quickly as possible
and as accurately as possible.
Well, here is a quick tip that works either
with a rectangle, a true rectangle, or a true square.
Let's get to it.
Well, the process is quite simple.
All you need is one measurement on a rectangle like this.
Let's suppose this is a drawer front,
and you're wanting to put a drawer knob right in the middle,
right there, equidistant from each side,
and equidistant from the top and bottom.
You only need one measurement.
Take a straight edge, start on an opposing corner,
measure diagonal, and in this case,
it happens to be 16 inches.
Then put your mark right here along the line,
right at the halfway point.
Now, if this happened to be a little bit of a weird size,
you could adjust the ruler back and forth
to overhang the same amount,
or if you had a ruler that was closer to this size,
let's suppose like an 18-inch ruler,
you could adjust it back and forth
until you have the same amount hanging over either end,
or you could simply start at the zero point
at the corner here,
and then pivot this around
until it's right on the corner there,
and do a little bit of math to find that center point.
So now we have this center point right here
with one measurement.
And just to double-check it,
we'll just see if indeed this is correct side to side.
I'll put the ruler so it's reading for you,
and let's look from end to end.
We have about 14 3⁄4, which would be 7 3⁄8,
and there we are, 7 1 2 3⁄8, right there.
And let's look at top to bottom.
Here we go.
The overall width of the drawer,
front or this rectangle, is about 6 1⁄4,
which would make it about 3 1⁄8 on,
and there it is right there.
So in one measurement,
you've got the center point.
This also works for squares,
so there's no big deal there.
This is really, really handy.
And here's another technique that you may enjoy.
If you have a parallel-sided board
and you want to find the center of it
without using a ruler,
you can simply use one of these speed squares.
Well, check out the video that we have there for you
that shows you that simple technique.
And while you're at it,
check out this other video that YouTube thinks is perfect
for you from our catalog, and so do we.
Until the next time,
this is Dirt Farmer Jay from DirtFarmerJay.com.
