TIL I was wrong about skipping the layout lines on a deck frame

My old boss in Tampa always said 'measure twice, cut once, but snap your lines first' and I thought it was just extra work. I was rushing a 12x16 deck last month and skipped the chalk lines, just went off my tape, and the whole thing ended up a half-inch out of square at the far corner. What's your go-to trick for keeping a big frame square without slowing down too much?

3 comments

3 Comments

juliahall11d ago

That "measure twice, cut once" line is everywhere for a reason. I see the same rush in my own cooking, skipping prep to get straight to cooking and then burning the garlic. The foundational step is always the one you regret skipping.

nancy35111d ago

Honestly, same with trusting my GPS without checking the map first.

karen_nelson4010d ago

My friend Sarah skipped the primer on her living room wall last weekend. She used two extra coats of paint and still has streaks, it's a whole thing.