Busted a tape measure on a high ceiling in Denver last Monday

Was hanging 12 foot sheets in a new build and my Stanley tape snapped at the 8 foot mark when I let it retract too fast. Spent 20 minutes fishing the end out of a duct vent. Anyone else ever had a tape break on a job or was that just me being dumb?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewmartin1mo ago

Busted a tape measure on a high ceiling" - yeah, I've done that more times than I want to admit. Those Stanley tapes are pretty good but they can't handle a quick retract from that height. I usually grab the hook and guide it back slow when I'm up high now, saves the headache of fishing parts out of vents.

taylorellis1mo ago

Wait, have you tried just easing the tape back down the same way you pulled it up? I do that now after wrecking two tapes on high ceilings, and yeah @hannah_perry is right about softer tapes too, but I already have a 25-foot Stanley so I just work the hook slow and it holds up fine.

hannah_perry1mo ago

honestly the real issue nobody talks about is using a tape measure thats too stiff for the job. i switched to one of those soft fabric tapes for high stuff and it changed everything. no snapping, no busted parts, just wrap it around whatever and pull it back smooth. sure it's not as precise for short measurements but for ceilings and deep corners it's way more forgiving. plus you can drop it from the ladder without worrying about it shattering on the floor. try a komelon or something similar next time, might save you some frustration.