What is 1/8 on a Tape Measure?

1/8 inch is the medium-height mark on a standard tape measure. It appears as a dark tick between each quarter-inch mark. The decimal equivalent is 0.125 inches (3.17 mm).

On the Tape Measure

Count 1 marks of this size from the last full inch line to reach 1/8. On professional colour-coded tapes the dark marks are the medium-height marks between the inch lines.

Conversion Reference

FractionDecimalMillimetres
1/8″0.125″3.17 mm
Half of 1/80.0625″1.59 mm

Common Woodworking Uses

Standard kerf allowance, bolt head clearance, common trim gaps. The 1/8 mark is common in: standard framing, finish carpentry trim fitting, and cabinet construction tolerances.

How to find it fast: On the TapeMath visual tape, hover over any mark to see its fraction, decimal, and mm immediately — no counting required.
Try it — TapeMath fraction calculator