What is 5/8 on a Tape Measure?

5/8 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 0.625 inches (15.88 mm).

On the Tape Measure

Count 5 marks of this size from the last full inch line to reach 5/8. On professional colour-coded tapes the dark marks are the medium-height marks between the inch lines.

Conversion Reference

FractionDecimalMillimetres
5/8″0.625″15.88 mm
Half of 5/80.3125″7.94 mm

Common Woodworking Uses

Standard kerf allowance, bolt head clearance, common trim gaps. The 5/8 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