Storey pole

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Rarely used in building construction after the mass production of the steel tape measure, a storey pole (or story pole) is a length of narrow board, often a 1x4 usually cut to the height of one storey. It was used as a layout tool for both wood framing and brickwork, measured and marked by the master carpenter for the heights from (usually) the floor platform of a building for dimensions such as window sill heights, window top heights (or headers), exterior door heights (or headers), interior door heights, wall gas jet heights (for gas lamps) and the level of the next storey joists. It made for quick, repeatable measurements without the need of otherwise calibrated measuring devices or workers skilled in using them.

For wood construction, the storey pole was placed against the studs and the studs were marked at the proper places for their location in the building. For brickwork, they were used as a reference for openings in the walls. Once laid out, storey poles could be used on building after building of the same general design.

In wood balloon framing construction, a storey pole would be taller than one storey, and have marks for the attachment level of the next storey joists to the studs and rafter plate at the top.

It was common to have different storey poles for each floor, with ceiling heights being higher and window sizes being larger for the first storey. In residential buildings, the first storey was often over 8'6", the second and any succeeding storey(s) being usually significantly less than 8'. Commercial building ceiling heights were generally proportionally higher, with first story heights of 10' or more, though this has varied considerably by time, place, materials available and budgets.

Storey poles have also been used in cabinet making and kitchen cabinet installation to mark heights and positions of different elements.