The two most common types of grade rods are aluminum or fiberglass. They both come in tenths or eighths (inches) and they come in different lengths from 8’ to 25’.

Leveling Rods

Two types of leveling rod are available “architects” (graduated in feet, inches and eighths of an inch) and “engineers” (graduated in feet, tenths, and hundredths of a foot).

Inches and Decimal portions of a foot

Leveling and measurements of distance are often carried out in decimal portions of a foot (hundredths). Whereas building plans are usually given to carpenters and masons in feet, inches and fractions of an inch. (0.08 ft.) Is equal, very nearly to one inch. Also 1/8 inch is very nearly equal to one hundredth of a foot (0.01 ft.)

Inches and Eighths to Decimals of a Foot

in.	0	1/8	1/4	3/8	1/2	5/8	3/4	7/8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11	.00 .08 .17 .25 .33 .42 .50 .58 .67 .75 .83 .92	.01 .09 .18 .26 .34 .43 .51 .59 .68 .76 .84 .93	.02 .10 .19 .27 .35 .44 .52 .60 .69 .77 .85 .94	.03 .11 .20 .28 .36 .45 .53 .61 .70 .78 .86 .95	.04 .12 .21 .29 .38 .46 .54 .62 .71 .79 .88 .96	.05 .14 .22 .30 .39 .47 .55 .64 .72 .80 .89 .97	.06 .15 .23 .31 .40 .48 .56 .65 .73 .81 .90 .98	.07 .16 .24 .32 .41 .49 .57 .66 .74 .82 .91 .99

Examples:
From Table: 2 feet, 7-1/8 inches - 2.59 feet.
From Table: 8.38 feet = 8 feet, 4-1/2 inches

 

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