Word of the Week #5

Story Pole



A story pole is used to transfer dimensions from one place to another or to check a clearance. To create a story pole, cut a piece of pipe into the desired length. To check a stairwell for clearance, you may cut a piece of pipe 44" long. As you walk down the stairwell, the pipe should pass freely between the handrails.

Story poles work great for clearances. But imagine setting your ceiling height via story pole. By cutting your pole 8 feet in length and building your ceiling to match your story pole, you will unwittingly transfer all of the variances in your your concrete finish from the floor to the ceiling. A 3/16' variance in the floor is almost imperceptible to the human eye. The same variance in a ceiling will cause you to question the sobriety of the installer.

You may have noticed John Napoli (the Italian Master of Concrete) using a laser to set the elevations of his form work. In modern commercial construction, lasers are used to transfer dimensions from one point all around the building site. If you get the chance, ask Mr. Napoli if his concrete is flat enough to story pole. Just don't make the mistake of calling it "cement".

Bottom line: If you use a story pole to top of window/door elevations or ceiling heights, you may not like the ending of the story!