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A miter square is one of several types of squares. This instrument is for marking angles to make a miter joint. A miter joint is a corner joint, usually made by abutting on two ends at 45° angles. Miters are commonly used by carpenters, but they can be used in any procedure where the worker needs to measure an angle. Some miter squares only measure a 45° angle, while others are adjustable for other angle measurements.
Generally, a miter joint consists of two pieces of material at a 45° angle that come together to create a 90° angle. A common example is a picture frame. Some miter joints need to be at different angles, like a hexagon shaped frame. An adjustable miter square is useful for accurately measuring the trim for projects where the angles may not be a perfect 45°. An example of this is old houses, where the walls are not perfectly square.
One person uses a 45° fixed miter square by placing the straight edge against the long side of the board and then scoring the board along the angled edge of the square. Many squares have a fence or protruding edge that sets the square firmly against the board. Adjustable miter squares have an arm that rotates to the desired angle. One person holds the straight edge across the board as a fixed miter square and turns the angled edge to the desired angle graduation mark. For example, if a person wants a 65° angle, he lines up the 65 mark on the edge of the board; the resulting angle will be 65°.
Manufacturers sometimes combine miter squares with framing squares, try regular squares or squares for efficiency. They are made of steel and aluminum alloys, wood and other materials. The best squares are made from the strongest materials because they are less likely to warp and lose accuracy. Accurate measurement helps ensure a tighter joint.
Some companies offer a folding miter square that is conveniently portable. When buying a folding square, the buyer should check whether it holds the angle tightly or slides. It is important to have accurate measurements, or the quality of the project will suffer.
A Japanese miter square looks like an unbalanced frame. This box-shaped square has 45° angles at both ends. Carpenters use it to set up saws to cut 45° angles. The square has no graduation marks because it only makes a 45° angle.