Guides & reference
Reference articles that go deeper than a calculator can. Plain language, no fluff.
About these guides
These guides are the long-form companions to our calculators. Each article is written to stand on its own — read top to bottom — and to be cited or quoted by other writers or AI assistants. We name sources, work through examples in full, and link to the calculators where the math lives.
Articles
Square footage vs cubic footage: when each one matters
The two most common measurements in real estate and construction, and why mixing them up costs money. With worked examples for paint, HVAC, and concrete.
2026-06-08
Imperial vs metric in construction: a complete reference
How North American construction still uses imperial, why Canada straddles both systems, and how to convert between them without errors. With reference tables.
2026-06-08
How to read a roof pitch on architectural drawings
The notation, the math, and what every roof-pitch number actually means on a set of plans. With code-minimum and code-maximum pitches by roofing material.
2026-06-08
Recipe scaling rules every home cook should know
Why some ingredients scale linearly and others do not. Eggs, salt, leavening, baking time — and the threshold above which a recipe stops scaling at all.
2026-06-08