How to get an accurate reading from your scale on carpet?

suppakana
suppakana Posts: 307 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys! I recently bought an expensive scale (because I've been eyeing it and gosh darn it I deserve it), but there's a small problem: it works most efficiently on hard floors, and can give seriously inaccurate readings on carpet.

Simple solution, right? Keep it in the bathroom! Except the bathroom in my house is tiny, and the rest of my family keeps kicking around my expensive (and glass) scale. :grimace:

Any ideas on something I can do to tamp down the carpet in my bedroom or otherwise support it to get accurate readings? I've tried putting it on textbooks, cardboard, etc. all to no avail.

Replies

  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,771 Member
    i don't think you can, although I would try one more time with plywood (if you have some handy that isn't warped). Carry it in with you.
  • elephant2mouse
    elephant2mouse Posts: 906 Member
    Kitchen maybe? If it isn't carpeted...
    Other than that you could put it away in the cabinet after every weigh in... but on my scale you have to weigh twice if you move it to calibrate it.
    I don't know how to make it work on carpet. :(
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    edited July 2015
    Nope, none of those will work. The scale needs a non-compressible surface under it. Even if you put a board between the scale and the carpet, the carpet will compress and prevent an accurate reading.

    ETA: a board could work, but it has to allow the scale to rest evenly. If you lean off to one side, one corner can compress the carpet more than the others and throw the scale off.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,259 Member
    piece of plywood, or a single large tile you buy for that purpose.
  • suppakana
    suppakana Posts: 307 Member
    Thanks for the advice! I'll try to find a small piece of ply tomorrow (don't want to have to buy a whole sheet for a 1'x1' square!), or some tile.
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
    I had this problem years ago. Bought a cheap plank of thick(ish) wood from the local hardware. Tested it out on tiles versus wood/carpet and it worked fine.
  • FaylinaMeir
    FaylinaMeir Posts: 661 Member
    piece of wood under it but honestly just take the extra time to move it to a flat area like a kitchen floor for example, and then put it back. I know it's a pain in butt, but in the long run worth it.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    I keep mine in the garage. The kids atent allowed in there :-)
  • hncary
    hncary Posts: 176 Member
    My hall bathroom is kind of small as well so I put mine in the kitchen. And as an added bonus, it reminds me of my goals and progress when I may be wanting to go in there and get something that doesn't fit my calories.
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,771 Member
    bpetrosky wrote: »
    Nope, none of those will work. The scale needs a non-compressible surface under it. Even if you put a board between the scale and the carpet, the carpet will compress and prevent an accurate reading.

    ETA: a board could work, but it has to allow the scale to rest evenly. If you lean off to one side, one corner can compress the carpet more than the others and throw the scale off.

    Yeah, now that I'm thinking about it more, I bet it wouldn't work. I certainly wouldn't go out and buy one to test it out. I would carry it into the bathroom with me each time.
  • SimoneBee12
    SimoneBee12 Posts: 268 Member
    My bathroom is small too, if I left it out we would kick it by accident. I just prop mine between the tub and the laundry basket and bring it out each morning. I put it in the exact same position so that its level and consistent and then I weigh 3-5 times to make sure. The first one is always 1kg heavier then it evens out and the remaining weights are normally all the same.

    As someone else said, anything on carpet will be inconsistent because the carpet compresses differently in different spots around the scale, I wouldn't trust it.
  • pmm3437
    pmm3437 Posts: 529 Member
    In the garage or basement ( cement floor ).

    You could also put it away when not in use ( under the sink, in the closet ). After all, once your on plan, you don't need to use it that often.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    Find a nice spot that's level then.....................cut out the carpet and insert the scale. :D

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • greaseswabber
    greaseswabber Posts: 238 Member
    edited July 2015
    The easiest solution is to just move it to and from the bathroom floor when you use it.

    However if you still want it somewhere else, and you have some tools, you might try building a support stand.

    First measure the scale's width and length. Also measure the depth of carpet where you want to put it.

    Find or cut a piece of plywood so that the dimensions are 2-3 inches wider and longer than the scale. 1/2 inch plywood would probably work, but I would use 3/4 for extra support

    Buy a set of 4 bolts, nuts, and washers. The bolt should be as long as the plywood thickness + the carpet depth. They don't need to have a large diameter. Something a little less than a pencil diameter would be enough.

    Drill holes in the four corners of the plywood. The hole diameter should be just slightly larger, or the same size, as the bolt. Install one bolt in each hole, with washers and nuts. Now you should have a stand with four little legs. The legs will take the weight, rather than the weight being distributed across the entire piece of plywood. It should be more stable.
  • succeedinyourgoals
    succeedinyourgoals Posts: 1 Member
    Thanks for the support stand idea, greaseswabber! This took me about an hour to shop and put together. It works great!
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    piece of plywood, or a single large tile you buy for that purpose.

    That won't work on top of a carpet. I've tried it. :)
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,259 Member
    2 year necro thread revival; but, good idea on the screws through the plywood to get to the floor under the carpet support which I had not seen at the time of the original thread ;-)
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