Like cell phones and Palm Pilots, laser levels are rapidly becoming
high-tech staples in many contractors' tool bags. If you don't use them
yet, you'll probably find yourself left behind on layout speed, daunted
by complicated designs. A single laser however, won't perform all the
functions you need as efficiently as you'd like. I've found that a
fixed-point laser and a separate rotary laser is the best combination
for me.
 Laser Levels know how.
For the last 10 years, I've been a contractor in the New York metro
area. I focus on high-end residential and commercial office projects.
This work generally requires complex layouts that laser levels can make
quick work of. Whether we're laying out a foundation for a new home or
establishing perimeter lines in a pre-war office building, our laser
levels and chalk lines are first out of the box and all of my layout
guys use them throughout the job.
Published by www.toolsofthetrade.net, written by Erik Elwell July 2001.
Foundations
The more accurate and level a foundation is, the easier it is for all
other trades to do their work. If the foundation grades and subsequent
floor framing were perfectly level, theoretically you'd only need a
tape measure and framing square to build a square and level structure.
But we all know that's impossible given the realities of jobsite
conditions and lumber variations. Some of us remember laying out
foundations with water levels and transits, but these devices have
shortcomings that laser levels don't.
Anyone who's used a water level knows how frustrating it is to operate.
Transits are a major improvement over water levels, but they're
susceptible to human error: The slightest change in position throws a
transit fatally out of accuracy. If the set-up man doesn't read the
levelling vials properly or bumps the tripod, it knocks everything out
of level -- including your foundation.
A good self-levelling rotary laser level can eliminate those problems.
Set one up, turn it on, and the laser automatically finds level and
shoots a red dot up to 200 hundred-plus feet that's accurate to within
an 1/8-inch. With remote-controlled operation and remote receivers,
your layout man needn't be near the laser, reducing the chance of
bumping into it. If, however, it does get bumped or jostled by a shaky
floor, the tool signals you there's a problem. Layout becomes a
one-person job and given today's labour rates, those substantial
savings justify purchasing the tool.
We use our rotating laser level to lay out excavation stakes. Then our
excavator gives us a nice 8- to 10-foot-deep hole so we can start
pouring footings and setting up wall forms. Our laser level makes its
second appearance for marking footers. It shoots a constant level line,
acting like a transit that's infinitely easier to set up and use.
Thanks to the tool's automatic levelling feature, a layout man presses
the on button and can be completely confident that the laser will shoot
a red dot in perfect level.
Since the laser spins, it projects level points 360 degrees. Using a
marking stick, footing form boards are easily brought up to level. A
remote-controlled device lets us position the laser's red dot exactly
and keep it there as long as necessary, which is essential for setting
forms -- especially warped or damaged ones. After we've set the wall
forms on the footings, we use the laser to set grade for the top of the
foundation walls before the pour.
Framing
We also use our lasers to establish level and plumb lines during
framing whether it's a new home or an old building. With an old
building, we often need to establish a reference line on the floor so
we can lay out the rest of the space. For this task, too, I suggest
springing for the cost of a self-levelling device. In a few seconds,
you can establish a top wall plate location and create a line from
which you can then pull measurements to establish your other walls.
With the laser mounted horizontally, soffits, doors, and knee walls are
quickly laid out. The numerous mounting devices available -- pole
stands, adjustable tripods, and mounting brackets -- let you do many
layouts on the mark without having to extend points with a tape measure.
On new construction, we return to the site with laser in hand once the
foundation has cured. Putting the laser on a tripod, we set the sills
and easily bring them to level. Because we shot the foundation with the
same tool, it takes only small adjustments to level the sills, which we
accomplish with a handful of shims inserted here and there.
The tighter the sill is to the foundation (i.e., fewer shims), the
stronger the structure is. It's less likely to settle or squeak. Once
the sill is on and levelled properly, the rest of the framing could be
done with a tape measure, right? Given today's lumber quality and new
guys' inability to read tape measures properly, it's always a good idea
to keep a laser level handy. Shooting a level line periodically during
the project's course ensures that all framing is built level, which
gives you a chance to find problems early on.
Finish
After the rough framing is complete, it's time for all those crazy half
walls, dropped soffits, and vaulted ceilings architects love. With the
advent of CAD, architects are developing increasingly complex designs
and I've found that using a laser level is the only way to keep up.
Because we can set one up in virtually any location with the right
mounting device, my crew can lay out almost anything an architect can
come up with. Even arched vaulted ceilings are fairly easy; once you
establish a level line around the room, you can swing your arc using a
chalk line or a long, straight 2x4.
Laying out door and window heights with lasers increases the efficiency
and quality of our work with very little effort. Using the tools to
establish consistent heights on those openings ensures that all
interior trim is also consistent. That's especially important for
elaborate and expensive mouldings. And when your siding crew sees that
you've aligned all the doors and windows consistently, they'll probably
buy you lunch for making their job easier and their work better-looking.
Uneven window and door heights become a nightmare when siding crews try
to maintain reveals and proper spacing. Your siding crew might even
have their own laser setup to level and check their courses.
Finish carpenters are also fans of laser levels. Shooting a level line
around a room gives our carpenters instant points for chair-rail
heights, cabinet locations, and shelving. It's a hassle to wrap a 4- or
6-foot level around a room. It's invariably inaccurate, and measuring
off the ceiling or floor for level is a risky proposition.
With a laser tool, there's no need to question floor unevenness or
level because self-levelling lasers operate independently of floor
imperfections and establish a level line no matter what.
Other Trades, Other Phases
Suspended ceiling installers. These guys were among the first to use
laser levels on their jobs, especially in commercial situations where
runs are really long. They establish one good reference line, then clip
a rotating laser to the ledger. Now they've got a perfect line for the
rest of the ledger, track, and all their tie wire. Unlike a pencil
line, you shut the laser off and the mark disappears. That's especially
nice for painted walls.
Plumbers. These subs often use point-to-point lasers to mark pipe
layouts and establish pitch over long runs. A point-to-point laser
shoots two to five points: parallel, plumb, square to each other, or
some combination of the three. This makes it easy to mark overhead
fixture locations like showerheads and A/C units. Fixture locations are
laid out on the floor; then the laser transcribes the marks right up to
the ceiling like a plumb bob working in reverse.
We increasingly find our projects being marked out on the floor and
then shot up to the ceiling. This makes layouts faster, more accurate,
and safer. Nobody has to reach up from the top of a ladder to pull
measurements off ceilings and walls or fiddle with a plumb bob.
Electricians. Many electricians are fond of using lasers for easy
fixture placement. Nothing is better suited for outlet and switch
height layouts or marking recessed cans or chandeliers. The simple
point-to-point devices work well for these tasks. My clients often ask
me to center a lighting fixture over a dining room or conference table.
After we lay out the table placement on the floor and find its center,
the laser does the rest by shooting it straight up to the ceiling.
Tile installers and masons. Some of the better point-to-point lasers
shoot three or more points perpendicular to each other, giving a tile
installer an instant grid to lay out a floor. There's no need to rely
on a bent framing square, Pythagoras, or those awkward, oversized
squares to establish lines. Place the laser in the right location,
press the on button, and the tool creates an instant set of points.
Snap a few lines and you're ready to roll. Or, if you're climbing a
wall with tile, a rotary laser's level line won't disappear under your
thinnest like chalk does.
Even our painters and landscape contractors use laser levels. The
painters use them to set paint breaks on walls so they can tape
perfectly straight lines across numerous corners or breaks. And our
landscaper tunes his grading and sets retaining wall heights by
shooting them with laser tools.
Keep in mind that lasers are only accurate when they're actually in
use. Keeping them locked away in a gang box, shop, or office won't help
you speed up layouts or improve your accuracy. You must insist that
your crew use laser levels as often necessary, not just in the
beginning of the project.
The construction industry is slow to change, especially when it comes
to tools. But technology is changing fast, and old-school carpenters
and tradesmen have to change with it. If you equip an experienced crew
with point-to-point and rotary lasers they'll be able to tackle almost
anything.
Erik Elwell is a contractor in the New York metro area who specializes
in office build-outs and high-end residential construction.
www.toolsofthetrade.net/
For more information, please contact Cutting Edge Lasers on 1300 65 1718.
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