Laser level

[JackOfDiamonds]

My wife watched a video where they used a laser level to hang a picture, and she asked why we don't have one of those. Needless to say, this is deeply embarrassing, and also license to buy a new tool.

The problem is, I don't know what laser levels really do or how to pick one. It seems like they have special ones mostly for tile, then they have the expensive rotary ones you need a sensor for, and in between there are a bunch of competing options. I can't really decide until I have one which one is good. It just needs to be usable for picture hanging so my excuse is intact.

 

[willf650]

I have this one here.

Not so sure how well it would work for picture hanging without a tripod but it works great for grabbing measurements to run conduit among other uses.

The multiple lines at 90 degree angles make it very useful for literally pulling measurements out of thin air.

 

[engineer2]

I bought a $69 Fellat brand green laser off of Amazon to hang a ceiling grid.
Worked great and saved me a bunch of time.
Just glad it didn't have inputs/outputs or the they would have added "IO" to the end of the name.

 

[whateg01]

I've used a few. Some just project a line and it's up to you to make sure it's actually level. Those can still be useful at times. I had a Bosch and liked it but it disappeared. The one I have now is a workforce I think and it seems to work as well as the bosch did.

Most have the laser or a mirror on a pendulum so that it hangs straight down and makes the lines level and plumb.

 

[larry_g]

Not needed for picture hanging. How many times have you seen a picture or other thing in the house that 'looked' crooked and the adjusted it till it looked correct. Odds are it was level and the surrounding items in the room made it look crooked. So the bottom line is your eye is better at making decorations look right, even if the level instrument says it is not level to the earth.

Now if your building or some other structural layout has a need to be level, plumb, square and set to height then you you need an instrument to meet your needs. Your job will dictate the instruments that you will select.
lg
no neat sig line

 

[whateg01]

Not needed for picture hanging. How many times have you seen a picture or other thing in the house that 'looked' crooked and the adjusted it till it looked correct. Odds are it was level and the surrounding items in the room made it look crooked. So the bottom line is your eye is better at making decorations look right, even if the level instrument says it is not level to the earth.

Now if your building or some other structural layout has a need to be level, plumb, square and set to height then you you need an instrument to meet your needs. Your job will dictate the instruments that you will select.
lg
no neat sig line

If I'm hanging artwork that is 4 feet across and held by hooks on the left and right, I would rather get those in the right place the first try

 

[willf650]

If I'm hanging artwork that is 4 feet across and held by hooks on the left and right, I would rather get those in the right place the first try

I’ve hung stuff wider that that with painters tape and a level simply striking a pencil line.

I do understand justifying buying a new tool. I am afflicted with the same issue.

 

[whateg01]

I hung stuff wider that that with painters tape and a level simply striking a pencil line.

I do understand justifying buying a new tool. I am afflicted with the same issue.

My comment was in response to Larry saying it's not necessary to level a picture. Before the laser level and sometimes even now having the laser level, it's faster just to get a regular carpenters level out. If I really cared I would get out a starrett 199!

 

[BroncoAZ]

I have one like this cheapie from Amazon, works great. I used it extensively when cutting in a new garage door between my garage and shop last spring. Well worth the ~$50.

https://www.amazon.com/4x360%C2%B0Professional-Construction-Batteries-Adjustable-brightness/dp/B0CMK1JTP1/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[larry_g]

My comment was in response to Larry saying it's not necessary to level a picture. Before the laser level and sometimes even now having the laser level, it's faster just to get a regular carpenters level out. If I really cared I would get out a starrett 199!

What you going to do when you hang the picture with the 199 and then find out the building is not level and the wall nearby is not plumb, the picture is not square or rectangular, or the pattern in the wall paper is not? You will adjust the picture till it looks correct, level or not.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[whateg01]

What you going to do when you hang the picture with the 199 and then find out the building is not level and the wall nearby is not plumb, the picture is not square or rectangular, or the pattern in the wall paper is not? You will adjust the picture till it looks correct, level or not.

lg
no neat sig line

Level is level. Next I'll be jacking up the building until it matches the picture. Duh

 

[tarbellb]

If your asking to hang multiple pictures at the same level, then yeah it's worth it.


Scoop up any of the sub $100 3 axis rotary lasers, a tripod goes along way too

Good brand for starting point - Heupar

*you don't need a laser finder unless doing outside work

 

[MushCreek]

I bought a little DeWalt level when I was building our house. Less than $100, but that was 14 years ago. I mostly use it for things like getting a straight line when building an interior wall. I recently used it to get LVP flooring lined up. It works well, but eats batteries even when it's off. I have to remember to take them out when I'm done with it. Luckily, the case has a spot to store the batteries.

 

[rlitman]

I have this one here.

Not so sure how well it would work for picture hanging without a tripod but it works great for grabbing measurements to run conduit among other uses.

The multiple lines at 90 degree angles make it very useful for literally pulling measurements out of thin air.

Those three plane lasers have the added ability to act as a plumb. Where the lines cross on the floor is directly beneath where the lines cross on the ceiling. I have a couple of the sub $50 versions of that, and they come in handy for all sorts of things.

Not needed for picture hanging. How many times have you seen a picture or other thing in the house that 'looked' crooked and the adjusted it till it looked correct. Odds are it was level and the surrounding items in the room made it look crooked. So the bottom line is your eye is better at making decorations look right, even if the level instrument says it is not level to the earth.

Now if your building or some other structural layout has a need to be level, plumb, square and set to height then you you need an instrument to meet your needs. Your job will dictate the instruments that you will select.
lg
no neat sig line

Kind of. But if you're doing a layout of three pictures that need to be in a line, a laser level goes a long way to make that easier. I don't use mine for hanging a single picture, but if I'm hanging something that calls for a screw in a stud, I'll find the stud with a magnet, and project a plumb line from there, so I don't need to mark up my walls with pencil.

 

[d.mcfarland]

The $25 ones on Amazon work perfectly fine to give you the cross hair type of markings on the wall.

The one thing to note is that it needs to be relatively on a level surface to be "self leveling". The mechanism can only compensate so much. If you lock it as just a laser line, you can mount it and any angle you choose, but it will not be level unless you level it yourself in that case.

 

[banditbigdog]

I know how you feel. Bought a Bosch laser level in preparation to installing a backsplash in my kitchen.
Only to find the counter was not level. Great.
Did find several other uses for it however.
Building shelves, built a deck, leveled my stove cooking top, embarrassed to say I even used it to level 92 deck rail balusters one at a time, and yes, I’ve used it to hang pictures/mirrrors.

 

[alinc100]

In the Market for a Laser Level

I am looking for a laser level for home use. Something I can use in the shop or in the house. What do you all recommend?

www.garagejournal.com

 

[M635_Guy]

I have this one from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B3F7SK2?tag=atomicindus08-20

It works really well, and like the attachments/mounts it comes with. It's cheaper now than when I bought it...

 

[sparky 1971]

I have this: https://www.acmetools.com/bosch-gre...5ZUYA-0Mtk429x_TELpGjRDW41pK8qYoXzUbzdq7m2a24

And this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-1...108290?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl I haven't used it for anything other than the plumb bob since I bought the other unit.

And use them with this: https://www.menards.com/main/tools/...0-6302/p-1642874302578956-c-1549901401009.htm

If it's available, get the green laser line, it's much easier to see as well as not being as harsh on the eyes when you screw up and look back at the tool.

 

[no704]

I have (had) a little one, smaller than a hocky puck. Had a suction cup kind of back. Push a button and it had a little pump in it to **** down the cup. Great for hanging things. Think i got it as a Christmas stocking stuffer.

 

[JohnX14]

I have this one here.

We have one of those in each of our electrical vans. I've had one for longer than I can remember, so they hold up well.

 

[danski0224]

My wife watched a video where they used a laser level to hang a picture, and she asked why we don't have one of those. Needless to say, this is deeply embarrassing, and also license to buy a new tool.

I have an older version of this model:

STABILA cross line plus plumb dot laser LAX 320 G - STABILA Messgeräte Gustav Ullrich GmbH (EN-US)

Battery-operated cross line laser with plumb dots: work directly on long, green lines. Lines with optimum visibility up to 100 ft / 30 m thanks to GREENBEAM …

www.stabila.com

I use it all the time and have used it for hanging pictures.

One thing that is hard to judge from pictures is the crispness of the laser line. There is a difference between brands.

Also be aware that not all green lasers are the same, even though they might look the same. It was difficult to find a detector to work with this model, but I did find one. If you plan to use this outside, a detector will become necessary.

If you have a cordless tool system, many brands offer a laser that works with their batteries. I prefer to stick with AA battery power when possible for ease of replacement.

This one is also very good, and works with the DeWalt detector.

DEWALT® Home

DEWALT® Home

www.dewalt.com

Of course, there are myriads of knockoffs for these styles.

Both of the models above will work with detectors, not all will.

 

[zendriver]

How much do you want to spend for something you will never use?

I have a Huepar, I think I paid around $50 for. I've use it once. will use again sometime in the future. Looks like they have "upped their game" as well as prices. Works good inside, useless outside, beam does not project strong enough to be visible. .

Get one with a tripod make things easier.

 

[LXCam]

I’ve hung stuff wider that that with painters tape and a level simply striking a pencil line.

I do understand justifying buying a new tool. I am afflicted with the same issue.

That’s exactly what I do to.

As for a laser level I’ve got this one.

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Bosch-REVOLVE-2000-ft-Horizontal-Rotary-Laser-Self-Leveling-Complete-Kit-with-Manual-Dual-Slope-GRL2000-40HK/312838565?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl&pla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=vantage&utm_campaign=44985&utm_content=47232&mtc=SHOPPING-RM-RMP-GGL-D25P-Multi-NA-BOSCH_TOOLS-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-MK891089001-44985-NBR-23-NA-VNT-FY25_Q1_Q4_Bosch_Tools_Robert_Bosch_Tool_Co_D25P_OAM_SILVER_AON&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-RM-RMP-GGL-D25P-Multi-NA-BOSCH_TOOLS-NA-PMAX-NA-NA-MK891089001-44985-NBR-23-NA-VNT-FY25_Q1_Q4_Bosch_Tools_Robert_Bosch_Tool_Co_D25P_OAM_SILVER_AON-22151790219--&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22151792826&gbraid=0AAAAAolLu9_Mh75gqbeiIwsmyDKqoSo_P&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI39PwpMWVkgMV_wLUAR3kAzPIEAQYBCABEgLcgPD_BwE

But it might be a bit overkill for your needs. Well unless you’ve got a huge house