Measuring Question

[Rix65]

Ok, so I have a sloping garage floor and I'd like to stripe the walls. The slope is probably about 2% back to front, or low to high. Common sense tells me to measure from the floor along the wall at various points corner to corner. The tricky part is at the lowest point (back corner) there is a 4" buffer before the sheet rock begins. The high corner is flush to the floor. How do I measure properly? Do I add the 4" along the way (rise over run)? I can't measure from the ceiling because its flat.

 

[txvwnut]

Do you want the stripe to follow the floor pitch and run?

If not how about renting a rotary laser level?

 

[Rix65]

Do you want the stripe to follow the floor pitch and run?

If not how about renting a rotary laser level?

Yes I'd like to follow the slope of the floor. Is the laser my easiest route?

 

[dcmus]

I worked from the floor but if doing it again I would use a level since the benches, etc are all level the stripe is "less than" level Not a big deal but I notice it.

 

[Zeke]

I'd lay a board on the floor and make a stick as high as you want the stripe. Take your measurements off the board. Use a chalk line to average out the marks.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yes I'd like to follow the slope of the floor. Is the laser my easiest route?

If you don't have access to a laser. You could measure from each corner or end of the wall up the required distance and string a line. Either pencil mark or put thumb tacks in to mark the line. Once that is done, connect the "dots" with your masking tape.


Might I add, why do you want the stripe to follow the slope on the floor ?

 

[LXCam]

The cheapest rout is use some cheap clear poly tubing and make yourself a water level.

 

[buddyboy]

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but usually you would want to make anything that goes on a wall level.

yes the floor and the ceiling may have a slope, but you want everything else level.

for example if you where doing base molding you want the top of the molding level, and either scribe the bottom or cover the gaps with 1/4 round.

i would consider a painted stripe like wainscoting, i'd want that level... pick a starting corner, measure up to the height you want and use a 4 foot level to draw a line around the room from that point... that way if you ever hang anything on the wall (cabinets, shelves, or pictures) your stripe will match, otherwise you'll wonder if it's your stripe or the shelf that is crooked

 

[CombatNinja]

Don't follow the slope of the floor! This will look ridiculous once finished. Get a laser level and make your paint stripe dead level as this is the best thing to fool the eye. Following the floor with an accent stripe near eye level will look just "off" enough to bother everyone that sees it.

 

[James E]

Wall stripe needs to be level. If you don't use a laser level, then measure from the ceiling (although even that can have areas that are not level).

Counter tops, cabinets, windows, door frames--everything on the wall--will be level. If you stripe at the same slope as the floor, the stripe will not look right against everything else in the garage.

 

[rsanter]

If you want a sloped stripe then pick a random angle and go with it so it looks like you wanted it that way.

Otherwise you can measure from the ceiling and check if it is level.
Or pick a height and just go around the wall with an 8 ft level and make your lines to follow

Bob

 

[Falcon67]

Another vote for laser level and not following the floor.

 

[zhaddock]

I wouldn't have it match the floor. I would make it true level. Otherwise it will look very off when compared to work benches, the walls and the ceiling.

 

[Sal Bandini]

If you match the floor slope you might as well slope all your shelves at 2% too. Following the slope will look silly so don't do it.

And do what previous poster said, use a water level. You should have level lines done in about 10 minutes and it will cost next to nothing.

 

[pmiranda]

Definitely make the stripe level. If you're worried about appearances otherwise, just make sure anything that is truly level is several inches from the out-of-level floor or ceiling.

 

[nadogail]

It's your garage and your castle.

My suggestion is to make the stripe level with either a water level (low cost proven technology) os a rotating laser level.

The water level is improved with food coloring in the water. Make pencil marks at various points on the wall and connect them using a chalk line.

This will be a two person job and a very low stress bonding experience with your building partner.

 

[Zeke]

We don't know the garage. Out of level may actually look the best. I once saw a house with a sloping floor that had wallpaper with some horizontal stripes in that particular room. When it met the base board it looked terrible. It didn't even look good around the window.

If that isn't enough, there was this job I was on that had some framing around a shower a little out of plumb. The tile contractor was a complete nazi about his work and installed the tile on this end wall absolutely plumb. Well, that made for a long pie shaped grout line that looked awful. In fact it looked like the tile was bad. Why he wouldn't go with the flow, I don't know.

He was good but he didn't last.

 

[Neutron357]

Make the stripe level. Just did one in my garage and I came out great.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[plow]

Instead of a horizontal stripe, do a vertical "racing stripe".