Yankeefarmer
Well-known member
I’m gonna be helping my nephew install a drop ceiling in his basement. Room will be about 12’ x 50.’ What’s a good laser level to facilitate leveling the grid?
Recommend a laser level for drop ceiling installation
- Thread starter Yankeefarmer
- Start date
Any of them these days. There are lots of affordable 360 degree ones out there.
At only 12 feet wide that shouldn't be needed but its a great reason to get one
Make sure the perimeter frame on the walls is level and the rest will fall into place.
At only 12 feet wide that shouldn't be needed but its a great reason to get one
Make sure the perimeter frame on the walls is level and the rest will fall into place.I have that exact level but paid $150 for it. Inflation I guess. It works well.My Bosch died recently (used for years) and I got this Klein at Lowes. I like that it is rechargeable instead of a fist full of AA batteries!
For 1 project use you can probably get a xyz Chinese brand equivalent off amazon for less than $100.
signcrafter
Well-known member
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- May 9, 2012
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For that small of a room just about any will work, put it halfway down the 50' wall so it's shooting 25' each way. Make sure it comes with or get a good wall mount that clips onto your track and can be adjusted up or down. A laser card helps if your are in sunlight or something where it makes it hard to see, https://www.google.com/search?q=las...uAfSBcIHBTItMi40yAc1gAgB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp. As long as your laser supports one.
I did ceilings for a few years in hospitals and schools and other commercial buildings so have done a few hundred thousand sq ft of them. We used topcon rotary lasers. I still do some ceilings every year and a few years ago my topcon died so I've been using my bosch 3 plane and it works good and is useful for so many things like framing and tile jobs. I've read good things about huepar laser levels for it's price but have no experience with them.
I did ceilings for a few years in hospitals and schools and other commercial buildings so have done a few hundred thousand sq ft of them. We used topcon rotary lasers. I still do some ceilings every year and a few years ago my topcon died so I've been using my bosch 3 plane and it works good and is useful for so many things like framing and tile jobs. I've read good things about huepar laser levels for it's price but have no experience with them.
Hmmmm. 12x50 is a big room. The trick with laser levels is that they can be really faint a distance from the head. I have the Bosch green 12v 3 beam model. Reviews I saw said it was the brightest or close to the brightest. Milwaukee was bright, but the beam was thicker if I recall.
How powerful the beam needs to be depends largely on the ambient light. I think all of these are tough to use outdoors.
I personally don’t love the advice to get a cheap model off amazon.
Here are some details. I set my laser, but can’t see the beam everywhere I need to. So I try shading the line with scrap wood or using a piece of Azek as a reflector, then marking. But sometimes it’s just too faint. So I leave a mark and move the laser closer. But then you need to adjust the laser to hit the mark.
Good lasers have good adjustable mounts. i use a good quality camera tripod to hold mine. But no camera mount I know has a fine enough adjustment for a laser.
Honestly.... any generic 3 axis rotary laser off the internet will be awesome
You would be hard pressed to spend $60 better then this
You would be hard pressed to spend $60 better then this
WEIDDW Laser Level 360° Green Cross Line Self Leveling Laser Measuring Tool: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement
WEIDDW Laser Level 360° Green Cross Line Self Leveling Laser Measuring Tool: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement
www.amazon.com
Just an FYI, in the 80's I hung thousands of square feet of suspended ceilings with a water level made from clear vinyl tubing, an empty washer fluid bottle, and a truck Shrader valve .no fancy tools
engineer2
Well-known member
I got the Chinese Fellat off of Amazon for $70. I needed it for a drop ceiling and it worked great. Saved me hours of work.
Luckily they didn't put an "e" at the end of their brand name.
Luckily they didn't put an "e" at the end of their brand name.
OP
Yankeefarmer
Well-known member
40+ years ago I installed an 18’ above ground pool in our sloping side yard. Got many compliments and questions about how dead nuts level the waterline was. I had leveled the site using a home made water level. Didn’t think to use a valve on it though; had to be careful when moving it!
Now that I’m old, I appreciate the convenience of modern technology more than saving a few $.