Johnson Level offers a huge selection of different types of laser levels. For a wide range of construction and home improvement projects, we provide numerous options.

Working outdoors can make it difficult, if not impossible, to see a laser with just the naked eye. The majority of contemporary laser levels from Johnson Level, thankfully, come with red or green-tinted glasses or goggles, which make it simple to see a laser beam outside. The best kind of outdoor laser level is a rotary laser level.

If you’re working indoors, you might need cross-line laser levels to display horizontal and vertical lines along every wall in a closed space or dot laser levels for drywall work.

Are you unsure of how to approach your project and make use of the numerous types of laser levels that Johnson Level offers? For a few useful tips, continue reading.

How to Choose a Laser Level

1. For an indoor project, multiple-line lasers are useful for aligning kitchen cabinets or framing pictures in a small, enclosed space. When working with tiles and masonry, use a laser square.
2. For long distances and uneven surfaces in an outdoor project, rotary and line lasers with a pulse/detector feature are ideal.
3. Think about the size of the space or the laser’s travel distance. Low rotations per minute (RPM) laser levels are bright and visible, but they don’t move very far. Although the laser is fainter at high RPM levels, it still travels farther.
4. Consider the style of the wall. Suction cups or pins are used to secure laser levels. Avoid using push-pin laser levels on wallpaper or paneling.
5. Determine the job’s stability. Indoor projects can be completed using a manual laser level. For outdoor projects involving uneven surfaces, a self-leveling laser level is necessary.

Parts of a Laser Level

Only a few basic parts make up a typical line laser level. A typical laser will have an on/off switch and a button to select whether it will cast a horizontal or vertical laser line, or both at once. The bottom of the laser level typically has a 1/4-inch female fitting for mounting on a common camera tripod. Additionally, some lasers have magnets built in to attach to metal beams, studs, or even corner beads.

The tool has a swinging laser on the inside. It can self-level because of this. To protect the delicate parts from harm, some models may have a mechanism that locks the laser in place when not in use. The tool will also have a power source, as a final feature. Most frequently, this will be a compartment for AA batteries or a slot for a rechargeable lithium battery.

What Parts to Use

Only the chosen beams and the mounting mechanism will change when using a laser level in various applications. You will occasionally require only a horizontal beam, occasionally a vertical beam, and occasionally both. The best mounting device will depend on your use case and workplace. For the magnetic mount, metal studs work well, for installing suspended ceilings, clip mounts work well, and for the majority of other jobs, a tripod mount is required.

How to Use a Laser Level

1. On a flat surface or a tripod, position the laser level.
2. You must make sure the bubble vials show the level if the level is manual. Find the tiny screws close to the vial. Once the bubble vials show level, adjust them.
3. The laser level should be turned on.
4. Give it some time to self-level if the model is one that does so.
5. On a wall or across an outdoor workspace, the device emits a laser that shows level. Depending on the type of laser level, this laser may be a dot, multiple lines, or rotary laser that shows a level at 360 degrees horizontally or vertically.
6. You may use a laser detector to intercept the laser if there’s no wall to “catch” it (typically outdoors).
7. Connect a measuring rod to the detector.
8. Once you hear beeping, move the detector up and down on the rod. Thus, the laser has been located by the detector.
9. If necessary, take measurements after securing the detector to the rod and finding the level.

How to Use a Laser Level Outdoors

1. Put on the tinted eyewear that was included in your laser-level kit. These are necessary to see the laser beam outside.
2. Turn on the laser level after setting it up on a tripod.
3. Aim the laser level at the desired location for the reading. Lock the laser level in place once you’ve located it.
4. Wherever you want to get a reading, take the laser receiver. Use the included magnet to hold it in place, or set it on a flat surface at the same height as the laser level. Here, a second tripod is a great idea.
5. Once the level’s laser beam is captured by the laser receiver, move it slowly in that direction. Once you’ve located the beam, secure the receiver by locking it into place (if it’s on a tripod or grade rod) or holding it steady (if it’s on a flat surface or is magnetically attached).
6. You can locate the desired alignment or level state by using the level and receiver.

How to Use a Laser Level to Hang Pictures

1. Identify the ideal height for the picture frame’s top.
2. Leaving a mark at this height anywhere.
3. Set the laser level to horizontal alignment and place a mark along the wall.
4. By rotating the level so the mark and laser meet at that point, the bubble will sit between the black lines on the vial.
5. The laser should be securely fastened to the wall once it has passed through the mark and is level. Suction cups or putty may be used with the level.
6. The picture frame’s unique hanging mechanism(s) and the top of the frame should be measured.
7. On the wall, measure the distance between the laser and the point where the mechanism meets the wall.
8. Make a mark.
9. At the designated spot, drive a nail into the wall.
10. Align the top of the picture frame with the laser by setting it on the nail.

How to Use a Laser Level to Level Ground

1. In a stable area, mount the laser level on a tripod.
2. The laser level should be turned on.
3. Let it level out on its own.
4. Choose a location on the ground that is at the appropriate height.
5. Place the measuring rod at this location after attaching the laser detector to the rod.
6. The laser detector can be moved up and down. You have leveled out when you hear beeping.
7. Fix the detector firmly to the pole.
8. Your desired ground height is at the rod’s bottom.
9. Locate a different area of the ground, and note the height at which the detector catches the laser.
10. The height can be marked by drawing a mark on a stick or by piling dirt up to the desired height.
11. Continue doing this until the space is entirely filled with references.

How to Set Grade With a Laser Level

1. In a stable, dry area, mount the laser level on a tripod. Verify the stability of the tripod.
2. Turn on the laser level and wait for it to self-level.
3. What was your grade’s original height? From here, the grade slopes downward.
4. To achieve the desired height, position the leveling rod’s bottom.
5. When you hear a beep, move the laser detector up or down.
6. Secure the detector.
7. Decide on the desired slope of the grade, from the top to the bottom. For the purposes of this example, let’s assume a 10-inch fall.
8. The laser detector should be secured after being raised 10 inches up the rod.
9. Stride over to where the grade will be at its lowest.
10. Utilize the laser detector to level things out. Depending on the workspace, you will either need to lift the rod or dig in the ground.
11. The leveling rod’s bottom serves as a representation of the grade’s bottom.
12. Using a stick marked with the desired height, mark the location.

How to Keep a Laser Level in Accurate Working Condition

In order to maintain accurate operation, self-leveling laser levels don’t need much maintenance. The best thing you can do to extend the life of your laser is to handle it gently and store it in a hard case whenever it isn’t in use. Although modern lasers are made to withstand life on a construction site, they are still relatively delicate tools and need to be handled carefully. A drop could also affect your laser’s accuracy. If you use the laser despite not realizing it, you run the risk of producing subpar work that will cost you much more than buying a new laser.

Line Laser Vs. Rotary Laser

These are just two of the most typical types of laser levels, which come in a wide range of sizes and shapes.

Line Laser

• Less expensive
• Intended for interior use
• Casts a bright horizontal or vertical laser line over a short distance
• Laser can only be used when visible
• Commonly visible up to 150-200 feet
• Not as accurate over distance
• Great for setting cabinets, placing electrical boxes, tile work, framing, and more

Rotary Laser

• More expensive
• Intended for exterior use
• Casts a 360 degree line via a rotating laser point over a long distance
• Laser can be detected using a receiver in the case of lost visibility
• Some models can be read over 2000 feet
• Comparably more accurate over distance
• Great for grading, digging foundations, masonry work, and more

Buying Vs. Renting a Laser Level

Should you purchase a laser level for the task at hand, or should you just rent one? Well, that depends on what you need. Buy your own if all you require is a standard line laser and you plan to use it more than once. You will probably find many uses for it in the future, even if you initially think you’ll only use it once. Line lasers are also reasonably priced and accessible to the majority of buyers.

Consider renting a rotary laser if you’re building your own patio in your backyard and want to get an A+. The typical homeowner is unlikely to find enough uses for rotary levels to warrant purchasing them because they are much more expensive.

When to Replace Your Laser Level

When should I replace my laser level? is a simple question with an obvious answer: whenever it breaks. It’s time for a new one if it is obviously incapable of completing the task at hand. Nevertheless, there are times when laser levels malfunction in less obvious ways that nonetheless have an impact on the performance. The accuracy of your laser level should therefore be regularly checked against a standard level and/or plumb line. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or mail your laser into them for calibration if it can be done.

FAQs

Conclusion: Points to Note

It won’t be necessary for you to use a laser detector if you are using your laser indoors. This is due to the absence of direct sunlight, which would have affected the beam’s visibility. Since green laser levels are marginally more visible in daylight for outdoor work, many people frequently choose them.

Although manual laser levels are typically less expensive, they take more work to set up. They don’t need as much battery power and operate more conventionally. Self-leveling lasers cost more but are a lot more accurate.