All you need is a regular bubble level to do these jobs. With pictures, your eye does the work. With towel rods, a simple level will do as good, or perhaps even a more accurate job for that application, than a laser level.
You best "laser level' and easiest to operate are your eyes. Leveling pictures with the proper hangers can be done any time, positioning is the key, use your eyes.
We just purchased a new home and I have lots of pictures, towel rods,etc to hang. I was thinking of getting a laser level to help me get them up easier. Should I get auto-level or just one with a bubble level. Brands?? Models?? Thanks.
Ed snipped-for-privacy@edhayes.com
Auto level. And for those who disparage lasers, go to an art museum. Every one of those pictures was done by hand and NONE of them line up.
You'd think art folk....
There are a lot of tools that you do not need - but they make a job much easier and take less time. I have a Black and Decker automatic laser level ($19.99) I use and love it. You can line up items much better than with a regular level. If you want 5 pictures lined up - you attach the laser to the wall - and just put the pictures along the line - no muss no fuss. I used it recently for painting a wall two different colors - it drew a perfectly horizontal line all the way around the room - a room that had an uneven floor and ceiling. I also used mine to put up rain gutters and it was perfect for getting a pitch over 40 feet. I have only one good eye - and this laser really saves me when I try to "eyeball" things. I used to always use a bubble level - heck some of the lasers still have bubble levels on them - I just like the ease of use with mine. You do not need a professional model - level is level :-) If you really need the $19.99 for something else - don't get one. If you just like to fight new technology - don't get one. But if you want a sweet little time saver that does a neat job and is fun to use - get one. Harry (more money than brains)
Harry
I suggest not bothering. Most of the ones you see at reasonable prices are almost worthless. Many of the expensive ones are useful, but unless you are a professional, the price is just too much. A basic bubble level is all you need.
laser levels, except in specific cases, are slower to use than a standard bubble level, and offer no functional advantages.
bill
I just hung several plaques and pictures using my laser level - and a roll of that two sided spongy gummy tape. Before you tell me the stuff is no good - the pictures and plaques were just moved from one office in NYC to another in Florida. And I hung them in NY with the same kind of spongy tape 10 years ago - they were still snug on the wall. The laser level is great for lining up pictures with two-sided spongy tape.
They don't care to have them line up, they just want them to look right.
It would work well if you have identical picture frames but if you have a variety of frames where the hook is in a slightly different position, the laser could only help to check your work and there is no point in being that perfect.
the real deal on laser level is this. companies have pressure to keep new items on the shelves in the 'gift giving' price range. seemingly useful and not too expensive, but expensive enough that you dont look cheap. just like the electric knife and hundreds of other 'gift' made items, most of them are used exactly once.
so all these people got them as gifts and figured they better use them. so they get out some pictures and say ooh how neat. personallly, i can hang an awful lot of pictures and towel racks with a bubble level before i can justify buying a laser level
im sure there are some very specific tasks that some people perfrom on a daily basis where a laser level saves tons of time (although a water level would probably have been almost as fast and possibly more accurate
randy
My preference is for a bubble level. They are easy, accurate, simple to use, and of low cost.
exactly!
HeyBub, it's called ART, including the way they are hung. Just don't try it a home or SWMBO may give you a noggin thump.
Eyes are great for positioning and designing the layout. Leveling plays tricks on your eyes - or in my case - eye. If you want them to look nice to you - use you eyes - if you want a really straight setup - use a level or laser level. Is a door or ceiling is crooked - it will cause you to lay out other things crooked. Sounds like some folks on here are a bit reactionary :-)
Got one for Xmas. felt oblgated to use it last week installing a shower stall. You have to get the gizmo level with a bubble level mounted on top of it, obviously, for the laser line to be level. Well first. I had to rig up blocks for it to sit on. Tried sticking it to the drywall with little pins, similtaneously leveling it with the bubble thing. It kept falling off the wall. Got it sitting level on blocks, with a nice red line on the wall. went to position the shower base, my body was blocking the light. Then a corner of the base was blocking the light, had to raise the level an inch or so. Go get a shim? Grabbed my old bubble level, laid it across the base, there, that's easy.
JohnK
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