Level Floors

[Ray]

i have a garage that has sunk in the middle where the support column is due to a floor drain that was installed and goes nowhere. the ground has compacted in that area, causing the concrete to sink and crack, as much as 2 inches, i would like to temporarily remove the beam, bust the concrete out, refill with some good 3/4 inch crush, pack it down and repour the concrete. Is there some old school trick to determining how high and low the floor is in spots, cause i've been trying with a laser level, and it's level bubbles are untrustworthy, too cheap a tool. Any ideas? Don't worry i won't remove the beam without backup beams, lol...

[xrongor]

you can always roll a ball around and watch its path and where it stops. steel marbles are really good for this, as are pool balls. but any nice round, heavy ball will work.

randy

[PJx]

A straight edge.

Probably a piece of lumber, about as long as the width as your garage. 2x6 And lots of string. And for a very accurate level, use a clear plastic tube filled with colored water.

[Jay Chan]

Have another person to hold on with a long string, and hold it tight; and then move the other end of the string around the floor to see the ups and downs on the floor.

Jay Chan