Spirit Levels - was how level is level

It;s BS.

You could reasonably use the spirit level the right way up, but it's irrelevant.

The tiler should have made sure that the fllor was level in the first place or ensured that you were aware that i wasn't

I assume that you haven't paid?

Yes - think of the vial as being shaped a little like a rugby ball, rather than a curved tube.

P.

Total BS! As you say, a spirit level has a curved tube (vial). The bubble goes to the highest point - which is in the middle when on a level surface. But turn it upside down, and the ends are higher than the middle - so it will go to one end or other if put on a level surface.

Mine works either way

Jeff formulated on Thursday :

The bubble tube has a deliberate slight curve in it. How slight depends on the intended accuracy of the level. A rough and ready level will have a tighter curve in it, a precision one a very slight curve.

Most levels will not work with any accuracy upside down, but as the top and bottom face of most common levels are flat and parallel - there is no reason why it cannot be used the right way up, but with the opposite face to the ceiling.

Jeff explained :

That is true and it is easy to check - If the bubble can be made to stay in the middle irrespective of which way up it is, then it can be used either way up. With the level upside down, if the bubble always goes to one end or the other then it cannot be used upside down.

Yes; even my cheapo Do-It-All long level can be used either way up. The tube bulges so that there is a high spot whichever way up you hold it. However, they are usually less accurate when use the wrong way up. Mine main one is calibrated to an accuracy of ±0.029° the right way up but only ±0.043° when used upside-down.

Colin Bignell

Mine go either way, except I've got one or two old wooden ones which only work one way.

cheers Jacob

on 27/03/2008, Jeff supposed :

You have the right to expect what a reasonable person would consider to be a workman like job. You cannot expect the floor to be laid accurate to a fraction of a mm, but you should expect a reasonable accuracy of finish. If there were some reason why this could not be achieved then they should have discussed the problem with you before proceeding.

Nail, hit, head. Communication is the answer.

My spirit level has parallel faces, so can be used underneath a surface, the right way up. Is yours the same? If so, when you put it under the ceiling, is it level, or does it show the same fall as the floor above? He may or may not have used your spirit level correctly, but it doesn't necessarily sound like a "trick" - more an attempt to establish whether it's reasonable for him to do a load of extra work.

Regards Richard

No it isn't.. some cheap levels have bent vials and they only work one way. Better ones have vials that are ground/moulded to be bigger in the center and they work any way round. I haven't seen one with bent vials for years BTW not even on the 99p screwfix levels.

THAT is pure BS.

i'm a beginner in DIY and havnt understood why you want a level floor?

if its a bathroom or a toilet surely you want a slightly sloping floor, so any spilt water will go in one direction.

I've got a toilet which leaked a bit over the years and dampened over the fuseboxes and a joist.

I'm planning on fitting a sloping plywood floor but whether to have one piece sloping towards one corner or four triangles sloping towards one point I havnt yet decided.

what does the panel recommend?

Sorry, don't know where the body of my previous Msg went. Agent must have farted.

I was intending to say that the floors on our local Asda and Sainsbury's are nothing like flat. I used to blame the trolleys but I've found out they have loads of humps and trolleys perdhed on the sloping sides will run away (downhill) on their own.

Pertinent maybe in deciding what's a "reasonable" standard a competant workman can be expected to achieve.

DG

Big assumption that the ceiling and floor are attached to the same joists without investigating what is actually in the void.

In the flat I had the ceiling of the flat below was attached to joists running at 90 deg to the joists supporting my floor, probably for sound insulation reasons. I can't remember if they were isolated from each other either with an air gap or with pads at the cross points.

See other posts, some can some can't. It's prettty damn obvious if it can't. The bubble will shoot off to either end and not sit in the middle on one that can't.

Is the problem that the floor slopes slightly from one side to another (I don't think you'd notice as much as an inch in that case, and it might not be his fault) or that he's laid it with lumps and bumps all over it? (which would show, and is probably his fault)

Andy