Whether you’re hanging cabinets or just a few picture frames, you need a level line. These days, instead of getting out a spirit level, pros and DIYers alike use a laser level, a compact tool that can establish a constant level or plumb reference with a dot or line across an entire room. Virtually all of these are self-leveling, meaning the laser diode is suspended on a pendulum, so the tool will still cast a level line even when it is not level.
Visibility is a big factor; red laser lines work well indoors but are harder to see in bright sunlight, where green lasers are more visible. While pricier laser levels that are accurate over great distances are used for site work or large-scale commercial projects, the laser levels here and on the following pages have enough accuracy and range to be valuable around the house.
Before You Buy: What to Look For
Common features
- Laser exit windows: Internal self-leveling diode compensates for up to +/- 4° out of level
- Battery Indicator: Shows remaining charge
- Power switch: Locks pendulum when off
- Mode selector: To choose horizontal or vertical lines or dots
Pro Tip: Tom Silva, This Old House general contractor, stresses the importance of accurate leveling tools: “If a house slants, it will be unlivable—nothing will look or sit right. So at every step of a renovation, we check for level and plumb.”
(Shown Above) Bosch Green-Beam Self-Leveling Cross-Line Laser with Plumb Points
- Line mode: Horizontal/vertical lines; vertical dots
- Range: 100 feet (lines); 50 feet (dots)
- Pulse/Receiver Range: 165 feet
- Accuracy: +/- 1⁄8 inch at 30 feet (lines); +/- 9⁄32 inch at 30 feet for dots
Pro Tip: In This Old House Magazine’s testing of self-leveling lasers, contributor Sal Vaglica identified four basic types—dot, cross, 3-plane, and rotary—each suited to different tasks. A cross laser works well for tiling walls or floors, while a rotary laser creates a 360-degree level line ideal for projects spanning multiple walls, such as installing kitchen cabinets or wainscoting around an entire room.
Types of Laser Levels
How to Use a Laser Level
Like spirit levels and plumb bobs, laser levels provide reference lines for a variety of layout and installation tasks. Unlike pencil marks or chalk lines, laser lines are easy to reposition and can’t be covered up by thinset or mastic.
Pro Tip: Tom Silva, This Old House contractor, has noted that laser beams can be “hard to see in bright light”—which is exactly why manufacturers include those tinted enhancement glasses. Use them to spot your beam outdoors or in well-lit rooms, but remember: they make the beam easier to find, not safer to stare at.
Installing ceiling panels
Set one laser line a tile away from the wall and the perpendicular line to check the corner for square. Relying on the lasers instead of the wavy walls will ensure that the tiles or planks fit together without gaps or staggered edges.
Hanging a door
To check for plumb, set the laser level a few inches from the jamb and measure out from each hinge location, checking where the laser lands on the tape. Shim between the jamb and wall stud until the jamb to-laser measurements match.
Setting wall tiles
Set the laser to match your desired layout. Working in one quadrant at a time, set tiles alongside the vertical laser line, and then work up to the horizontal line. A horizontal laser line is also handy for aligning picture frames.
Laser Level Accessories
These products keep your laser steady, focused, and visible.
