Building levels are used to measure the inclination of horizontal and vertical surfaces. With the help of these tools, markup is made for the construction of various designs, furniture assembly, application or laying of finishing materials. Neither construction nor repair is complete without a level.
To decide on the choice of a tool, let's first look at what kinds of levels exist.
First of all, it is a water level. Its other name is the hydraulic level. It is used in cases where it is necessary to find irregularities in the location of horizontal surfaces, because his work is based on the main feature of the water surface: always take the same position - horizontal.
The water level is a sleeve, the length of which can be from five centimeters to several meters, at the ends there are flasks with a microscale applied. Building levels of this type have both pros and cons.
Their ease of use and low price are considered a plus, and a minus is that you can use such a tool by working only with horizontal planes. It is not allowed to store it near heating appliances. Water in the sleeve should not have bubbles, otherwise the readings will be erroneous.
Most often, craftsmen use bubble-type building levels. Such a device consists of a housing in which flasks with liquid are located.
If the level has only one bulb, then it determines the error of only horizontal planes, with two flasks - both horizontal and vertical. If there are three flasks, then such a device also determines the value of the rotary level. Usually bubble levels are rectangular in shape. Their length can be from 20 centimeters to 2.5 meters, and telescopic models - up to four meters.
Often beginners are interested in how long the building level should be . 2 meters or less is the optimal size.
The level casing is usually made of polystyrene or of light metals, for example, aluminum. The liquid in the flasks is alcohol.
There is also a subspecies of levels of the bubble type - magnetic. This is a bubble instrument, only with magnetic inserts. It is very convenient if you are working with metal, as it is easily attached to metal surfaces.
Did you find what you need in the store? And how to check the level of construction? Everything is very simple.
Place the tool on an even plane. This provision should be noted so that a second instrument to be checked is put in the same place a little later. There are divisions at the level, so the bubble is likely to shift to one of them. It is necessary to remember which one. Turning the level, we put it in the old place, which we noted a little earlier. If the bubble "leaves" in the same direction that it deviated the last time, then the level works perfectly. If not, continue to choose.
Recently, laser levels of construction have appeared on the shelves of construction markets. These are very accurate tools, but they have a drawback - this is their cost. If accuracy is paramount for you, such a device is what you need. Precision is provided by a laser beam, the length of which can reach up to one hundred meters.