Among the more practical and interesting tools to enter the market over the past few decades has been the green laser level. Acting as a supplement, and occasionally a replacement, for the traditional bubble-based spirit level, it’s helped to make the job of aligning building and structural elements much faster, easier and more accurate.
What is a green laser level?
A green laser level is a device which sits on a tripod or stands alone and projects green lasers across nearby surfaces. It can be used to easily indicate where a given point of alignment or straight line should be. Provided that the level itself is sitting level, then all of the light being projected will also match up. Laser levels are overwhelmingly battery-powered, which means that you can take them even to the most remote job sites and use them unimpeded.
Who uses them?
Green laser levels are incredibly useful to a whole range of tradespeople. Surveyors, interior designers, builders, architects and engineers might all benefit from carrying one around. They tend to be most useful in practical occupations where actual construction needs to be done. Because the level itself doesn’t need to be held in place or adjusted after it’s been set up, it can make a big difference to those working in teams. Working with a team and with this piece of equipment can mean tasks are done much faster and much more accurately.
Why are they used?
A device of this kind can be used to get perfect lines – and it allows those working around it to keep both of their hands-free. It can be used to measure distances, including heights, and to easily ensure that building elements, fixtures and fittings are aligned. What’s more, they can do this over very large and very small distances.
While not quite as mobile as a traditional spirit level, a green laser level tends to be practical, portable and effective.
What about red lasers?
Green lasers have largely supplanted the red alternative, thanks to a range of technical benefits. The battery life of a green laser tends to be longer, and the light will project over a greater distance. Green light tends to be significantly brighter than the red equivalent. If you’ve ever been at a concert where red lights are projected, then you might have noticed that it hurts your eyes slightly more – that’s because the red needs to be cranked up to give it a similar level of subjective brightness.
On the other hand, green lasers tend to be more expensive than red ones. What’s more, they tend to be less compatible with receivers – which for the most part work only with red light.