How do you use a laser level slope?

Using a laser level to create a slope involves angling the emitted laser beam down or up relative to a level plane, which is essential for tasks requiring specific gradients like drainage or landscaping.

Setting a slope with a laser level allows you to establish a consistent incline or decline across a work area, unlike standard leveling which provides a flat horizontal reference. This is crucial for projects such as:

• Installing drainage pipes
• Pouring concrete for patios or driveways with runoff
• Grading land for landscaping
• Building decks or structures with a required pitch

Methods for Setting Laser Level Slope

There are generally two ways to set a slope with a laser level:

1. Manual Slope: Many construction-grade rotating laser levels allow you to manually tilt the head or the base of the laser unit. Some have adjustable screws or knobs to set the desired angle. You typically use a measuring staff and detector, moving away from the laser and adjusting the tilt until the detector reads the desired fall or rise over a specific distance.
2. Automatic/Electronic Slope: More advanced laser levels feature electronic slope settings. These often have keypads or remote controls allowing you to input a percentage or ratio, or use directional buttons to tilt the beam electronically. The laser then maintains this set slope automatically.

Setting a Specific Slope Ratio (Example Method)

One specific method for setting a slope, depending on your laser level model, involves using controls to electronically tilt the beam. For example, as described in a common technique:

• Establish Level: First, set up your laser level and ensure it is level (or set a starting reference point) at the desired height. Use a laser detector mounted on a measuring staff. Find the 'on-grade' or 'set level' point on the detector at a known location.
• Set the Fall: To create a downward slope (a fall), such as a 1:40 fall, you would manipulate the laser's controls. According to one method, you can:
  • Hold the “down arrow” button on the remote control or laser's keypad.
  • This action will slope the laser beam down.
  • Continue holding the button while moving the laser detector down the measuring staff until it gives a continuous tone again, indicating it has found the new set level (which is now lower than the original level). This process, when using this specific method and equipment, has now set a 1:40 fall.
• Verify the Slope: To work with this set slope, return the laser detector to the original set level dimension on the staff from where you started the sloping process. As you move the staff across your work area, the laser beam will now consistently strike the detector at a level lower than the original height, following the 1:40 slope you've set.

Understanding Slope Ratios

Slope is often expressed as a ratio (e.g., 1:40) or a percentage (e.g., 2%).

• Ratio (Rise/Run): A 1:40 ratio means that for every 40 units of horizontal distance (Run), the elevation changes by 1 unit vertically (Rise or Fall). A 1:40 fall means the elevation drops by 1 unit over 40 units of distance.
• Percentage: A percentage slope is calculated as (Rise / Run) * 100. A 2% slope means the elevation changes by 2 units for every 100 units of horizontal distance. A 1:40 ratio is equivalent to a 2.5% slope (1 / 40 = 0.025; 0.025 * 100 = 2.5%).

Using the laser level's slope function correctly ensures that your project meets the required gradient specifications for proper water runoff and structural integrity.