Heard a guy at the lumberyard in Bellingham say he never uses a chalk line for long cuts

He told me he just snaps a straight edge with a pencil and a long level, said chalk lines can drift on you over 16 feet. I tried it on a deck frame last week and my lines were way more accurate. Does anyone else skip the chalk box for long runs?

3 comments

3 Comments

campbell.elliot11d ago

Yeah that Fine Homebuilding test is spot on. I've had chalk lines go off by over half an inch on long siding runs. The string just has too much give. A sharp pencil and a solid level is the way to go for anything over 10 feet.

william_jackson6512d ago

Read an article in Fine Homebuilding years ago that tested this exact thing. They found chalk lines can stretch and sag over long distances, especially if the string isn't kept super tight. A rigid straight edge with a sharp pencil is just more reliable for layout. That guy at the lumberyard knows his stuff, it's a solid method for avoiding drift.

price.tara12d ago

My grandpa's chalk line was off by a full inch on a 20-foot deck, william_jackson65.