Faulty spirit level?

[philipb82]

Hello

I have fitted a piece of skirting board and double checked it with a spirit level. When I place my spirit level on the skirting it says its sloping to the left. However I discovered using the other side of the spirit level it reads level!!!! Is it faulty? It'll complicate things when I fit more skirtings!

Phil

 

[Bosswhite]

Hello

I have fitted a piece of skirting board and double checked it with a spirit level. When I place my spirit level on the skirting it says its sloping to the left. However I discovered using the other side of the spirit level it reads level!!!! Is it faulty? It'll complicate things when I fit more skirtings!

Phil

Replace the Bubble !

 

[philipb82]

Hello

I have fitted a piece of skirting board and double checked it with a spirit level. When I place my spirit level on the skirting it says its sloping to the left. However I discovered using the other side of the spirit level it reads level!!!! Is it faulty? It'll complicate things when I fit more skirtings!

Phil

Replace the Bubble !

I'll probably purchase a new spirit level. However I do a have a smaller one (23cm) and this says my skirting is level. The board is 170 cm in length. Are smaller spirits levels accurate on long lengths of skirtings?

Phil

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Take it to B&Q or wherever and compare it to be sure.

 

[alan333]

If you're buying a new spirit level get one which you can undo the screws holding the bubble piece. This allows you to slacken it and re-position if/when it goes wonky.

 

[cajar]

buy stabila

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are smaller spirits levels accurate on long lengths of skirtings?

Clearly not. Or that level is dodgy too.

Think about it - if the skirting board really is level, and your spirit level is wonky, then it will give you a misleading reading both ways round.

If a wonky level says something is OK when you have it one way round, and not OK when you reverse it, then what you are checking cannot be OK.

 

[jockscott]

To check your spirit level. Hold it against a wall so it's level. Mark a pencil line underneath both ends. Turn the spirit level right around (horizontally) so the original ends are now at the other ends. Hold the spirit level so one end is touching one of the original pencil lines. Hold it so the bubble shows it's level and mark the other end with a pencil. The difference between the two marks at that end will show how much out of level it is.

 

[pinenot]

Why would you want to set skirtings with a level, assuming they are are close to level, uniformity of depth is more correct. I have fitted skirtings over many years and never in my career put a level on them.
Concerning your levels setting/testing, jockscot has it bang on, this goes for squares as well...pinenot

 

[gregers]

the only time ive ever been asked to level a piece of skirting was when i done shopfitting.so i did as asked and it looked 5hite.so they then asked me to refit it how i wanted to do it in the 1st place,it looked so much better.
i just fit to the floor.simples.

 

[ladylola]

The rule I've always used is that if it looks right then it is right. I've done work and out of interest put a level to it after the job was finished. Most of the time it wasn't far off. One lintel I put in (shuttered concrete) was close to 3inches out of level over around 10 feet but looked right owing to the subsidence of the building and the window beneath being so much out of level and plumb.

 

[philipb82]

Well to be honest most of the time I don't use a spirit level. When I fitted skirting in my kids room and kitchen I did just fit to floor and most of them are actually level

I fitted two skirting boards in my living room with a level because in one area the floor slopes downwards a lot. So if I had followed it then it would have been quite obvious. However because of this there a big-ish gaps between floor and skirting. However we're having a new thick carpet fitted so hopefully it will hide these gaps I understand the best way is to chamfer the bottom of the skirting but I'm just a novice

Anyway if you guys don't or never have used a spirit level then neither will I in future. You guys know what you're talking about I just thought skirting had to be straight to look better.

Thanks

Phil

 

[pinenot]

Where a section of floor takes a slope, up or down from the main, take the central fulcrum/rocking point of the floor, measuring back say 10' from the up/down corner, lay the skirting on this equidistant off the floor at the corner end and the guessed opposite point of the skirting, now with a shim and pencil mark a scribe line and cut/shave this. The skirting will now be shaped to the warped floor and remain relatively straight along the top line. When your nailing the skirtings on, rest a 4' board (length of 4" flooring was traditional) on top of the skirting, hard to the wall, the other end on the floor, now when you kneel on this you'll be pushing the skirting down into the floor, closing any gaps created by minor floor fluctuations and bent skirtings. The longer the length of skirting the easier it will bend along its depth, reserving any bad pieces of skirting lengths for cupboards, under stairs and so forth...pinenot

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I just thought skirting had to be straight to look better.

Things usually look better straight, but not necessarily exactly horizontal or vertical - if they are nearby something which is not exactly h or v itself, e.g. a floor, ceiling, wall, doorframe, quite often they can look better if they are parallel to it.

I understand the best way is to chamfer the bottom of the skirting but I'm just a novice

Well - you now know more about fitting skirting, so next time you do it....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Where a section of floor takes a slope, up or down from the main, take the central fulcrum/rocking point of the floor, measuring back say 10' from the up/down corner, lay the skirting on this equidistant off the floor at the corner end and the guessed opposite point of the skirting, now with a shim and pencil mark a scribe line and cut/shave this. The skirting will now be shaped to the warped floor and remain relatively straight along the top line. When your nailing the skirtings on, rest a 4' board (length of 4" flooring was traditional) on top of the skirting, hard to the wall, the other end on the floor, now when you kneel on this you'll be pushing the skirting down into the floor, closing any gaps created by minor floor fluctuations and bent skirtings.

What if the floor is dished - highest points in the corners?

What if you want to leave a gap underneath for a fitted carpet?