Had to pick between a 4-inch and 6-inch level for a tricky chimney rebuild

Last month, I was redoing a chimney on an old house in Tacoma. The mortar joints were all over the place. I had my usual 48-inch level, but for the tight spots around the flue liner, I was stuck. My kit had a 4-inch torpedo level and I could buy a 6-inch. The 4-inch was lighter, easier to fit. But the 6-inch would give a longer, truer line on those short courses. I went with the 6-inch, cost me about $25. It was the right call. That extra two inches of reference made setting those irregular bricks way more consistent. My lines stayed straight even when the old work wasn't. Anyone else run into a situation where a slightly bigger tool made all the difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas1mo ago

Longer level is always worth it for brickwork. The 6-inch gives you just enough extra plane to catch high spots the shorter one misses. Good call on spending the extra cash.

amy_carr51mo ago

My old 4-foot level has been perfect for laying block for years. I find the extra length on a 6-foot just gets in the way on a smaller wall. I get what @the_lucas is saying about high spots, but a careful eye and a string line catch those for me.

joseph93222d ago

My first boss made me use a 48-inch level for everything. After a year of checking my work twice, I finally bought a 72-inch. The difference on a long brick run is night and day. You just can't fake that long, true plane for spotting a dip. I still use my short one for corners, but the long level saves my back from constant rechecks.