Started using a 4-foot level for my deck posts instead of a 2-footer

I was framing a deck in my backyard and kept having a slight wobble on my 6x6 posts, even though my 2-foot level showed them plumb. I switched to a 4-foot level for the final three posts and the difference in overall squareness after hanging the joists was night and day. Anyone have a favorite long level brand, or is a laser level just better for this now?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray_carr19d ago

Jump right in and get a 4-footer, you won't regret it. That wobble you're talking about is real, and it just multiplies the further you go up with your framing. I swear by my old Stabila level I've had for years, but honestly any aluminum level that's straight and not beat up will work fine. Lasers are nice for quick layout but they can drift or get bumped out of level on a job site, I still trust a good long level for getting those posts dead plumb. Once you go to a 4-footer you'll never wanna pick up a 2-foot level for posts again.

troystone2mo ago

Honestly, is a deck post wobble that big of a deal? It's a deck, not a skyscraper. The 2-foot level got you close enough for government work, as they say. Spending extra on a giant level or a laser seems like overkill unless you're building something that needs to be perfect.

eva_carr2mo ago

Close enough for government work" is how you get a deck that feels like a boat in a storm, @troystone. That wobble turns into a real shimmy when people are on it.