For professional landscapers, a laser level is an essential tool of the trade, primarily used for leveling out the ground.
Knowing how to use a laser level for landscaping can also come in handy for DIY projects.
Whether you want to level out a piece of land to build a garden shed on, lay a new lawn, or put in a new patio, this device would be of great help.
Investing in an outdoor laser level will help you get the proper foundations to start with and make the entire project run smoothly.
If you need to know how to use a laser level to level ground, read our step-by-step guide below.
How to Use a Laser Level for Landscaping
First off, if you are using a laser level for landscaping purposes, it’s important to invest in the right one for the job.
Some laser levels are better for indoor jobs; others are better for outdoor projects.
The best outdoor laser level is a rotary laser level that mounts on a tripod.
If you can get your hands on a self-leveling one, that’s even better.
You’ll also need someone to help you out and hold the grade rod and line up the laser detector.
How Do You Use Laser Level for Landscaping?
Now you have the right equipment, you are ready to learn how to use a laser level to level ground.
Step 1: Set up the Laser Level
The first thing you will need to do is set up the laser level on firm, dry ground.
When you spread the legs of the tripod, make sure they are an equal distance apart from each other.
Then, plant the tripod’s pin firmly into the ground.
You want to make sure you have a sturdy set up before you mount the laser level.
This will guarantee you get more accurate results and prevent damage to the laser level by preventing it from accidentally toppling over.
Step 2: Turn the Laser Level On
Once you have the laser level mounted, turn it on, and wait for it to level itself.
Alternatively, you can do this manually using the adjustment screws.
Step 3: Establish the Desired Height
At this point, you will need your project buddy to help you with marking out your level ground.
Ask them to place the bottom of the grade rod on a piece of land that already sits at your desired ground height.
Step 4: Detect and Adjust the Laser Beam
Now you need to direct the laser beam from the laser level towards the grade rod.
Ask your assistant to adjust the position of the detector until it connects with the beam.
Your partner will then need to adjust the laser detector up or down until they find the right spot.
You will know when they have hit the sweet spot as the laser level will emit a constant beep instead of an intermittent one.
Step 5: Move the Grade Road Around
Now that you have your desired height set up with the laser level, you can begin to move the grade rod around the piece of land you are leveling.
You can take a reading at any point to find out if that part of the ground is above or below your desired height.
This may require you to lift the rod, or dig down a little, to find your original reading.
Step 6: Mark Out Your Height
The last step to learning how to use a laser level for landscaping is marking out the height.
The bottom of the grade rod represents the bottom of the grade you want.
You can use sticks or flags to mark the spots you measure, digging them into your desired height.
Keep moving around the piece of land you want to level until you have enough spots marked out to help guide you with the excavator or shovel.
Leveling Up
As you can see, measuring the ground out for leveling is extremely simple when you have the right tools.
However, actually leveling the ground according to your markers is another job entirely.
The level of accuracy you need will depend on what you have planned for the piece of land once it is level.
Just remember that the spots you mark out with sticks or flags can be as close together or as far apart as you want.
The closer they are together, the more likely you are to end up with a perfectly level surface.
If the ground just needs to be roughly level, then you can leave larger gaps between the markers.
