Talked to an older mason who said he never uses a level for long walls

I was working on a retaining wall near Columbus last week and an old timer walked up and watched me for a bit. He said he just trusts his eye and the string line, and that he's been doing it 40 years without a level on anything over 10 feet. Has anyone else tried ditching the level for long runs and just using a good string?

2 comments

2 Comments

shah.shane10d ago

I read a thread on a masonry forum where a guy said string lines are actually more accurate than a level on long runs because levels can be off from being dropped or just not being long enough. The old timers there all agreed that trusting the line and your eye is the real trick for big walls. Something about how a level makes you focus on small spots instead of the whole thing.

karenf4010d agoMost Upvoted

Ngl, I think there's a little confusion here. String lines are great for keeping things straight and level across a long wall, but they ain't more accurate than a level on their own. The trick is you use the string line as a guide, then check it with a level at multiple points to make sure both ends are actually the same height. If you just pull a string tight and eyeball it, you can still end up with a slight dip or hump in the middle if the string sags or isn't pulled perfectly. The old timers are right that you gotta step back and look at the big picture, but a level is still the tool that confirms your line is true. So really, it's a team effort between the string and the level, not one being better than the other.