How to level a picture rail?

paulalde

I'm just wondering what the best way of levelling up a picture rail would be? Should I measure and mark equal distance in each corner then use the spirit level to join them with a pencil line?

I'm guessing I should be measuring from ceiling downwards rather than floor upwards right? I've noticed my ceiling isn't consistently level though.

I'm confident a joiner will have no problems doing this right but I need to create a guideline now so I can paint prior to the rail being fitted.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Errata

I've noticed my ceiling isn't consistently level though

I suspect that whether you measure up from the floor or down from the ceiling the picture rail may look a bit wonky, although if it's only a difference of mm's then down would be the best option.

theonlywayisup

Why not set your mark where you want it to be on the wall and go around with a spirit level, that way it will be straight and won't interfere with the ceiling or floor being out.

martinsurrey

in an old house where nothing is straight or parallel I would (and do) put the tape measure and spirit level down and go old school.

Get some low tack tape, and put it across the wall (if you get 2 people, one at each end, you can pull it straight then put it on the wall)

stand back, look at it, does it look "right", if not adjust, if it does, thats your line.

in my house, if you use a straight flat line, it just highlights that nothing else is!

pogg000

water level

StuC75

The spirit level \ laser level is the true Level to use. Measuring up or down will only accentuate how out the ceiling or floor is - and that's after you've made sure that the line is plumb too.. do check that the picture rail isn't too high up though as that may then draw the eye into if the ceiling is out.

Ebe_Scrooge

martinsurrey wrote: »

in an old house where nothing is straight or parallel I would (and do) put the tape measure and spirit level down and go old school.

Get some low tack tape, and put it across the wall (if you get 2 people, one at each end, you can pull it straight then put it on the wall)

stand back, look at it, does it look "right", if not adjust, if it does, thats your line.

in my house, if you use a straight flat line, it just highlights that nothing else is!

I'd second this. A few months ago I put up a couple of high-level shelves. When I'd finished, the wife said they didn't look straight. Double-checked with my spirit level, there were absolutely bang on, side-to-side, front-to-back and on the diagonals ( was actually feeling quite smug as to just how perfect they were ) But they definitely looked wrong - when I checked, I found the ceiling was not level.

So if it's something like a picture rail that's quite near the ceiling, it may be worth measuring down from the ceiling, rather than getting it dead level according to a spirit level - quite often it'll look better, even though it's "wrong".

But as Martin says, use some tape as a temporary measure and check that it looks right.

macman

If you try and adjust as you go round to get it 'visually' right, then you'll be all over the place by the time you've gone round the room. You can't adjust each length individually, you have to get the first bit right and then follow that round using a spirit level. So I'd start with the most noticeable run, for example over the fireplace, or opposite the entrance door?
If you use a gripfix adhesive then you can still adjust it slightly once you've placed it to the pencil line.

rach_k

We asked a carpenter to quote for putting up picture rails and he said he would measure down from the ceiling and keep the rail 'level' to that.

muckybutt

You want a water level for a true level, lasers are ok but can be out a few mm

pc1271

If the house isn't perfect it can either look level or be level, not both. I'd make sure it's parallel with the ceiling as that's far more visually important than getting it spirit level straight.