Laser Measuring Tapes

The first thing we need to point out is that a lot of the 'laser' measuring tapes you see out there are not laser measuring tapes at all. It can be really misleading when the manufacturer puts the word "Laser" on the package in big bold letters too. As a general rule of thumb any measuring device costing less than $100 is not a laser measuring device. These are really ultrasonic measuring devices and to make it even more confusing, many of these ultrasonic devices actually have a laser pointer built in too.

On these types of devices the laser beam is used to show the user what they are measuring too and the laser is NOT used in the distance calculation.

Laser Measuring Tapes Accuracy

So what's the big deal you may be asking. In a nutshell it's accuracy. The ultrasonic measuring devices are not nearly as accurate as true laser measuring tapes.

For example, if you read the packaging on a ultrasonic device you will see that the best accuracy is to 1" to 4". This is not a problem if you are doing carpet, or floor tile or if you are estimating things like paint jobs. But it is a real problem if you are trying to do work that needs to be precise. Things like floor molding or crown molding or cabinetry or framing. Laser measuring tapes can have accuracies that are within 1/16".

Another thing to consider is distance. Ultrasonic devices will typically not measure anything over 50' long. With a true laser device if you can see the dot, you can get the measurement.

Laser Measuring Tapes Considerations

Other things to consider. If you need to measure any distance over about 8' and it's above your head then you know how frustrating it can be to have the metal tape fall on your head. Or you have to use two people to get the job done. That is not very efficient and with a laser measuring device you can turn the job into a one person job instead of a two person job.

Depending on the type of work you do, there are a few other features that may come in handy. Some devices can calculate the area automatically. Just measure the length and the width and push the "Area" button. No math for you to do, it's done automatically. Another feature that you may find handy is the "Volume" feature. With this feature, you measure the length, the width and the height and then push the "Volume" button and you will get the total volume of the area. Great for HVAC calculations.

Not all devices have these options so if they are of interest to you, be sure to read the label before purchasing.

Another thing is that some devices will only measure in metric and others will only measure in feet/inches. These days, most have the ability to measure both and you can switch between them with the push of a button but you need to read the packaging to be sure.

It may take some getting used to if you are not familiar with seeing distances in decimals. So a sixteenth of an inch will read .0625. And some will only measure in inches so a room that is 15' and 1/8" will read - 180.125. A really nice feature on some devices the ability to show "feet and inches" so the above would show "15' 1/8" " on the display. A lot easier for most experienced contractors to deal with.

For any type of home repair work, these are becoming an indispensable tool for everyone. These days you probably can't find a realtor or a floor covering person without one of these in their toolbox.

So if you are interested in turning some two people jobs into something one person can do, or are tired of having to replace the worn tapes in the old mechanical tape measures, or tired of crawling around on your hands and knees doing measurements, or tired of having to move furniture to get measurements (lasers can go over furniture), or tired of having the tape impossible to use for lengthy overhead measurements, then you should look into laser measuring tapes. Once you start using laser measuring tapes you will wonder how you got along without them after just a few jobs.