I can’t count the number of times I’ve needed the dimensions, square footage, or volume of a room quickly and wished there was a faster way. In new construction, getting measurements with a tape is time consuming. In remodels, taking these measurements can be tedious. The only solution is to put my aluminum clipboard down?not on the piano and not next to the Faberge egg?and pull my tape. The same problem surfaces during exterior applications (minus the egg). Whether you’re squaring foundations or measuring siding or concrete slabs, you can pull your tape and punch numbers into your calculator, but it takes time, the occasional helper, and, very often, ladders.
For preparing bids or change orders, tracking work progress, laying out framing modifications, or loading in materials, faster measurements mean saving time. Laser distance meters (LDMs) are the next generation of measuring devices and the first things I’ve seen that can beat a tape measure.
Test Criteria
As much as I love innovation, before I adopt a new technology it must prove to be better than what I’m already doing. Laser distance meters look promising, offering incredible accuracy (“How They Work,” below), one-position measuring, and onboard memory storage while eliminating tape measure acrobatics.
I tested six distance meters ranging in price from about $360 to $495: the CST/Berger LT1 Disto, Hilti PD 28, Leica Geosystems Disto Classic5, Pacific Laser Systems PLS1, Stabila LE 100, and Trimble Spectra Precision HD150. I used them in interior applications to calculate square footage and room volume, and for finer measurements like a kitchen remodel, trim, replacement windows, and new doors. I also tested them in exterior applications to calculate square footage for siding, stucco, and concrete slabs, and for squaring a foundation. I looked carefully for accuracy, ease of measurements, and laser dot visibility. I examined the user interface for ease of operation, too. Finally, I looked for unique features that made measuring faster or easier than using a tape.
Accuracy
I laid out a range using my 100-foot tape with targets at 30, 60, and 90 feet, then positioned all the tools on the same reference line. Since all the tools measure to 16th of an inch or out to two decimal points (except Hilti’s, which measures to the 1/32 inch), the slightest variation in how or where I placed a tool relative to the reference line generated fractional discrepancies in the results. Carefully moving each tool right to the reference line equalized the results and illustrated that each of these devices is more accurate than the tools I have to measure them with.
Interior Applications
Inside, I measured distance, volume, and area, and I immediately found that this is where LDMs really shine. I also measured openings for doors and windows and took finer measurements for a kitchen replacement and installing trim. For gross measurements like square footage, each model took measurements far more accurately than necessary and much faster than a tape measure. For some finer measurements, the devices’ technology showed limits. Also, I looked at processing speed to see if there were differences in how quickly the devices acquired a reliable measurement.
Square and Cubic Footage. In less time than it takes to talk about it, you can get the square or cubic footage of a room by pressing a few buttons on any of these tools. When taking a measurement from an inaccessible surface, like the ceiling in a two-story foyer or the opposite side of a wide stairwell, all the LDMs in the group worked perfectly and with the same precision.
Doors. On doors, especially big ones like French or sliding patio units, measuring from inside corner to inside corner of the framing with a tape can be awkward. Not so with LDMs. Each unit has a tailpiece that fits into one corner. Next, you aim the dot inside the opposite corner; switch corners and repeat. In about five seconds you know if the rough opening is square or not and how to adjust it. I like Hilti’s tailpiece the best here because it really gets tightly into an inside corner. The tailpiece also folds outward to hook onto outside corners. For applications like this, or anywhere else you need an inside-to-inside measurement, the LDMs are a true measuring advance.
Kitchen Layout. For getting fast, accurate wall lengths, ceiling heights, and area measurements, the LDMs again worked better and faster than my tape and allowed me to work alone. But for line-to-line measurements, like between proposed layout lines for an island or for different sized appliances, the units couldn’t provide a measurement because the laser had nothing on which to reflect. While the instruction manuals suggest setting up a target, pulling a tape is easier in this case.
Replacement Windows. I used the units to size replacement windows and found the tools limited. If there are jamb liners (or another jamb-to-jamb obstruction), you must measure then add that thickness to the final measurement. The same is true when measuring height: the sashes obstruct the laser.
Trim. I measured trim, hoping to find a better way to get measurements than using a helper or setting nails to hook my tape. Since I cope all my inside corners, I take all measurements from a temporary trim piece on the opposite wall. It’s easy enough to fix a tape where I need it on the trim (either with a helper or with a nail), but it’s more difficult to hit that point dependably with an LDM’s laser dot. It’s also challenging to hold the unit perfectly still and record the measurement: Pushing the “record” button can move the unit slightly, changing the result. Finally, since I’m not 18 years old anymore (or if the room is big), I can’t always see if the dot is exactly on target.
Measurement Acquisition and Trustworthiness. The Hilti and Trimble acquired measurements the fastest, both taking readings quickly and reliably. The Stabila also was responsive and displayed the measurements on screen in short order. The Leica and PLS units were a bit slower to display their measurements, followed by the CST/Berger.
For getting reliable measurements, the Hilti was flawless. It was always able to get and record a good measurement; the tool never shut down, never returned a clearly erroneous measurement, and never indicated there was an error. The Trimble got good measurements about 99 percent of the time, and when something was wrong, the unit displayed a series of dashes. The other units weren’t as responsive or quick to record measurements and sometimes provided a number that I knew couldn’t be right. In the “sweep” mode, where I moved the unit back and forth slightly to zero in on a target, the Hilti and Spectra readouts changed constantly as I moved the units. The Stabila, CST/Berger, Leica, and PLS displays were not as sensitive to motion and sometimes didn’t return consistent measurements, especially if I moved the units too quickly.
Exterior Applications
I tested the LDMs by squaring foundations and measuring houses for siding or stucco application and found that they performed equally?and were sometimes equally limited?during these applications.
Dot Visibility. A red laser marking dot is hard to see in bright sunlight. On cloudy days, under an eave, or in the shade, the dots from each device show up clearly. On sun-baked siding, each model’s dot disappeared. To help with this, the Hilti and Stabila units ship with laser targets. While the targets really light the dot up, I’m either walking all over the place to position them, or I’m paying a helper to do it, which can defeat the purpose.
Dot visibility also was an issue while squaring foundations because it’s difficult to be sure exactly what point you’re measuring to. And, because these devices are so precise, any variation in placing the unit (to the left or right of the target, up or down on an irregularity in the slab, or slight hand movements) changes the measurement enough to make me skeptical that I was getting reliable results.
Scope Accessory. Where targets are impractical, both the Hilti and Stabila have an accessory viewfinder (essentially a small telescope) that mounts onto the laser unit and a red filter you slide over the lens. These devices are amazing and greatly increase these tools’ capacity outdoors. In bright sunlight at 130 feet, the red dot stands out on the side of a house as clearly as could be. The only drawback is that the accessory costs around $250.
User Interfaces, Memory, and Reliability
There are big differences in how each device operates and how each is designed to interface with the user. While the buttons and displays are largely the same among the units (except for the Hilti, whose processing capability far surpasses any of the other units), the ease with which you can maximize the tools’ use varies from model to model.
User Interface. Well-labeled and positioned buttons make the tool easier to learn and use. Here the Trimble is by far the easiest to use with well-labeled, intuitive buttons. Next, I like the Hilti. Its interface is the most complicated, but the device also can handle the most information of any unit in the group. I also like the Leica, PLS, and Stabila interfaces. Each has good, logical interfaces, but they’re harder to learn than the Trimble. I wish CST/Berger’s interface was easier to understand. The buttons weren’t as clearly labeled as I would’ve hoped.
Calculations and Memory. Hilti’s PD 28 can measure roof rakes and add, subtract, multiply, and divide measurements, its numbered keypad also works as a regular calculator, and it stores up to 1,000 measurements. It also lets you assign codes to those values, enabling you to perform arithmetic functions on the measurements you’ve already taken and download them to your computer. While this brain power is complicated to use and requires you to develop a language for labeling all the items you’ve measured, it is extraordinarily useful to the full-time estimator.
The Trimble has the next largest memory and holds 20 values. While it stores much less than the Hilti, it is significantly easier to understand and use, especially if you spend only part of your work week estimating. The Stabila’s memory stores 15 measurements and is easy to use. The CST/Berger, Leica, and PLS each store 10 values. The CST/Berger, Leica, PLS, Spectra, and Stabila all allow you to do simple — but useful — functions like doubling measurements and calculating area with the measurement you’re taking. Each unit worked with the same capability and speed.
Light It Up
These are all head-of-the-class, professional tools that can bring serious firepower to almost any interior estimator. With an investment in an accessory scope, the units also can provide similar might to an exterior estimator. For my work, I like the Trimble Spectra Precision HD150. It has the best combination of functionality, durability, and ease-of-use. Its user interface is well-labeled, intuitive, and simple to understand.
A very close second is the Hilti. It’s a top-flight, super-smart device, but it’s more complicated to learn and use than the Spectra and is best suited for a dedicated estimator who’ll use it daily and get good at it. The Stabila is a fine instrument, too. The user interface takes more effort to learn than the Spectra, but the data acquisition rate is good. The Leica and PLS are professional tools, and while the data acquisition rate was a little slower, the user interfaces are well laid-out. The user interface on the CST/Berger was not as self-explanatory as I would have liked and the data acquisition rate did not seem as fast.
David R. Crosby is a custom builder in Santa Fe, N.M., and is a frequent contributor to Hanley-Wood’s Tools of The Trade.
Sources of Supply
CST/Berger
LT1 Disto (56-DISTM): $359
800-435-1859
www.cstsurvey.com
Hilti
PD 28: $645
800-879-8000
www.us.hilti.com
Leica
Disto Classic5: $495
770-447-6361
www.disto.com
Pacific Laser Systems
PLS1: $495
800-601-4500
www.plslaser.com
Stabila
LE 100: $450
800-869-7460
www.stabila.com
Trimble Navigation
Spectra Precision HD150: $425
800-538-7800
www.trimble.com