Marking Layout Lines So They Stay Longer Then Chaulk

personalt

I have a house that i rebuilding but the foundation is out of square(cant be fixed as it is a row house up against another house)

We have replaced the joists and have put down the first floor plywood.

Because the house is out of square so bad the guys can't work off the plans only as compromises need to be made. I am looking to lay out the whole floor the night before framing and have them work off the lines i laid. If i use chaulk lines the rub out really fast.

i could use carpenters pencil but i find that even rubs out sometime with people walking over it. is there something else i could do that would last longer?

doubleaction

What color chaulk are you using?

maj

Red is permanent.

I usually don't have this problem with blue though. If it is getting light, I'll just resnap before setting walls.

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doubleaction

That's what i was thinking. Sometimes blue will get wiped or swept off. In dusty or high traffic areas i use red and never had a problem.

pruane

Buy some hairspray and spray it over the chalk lines.

personalt

i had no idea red was more perminant. i will have to try the hairspray trick too..

K2

Clear laquer in a spray can works well too.

Joe Carola

You wont need the haispray with red chalk even if your doing it the night before This chalk can hold up to rain and snow and wont wash away.

I know you said the house is up against another house, but is it between two houses?

If not, how bad is it out of square where you can't cheat the three walls in and out if the one wall is up against one house?

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Joe Carola

N.E.Bldg&Rest.LLC

They make a clear coat to go over marking paint and chalk lines, I use it all the time and works great.

http://www.aervoe.com/aervoe/shoppin...etail.asp?ID=9

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personalt

Thanks for all the great ideas.. i will have to look for that clear marking paint, that way i can also write notes in pencil and seal them up.

the issue with the house is that it is a row house that has a party wall on each side. Those party walls are 3 inchs out of square in 60 feet. i am framing a new wall inside of this and can square that wall but then i lose 3" across the buildings 20 foot width. the architect plans show a full 20' of width which i really dont have once i square things off so i need to figure out where i can steal those 3" from and either notate the plans or work with my super to mark it out.
i would rather just mark it out that way even the dumbest guy can figure it out.

Joe Carola

No matter what you to cheat here and there, make sure those kitchen and bath walls are square. Cheat somwhere else. It doesn't matter what he shows in width. It's not a code violation. You can cheat the walls from his dimensions to make it right for your cabinets.

When he drew the plands, he didn't know the house was 3" out of square so you can always make field adjustments. It happens every day.

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Joe Carola

personalt

that is exactly what i was planning. i need to make the stairs/halls/kitchens and baths really square and will cheat elsewhere.

most of my projects are rehab of 100 year old row houses so the cheating isnt new. the guys can follow the plans but i need to tell them where i want to cheat.

i just had no idea the red chaulk was rated to last longer. but it says right on it the bottle that it is more water resistant.

my issue is i will not be there on framing day so i need to lay everything out for them.

i bought the red chaulk and some spray laquer to preserve any notes i am sure it will work fine

Peladu

That's what I use.

Used hairspray once, didn't like the end result.

Grumpy

Take a strong, lay it out. Then take a spray paint and spray the string. Then remove the string. You will have a "Reverse" chalk line.

snapper21

[QUOTE=Grumpy]Take a strong, lay it out. Then take a spray paint and spray the string. Then remove the string. You will have a "Reverse" chalk line.[/QUOTE
had to do that before. Just make sure it's disposable line.

slowsol

We frame apartment buildings and run into that kinda stuff all the time. One foreman goes through and lays all the walls out with black chalk. I know a lot of people don't like black for various reasons, but that is about as permanent as you can get. If there happens to be inclement weather in the forecast, he will spray everything with clear spraypaint.

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-John

We'll have to grab a longer board. I forgot to put the wood stretcher in the truck today.

clampman

I used to use masonry tint when I was laying out, then spray it with water from an indian pump.

Comes in all kinds of colors and sold by the pound. Pretty cheap too.

A+Carpenter

A good framing contractor can work without the plans if he has the rough specs from you. Why are you laying out the floor and not your contractor.

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Mr. D

i use an ink line. i have red ink and black ink. tajiba is the brand name. INK YO!

personalt

I used the red chaulk and spray laquer..

I am the contractor, I wanted to be able to lay the whole for floor out in advance so the workers could just knock out the walls. Also I was hopping to be able to take a day off and leave the second in command there. I wanted to make things as easy as possible on him when it comes to figuring out where to cheat.