Building Standards

[Johnno]

Hi folks;
I've just spent a couple of days trying to install good old-fashioned picture railing in a couple of rooms - to accomodate my wife's growing output of paintings that she doesn't want to sell.
I've bought Porta mouldings - Tassie oak, no problems there - but have been horrified by trying to keep levels around the rooms. I use a doorframe for a starting point, mark off with my nice long level (el cheapo from Clints [might be the Warehouse or Solly's in your area]) and march around the walls from there.
I'm appalled by the different levels between, for instance, two doors in a room, or windows in two walls.
In the upstairs extension - built some 15 years ago - there is a difference of 1cm between the height of two doors in one wall, and the lintel of one of those doors had a 1cm fall from left to right!
I'm obviously far too late to bitch to the builder, but what suggestions do you folks out there have for allowing me to install the picture rails 'on the level' without making major structural modifications?

[RETIRED]

Gooday.

Some times you have to do them by "eye" so that they look level.

If you can't eye them in try this: measure the height of each door and place a mark in the corner at both heights. Use a string line from each door and split the difference of the measurement.

BTW you are lucky it is only 10mm, I have seen some where it is 50mm and that is new houses.

------------------
Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

[soundman]

I remember one of my parents friends commenting many over 30 years ago about the housing commision house they'd just mooved into.

Uncle harrold could not find anything that could be considered level or plumb in the entire house.
He wasn't a wood worker he was a painter & decorator!!!

Seriously most builders would consider 10mm over an entire room pretty good.

You can't consider house building a precision art.

When you consider the interior wall material of choice for most construction commercial or domestic consists of two sheets of brown paper with white mud between them you get more of an idea of the stste of the art.

Lesson.
DON'T put a level or a plumb bob any where near your house if you are easily offended.

Certainly don't measure the position of the house on block if you are easily worried.

Ours was found to be metres out from that drawn. Fortunately we're on acreage.

[Taffy]

Johno
Put some pencil dots on the wall where yo think is a respectable compromise, sparingly tack the rail in place in a manner that can be rmoved if required, stand back and take a look, you won't be 100% happy, now call the misses to have a quick look if she says that looks nice dear then its not blinkin bad. trust me.

perception is 99%

Taffy

[storewalla]

I have to agree with , It's a job to be done by EYE.
You have to look at how they were fitted originally, a century ago in this country(UK) and houses weren't built straight then!
I fitted them in my last abode all over the house and they were all "eyed up" and looked great also. We hung the pictures on small chain which also gives some variation on height. One thing I did find useful tho' was to attach the rail with "No more Nails" Silicone instant grip. A lot easier than tacks and even held up oak frames in a Bathroom- one tip is to press your glued rail onto the wall and release it and re-attach 5 minutes later.It'll never move.
Hope it helps,
Storewalla.

Originally posted by Taffy:
Johno
Put some pencil dots on the wall where yo think is a respectable compromise, sparingly tack the rail in place in a manner that can be rmoved if required, stand back and take a look, you won't be 100% happy, now call the misses to have a quick look if she says that looks nice dear then its not blinkin bad. trust me.

perception is 99%

Taffy

[Dylan SJ]

Slightly OT but if you want a guide to standards and tolerances in new building work, try this (http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/publications/generalpubs/guidest.pdf) publication (900k PDF) by the Victorian Building Commission. It covers plumb and level tolerances in addition to other building defects.