Jason's Bathroom Remodel

[flyboy718]

I am having the hardest time understanding this reference line stuff. I am not a construction guru so laugh if you must. It says in John's book to make a chaulk line parallel to the longest wall. Ok, well I measured 8" out from the longest wall at one end of the room and then another 8" at the opposite end of the room and then 'popped' a line between the two marks creating a parallel line equi-distance from the wall. I then constructed my perpendicular line with no problem. Why then when I pull lets say 4" off of that parallel line at one end of room and then do the same at the other end of the room and go to pop a line between them, they do not line up!

My original perpendicular line I transfered another to each side of the original and all three are perfectly perpendicular to the original parallel line!

[johntrent]

Jason - I am a little confused -

Originally Posted by Jason

I then constructed my perpendicular line with no problem. Why then when I pull lets say 4" off of that parallel line at one end of room and then do the same at the other end of the room and go to pop a line between them, they do not line up!

Are you talking about 2 different lines here? Or is this supposed to be the same line? How did you get your perpendicular line?

Is the 4" pulled off of the original reference line or off the perpendicular line?

[flyboy718]

John,

All I did here was make my parallel line next to the longest wall, I measured 8 inches and 8 inches off the long wall, made two marks and popped a line which is my parallel line. Then I did my 3-4-5 and got my perpendicular line with no problem and it is perfectly perpendicular to the aforementioned parallel line.

[johntrent]

Ok - so my confusion is which line you are pulling the 4" measurement from? and how do they not line up? If you are pulling off the same line I don't know how they can't be lined up ?

[flyboy718]

I am pulling off my 'parallel-to-the-longest-wall' line.

[johntrent]

How do they not line up? If it is a straight line - and it sounds like it is - and you are pulling an equal measurement off of it - it has to line up. What doesn't it line up with?

How flat is your floor? Maybe you have a hump in the floor that is causing the chalk line to jump or distort?

[Scottish Tile and Stone]

Are you trying to square the room up? Not sure if these pics will help you or not

[flyboy718]

I am thinking it is due to the way I constructed my 'parallel-to-the-longest-wall' line. It says in John's book to just pop a line parallel to the longest wall. But, instead I measured 8 inches out from one end of that wall and 8 inches at the other end and then popped a line between those two marks. Could I have 'transfered' any error in that longest wall out onto the floor? Like if the wall was not exactly straight, it's an inside wall.

[Shpedly]

Sounds like wall isnt true. Easier to find the center of the room and square off of that. I dont think there is such a thing as a "square" room anymore so trying to reference off any of its one walls is pretty futile.

[flyboy718]

My thinking on this parallel line stuff is that in John's book it says to just pop a line parallel to the longest wall...how do you know when you are EXACTLY parallel to that wall before you pop the line? Or do you have to be EXACTLY parallel

[johntrent]

I don't think chances are very good you'll get perfectly parallel to a wall. I am still confused as to where you are off ? You are pulling 4" off one end of the line then 4" off the other end of the line and then the line isn't straight? Where does it differ? When you measure back to the wall in various spots? If so that is ok - unless you're talking inches/feet. How long is this wall you are using?

[Kman]

Are you measuring from the drywall, framing, or trim on this wall? If you measured the same amount on both ends, it's going to be parallel, all things being equal.

Sometimes drywall or trim can throw off your measurements, as well as a little trash under the edge of the drywall against the framing.

[flyboy718]

That is my million dollar question does the line you pop have to be perfectly parallel to the longest wall??? How would you go about doing that if it has to be?

[Jaz]

I don't understand the problem you are having. First of all, why 8"? Is that the size of the last tile? If so, measure out 2'8" or 3'8" instead. If you measure accurately this reference line will be parallel to the two points you measured from. The distance may vary at other points if the wall is not straight of course.

You then establish the starting point for the other direction and check it with the Pythagorean Theorem, (3-4-5 method). Lets say that last tile will be 7". So now you establish a starting line 1'7" or 2'7" from that wall. (which one depends on how long your arms are to make the cuts).

When you pop a line exactly parallel to the wall, the resulting line will be exactly parallel, as you'd expect.

Jaz

[Scottish Tile and Stone]

look at the pics I posted for the 3,4,5