How to Snap a Chalk Line

If you need a straight line to do such things as hand wallpaper, lay down wood floors, or lay down ceramic tiles you will have to have a chalk line to make sure you work on a straight line. A chalk line is very useful any time you need to have an exact straight line and cant have any errors. Not using a chalk line can ruin an entire job because the measurements are not exact when working with a line.

A chalk line is a small case shaped like an eye that is filled with chalk and a string. Many times the chalk is colored, such as orange or blue. The chalk line has a metal tab on one end that is used to pulling the string, coated with chalk, out and then a reel on the opposite side so you can reel in the string after you have snapped a chalk line.

Here are some steps to take to snap a chalk line

• You first have to measure and mark both ends of where you want the line to be between.

• Take the metal tab on the chalk line in your fingers and pull the string, covered in chalk, out.

• Hold the string very tight at both ends having one end of the string on each end of the marks you made. If you do not have anyone else helping you on the job you can tap in an angled nail away from you into the surface of what you are working on and then hook the metal tab over it.

• Once the metal tab is secure pull the string up around 6 inches and then let it go. The line should hit the surface you are working on leaving a perfectly straight chalk line.

• When you finish snapping the chalk line make sure that the marks you made and the line meet.

TIPS:

• The chalk line will work the best when you snap the line in the exact center but this is not always possible.

• The way to get an accurate chalk line is having the chalk line pulled very tight when you snap it, as the more tension is on the string when you pull it up the more precise the line will be when you let go.

• You can purchase chalk lines, as well as refillable chalk, at most hardware stores.