In construction, the use of lasers is an everyday occurrence. However, knowing which laser to use or which is the most beneficial can take more than deciding whether you like the color red or the color green. In reality, the two laser colors, and why they would be used, are quite different.

The purpose of this post is to provide insight into which laser color best fits the needs of your job.

United Tool and Fastener carries an array of lasers from vendors including PLS, DeWalt, Fluke and Spectra.

One of the first questions that must be answered is: how will the laser be used? Will the laser be used for jobs that are indoor, outdoor, or both? Knowing how the laser will be used will help to identify the features needed to complete the job.

Different laser levels are used depending on whether a project is indoor or outdoor. Indoor applications include leveling floors, installing drop ceilings, aligning cabinets, trims or shelves, and aligning and plumbing walls. In contrast, outdoor applications include surveys, aligning posts, fences, and decks, checking land elevations, site layout, establishing grades, masonry alignment, and contour drainage.

Red or Green?

The color of the laser beam impacts its brightness, visibility, and price.

Green laser beams are more than four times brighter than red laser beams, therefore making them the easiest to see.

To the human eye, a green laser will appear four times as bright as a red laser at the same power output based on the human eyes’ light sensitivity.

In contrast to red lasers, green lasers are more expensive due to the cost of production and can use more power than red lasers. However, power consumption can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Red laser beams, though, are more common because they are the least expensive to make. The red laser has a very low light frequency, thus making it the better choice for indoor work.

Furthermore, the red laser uses less power, and has a weaker beam, making it a safer laser for not blinding your assistant.

So, which do you choose?

Ultimately, you must decide whether the job dictates the use of a more expensive, but brighter laser or if you can manage with a red laser that isn’t as bright. If cost isn’t an option, and work will occur in brightly lit areas or outdoors, a green laser may be the right choice.

To buy or learn more about the various lasers UTF carries, please contact a showroom in Houston at 713-692-2323; in San Antonio at 210-495-8665; or in College Station at 979-731-8665.