Rope

Rope

Builders line is a thin, tightly twisted synthetic cord used for setting out rather than for lifting or tying, and it does a job no measuring tool does as well: stretched taut between two points it gives a perfectly straight visual reference over a long distance, which is how a course of brick or block is kept level and in line across a whole wall. It is also used for setting out foundations, marking a straight edge for paving and running levels across a site. The properties that matter are low stretch, so the line does not sag or creep once tensioned, and high visibility, which is why it is sold in orange rather than a natural colour. Synthetic construction resists rot and damp far better than natural fibre, which matters for something left outdoors between working days. It is sold by weight and length rather than by diameter, since the diameter is essentially fixed for the purpose, and a 360 metre roll lasts a long time because the line is used in short working runs and replaced when it frays rather than being consumed. Keep it on the reel or wound rather than loose in a bag, because a tangled line wastes more time than it costs to replace, and check for nicks before tensioning since a damaged line will part under load.

Easi Plumb supplies orange builders line in a half kilogram 360 metre roll. For levels, squares and setting out tools see Levels and Measuring Tapes, and for cement and mortar General Hardware.