Laying Out Points on Flat Surfaces Using the Laser

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Layout Using Laser Demo

When laying out points on a flat surface such as a floor or slab, the laser can be used instead of a prism. This method is fast, convenient, and effective for many layout tasks.

Prerequisites and important setup

Disable heights

Before starting, heights must be turned off in the settings.
  • If heights are enabled, the total station will attempt to guide you to the height value of the point
  • This can cause the tool to point above or below the surface, especially if the points have height data
For flat surface layout, disabling heights ensures the laser is guided directly to the physical surface.
The Total station needs to be stationed

Heights disabled in the General Settings to allow laser layout on a flat surface

Position the PLT correctly

Place the PLT higher off the ground whenever possible (specifically when using the laser to lay points on the ground).
  • A higher setup reduces how spread out the laser appears on the surface below
  • The further the laser travels, the wider and less defined the laser spot becomes
  • A higher placement improves visibility and accuracy when marking points on the ground

How to use layout with the laser

  1. Disable Heights in the settings
  2. Open the View CAD application
  3. Select Laser as the measuring method
  4. Open a Layout application
  5. Select the first point you want to lay out
You will then be prompted to:
“Turn the laser to benchmark surface and measure”
  1. Turn the laser toward the surface where the points will be laid out

  2. Press Measure

This step defines the reference surface for the laser layout.
After this:
  • The total station will automatically move the laser to the selected layout point
  • Tapping any other point in the drawing will cause the laser to automatically move to that point as well

If there are slight deviations in the surface height as you layout, the total station will adjust for the height differential and find the correct horizontal location of the point. Whenever the height deviations are too large to calculate the point's position, the tool will prompt you to re-measure your benchmark surface.

Changing the layout surface

If you need to change the surface, for example moving from:
  • Floor to ceiling
  • One slab elevation to another
You must:
  1. Click the "Back" Arrow on the top right
  2. Select Layout application
You will then be prompted again to turn the laser to the benchmark surface and measure, allowing you to redefine the reference surface.

How to lay out points accurately with the laser

As the distance from the total station increases, the laser spot becomes larger and less focused.
To accurately identify the center of the laser, use the following method.

            

Laser close to the total station (left) versus far from the total station (right), increased spread with distance

Recommended technique

  1. Take a sturdy object with a flat, non‑reflective surface, such as:
    • A piece of cardboard
    • A card
    • The back of a prism late (like the back of the POA 26)
    • A ruler
  2. Hold the object facing the total station so the laser is clearly visible
  3. Slowly move the object away from the total station
  4. Watch the live measurement value in HCL
  5. When the reading shows 0.000 m, you are at the exact layout position

Laser projected onto a cardboard surface to clearly identify the center of the laser spot

Exact layout point where the laser center transfers from the cardboard reference to the ground and the software indicates a 0mm deviation
 
This indicates the center of the laser is aligned with the target point.
  1. Mark the point on the surface
  2. Move on to the next point

Best practices and limitations

  • Laser layout is best suited for flat, accessible surfaces
  • It is not recommended for:
    • Height‑critical layout (where point height is critical to identify)
    • Sloped surfaces
    • Long‑range precision layout
  • Always ensure heights are disabled before starting
  • Use non‑reflective materials to avoid false readings

Common use cases

Laser layout is particularly useful for:
  • Drywall track layout
  • Floor penetrations
  • Floor‑mounted anchors or sleeves
  • Layout on concrete slabs
  • Interior partition layout
  • Marking reference points before detailed prism layout

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