Description
The Schwan aluminium straightedge 200 cm is a straightedge with handles for screeding fresh mortar, levelling compound and concrete to a straight line and for checking the straightness of the finished surface. The profile has two handles and two spirit level vials, so screeding, alignment and level checks are done with the same tool.
The body is a hollow aluminium extrusion. The hollow construction gives the profile high bending stiffness in relation to its weight: the 200 cm long straightedge weighs 1,570 g, so you can move and turn it with one hand, while the edge withstands the bending caused by a screeding pull. Aluminium forms an oxide film on its surface and does not rust in wet cement-based compound, so the profile needs no surface treatment.
The handles lift your palms clear of the compound and give both hands the same pulling point. With your grip on the handles, the pulling force acts on the profile symmetrically and the straightedge cannot twist during the pull. The handles also make it easier to lift and move the long profile on site.
The vials are recessed into the profile: one shows the horizontal and the other the vertical. This lets you check levels and plumb without a separate spirit level, which reduces tool changes during the work step. The same manufacturer’s range without handles is the Schwan aluminium straightedge, and the equivalent model with handles from another range is the Procat aluminium straightedge 200 cm handles + 2 spirit levels. The straightedge is made in Germany.
Intended use and suitability:
The straightedge is used for screeding compound before it hardens and for measuring the straightness of the surface after hardening. The integrated vials add a third task: checking level and plumb.
- Floor levelling compounds and topping concrete: the straightedge is pulled along the level guides, which removes excess compound and leaves the surface at the height of the guides.
- Rendering and wall levelling: fresh mortar is screeded against guide battens from the bottom up; the vertical vial ensures the wall is straight in the same pull.
- Tiling: the layer of tile adhesive is levelled and the straightness of the tile row is checked during installation.
- Paving and groundwork: levelling the bedding sand and base course and checking the slope with the vial.
- Masonry and framing work: the line of the wall courses and the straightness of battens are checked by placing the straightedge against the side of the structure.
- Measuring straightness: the straightedge is placed on the finished surface and the deviation is read from the gap between the edge and the surface with a gap gauge.
Package contents:
- 1 pc aluminium straightedge 200 cm, two handles fitted
- 2 pcs integrated vials (horizontal and vertical)
Features:
- Length 200 cm: reaches from guide to guide at normal guide spacings and reveals shallow waves that a shorter straightedge would pass over unnoticed.
- Two handles: lift your palms clear of the compound and spread the pulling force symmetrically, so the straightedge does not twist during the pull.
- Two vials: horizontal and vertical checks without a separate spirit level.
- Hollow aluminium profile: high bending stiffness in relation to weight, 1,570 g at a length of 200 cm.
- Aluminium: does not rust in wet mortar and needs no surface treatment; the profile is easy to wipe clean.
- Made in Germany: Schwan Werkzeugfabrik Hermann Schwandt, Remscheid.
Technical specifications:
- Length: 200 cm.
- Material: aluminium, hollow extruded profile.
- Handles: 2 pcs, fitted.
- Vials: 2 pcs, horizontal and vertical.
- Country of manufacture: Germany.
Schwan aluminium straightedge 200 cm instructions for use:
1. Check before use: Check that the edge is straight and clean and that the bubbles in the vials move freely. Place the edge against a straight reference surface and look against the light to make sure there is no gap. A bent straightedge gives an incorrect measurement.
2. Screeding compound: Place the straightedge across the level guides and pull it towards you with a small back-and-forth sawing movement. Hold both handles with even pressure. Remove excess compound from in front of the edge so that a stone or lump does not get under the straightedge and lift the edge.
3. Checking level: Place the straightedge on the surface to be measured and read the horizontal vial. Plumb is checked by placing the straightedge against the wall and reading the vertical vial. Confirm the reading by turning the straightedge round in the same place: if the bubble settles in a different position, the vial is out of true.
4. Measuring straightness: Place the edge on the hardened surface and measure the largest gap between the edge and the surface with a gap gauge or a taper gauge.
5. Screeding render: Pull the straightedge against the guide battens from the bottom up with short movements. Collect the excess mortar from the edge onto a mortar board after each pull.
6. Maintenance: Wash off mortar and levelling compound immediately after use, before it hardens. Hardened mortar on the edge distorts the measurement. Clean the vial surfaces with water; solvents cloud the acrylic parts. Store the straightedge on a straight surface or hanging up, not leaning against a wall.
Warnings:
- Do not use a bent or dented straightedge for measuring; the loss of straightness is not visible to the eye but is transferred to the finished surface.
- Aluminium conducts electricity. Do not use the straightedge near live cables, overhead lines or electrical distribution boards.
- Cement-based mortar and levelling compound are alkaline and corrosive; wear protective gloves and safety glasses and rinse any compound that gets on the skin off with water.
- A long straightedge reaches far outside your field of view: when turning it, make sure there are no people, lights or windows nearby.
- Take care not to trap your fingers between the straightedge and a guide, wall or mortar board.
- Do not use the straightedge as a lever, support or step; the hollow profile bends permanently.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ):
Does the Schwan aluminium straightedge 200 cm also work as a spirit level? Yes. Two vials are recessed into the profile, one showing the horizontal and the other the vertical.
What are the handles for? The handles lift your palms clear of the wet compound and spread the pulling force over both hands, so the straightedge does not twist during the screeding pull.
How do I check that the straightedge is still straight? Place the edge against a straight reference surface and look against the light. A gap between the edge and the reference surface shows that it is bent.
Can the vials be calibrated? The vials are fixed permanently to the profile. The reading is checked by turning the straightedge round in the same place: if the bubble settles in a different position, the vial is out of true.
Is the straightedge suitable for outdoor use? Yes. Aluminium does not rust in wet mortar. Clean and dry the profile after use so that the vials stay clear.
What is the difference between a straightedge with and without handles? A profile without handles is the same along its whole length and is therefore suitable as a guide batten and for narrow gaps. The model with handles is intended for long screeding pulls with a grip in both hands.
Recycling instructions:
A straightedge taken out of use is sorted as aluminium for metal collection. First remove the plastic handles, end caps and the acrylic parts of the vials and take them to plastic collection or follow local sorting rules. Clean mortar off the profile before recycling; hardened mortar belongs in construction waste. The packaging cardboard goes to cardboard collection and the packaging plastic to plastic collection.
