Hanging chandelier

[george121212]

Hi there,
I am planning to replace my current pendant light that is about 3kg with a new chandelier weighing about 9kg. I am happy with the wiring side of things.

The current pendant seems to be installed around a beam on tapping the area.
I was a bit reluctant to try installing it straight onto the beam fearing I might not screw it in securely and then comes crashing down.
I can lift the floor boards above but keen to avoid this.

I was proposing to use a holesaw bit to cut out a 150mm around the ceiling rose so I can see the beam then using the circular bit of plaster cut out screw the new pendant clip directly into the beam with the cute out plaster between. To cover it afterwards use a polystyrene ceiling rose.

Would this seem a reasonable idea. Would be great to hear thoughts.
Thanks

 

[JohnW2]

I was a bit reluctant to try installing it straight onto the beam fearing I might not screw it in securely and then comes crashing down.
I can lift the floor boards above but keen to avoid this.

Lifting the floorboards above would obviously be the best way, and would create the possibility that, if you wanted to be certain of a secure fixing, you could put a long bolt all the way through the joist.

I was proposing to use a holesaw bit to cut out a 150mm around the ceiling rose so I can see the beam then using the circular bit of plaster cut out screw the new pendant clip directly into the beam with the cute out plaster between. To cover it afterwards use a polystyrene ceiling rose. Would this seem a reasonable idea. Would be great to hear thoughts.

Yes, that sounds reasonable. However, don't you think that you could be confident enough about where the centre of the joist was (so as to be able to screw into it, through the plaster) by 'probing through a few small drilled holes?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Adam_151]

You'll know when you have a decent fixing in wood, and as long as you are into the wood a decent amount (if the ceiling is lath and plaster you sometimes have to use quite supprisingly long screws), if you are worried about being close to the edge of the joist then you can test as john says with either a drill, or even just a screw to find out where it is, but if its going to break through the sides and give a poor fixing as a result, you'd know as you were doing it, I'd be more worried about catching a cable clipped along the side tbh.

Its only 9kg, unless you are going to swing on it then you'd know whether you've got a sound fixing for it as you do it, no need to drill huge holes in the ceiling!

 

[bernardgreen]

Its only 9kg, unless you are going to swing on it

Bouncing up and down on the floor above can create dynamic loading, how much dynamic force is created depends on how flexible the floor is.

A bolt vertically through the joist is a good idea. ,

 

[johnny2007]

This video will give you perfect instructions about that...

 

[JohnW2]

A bolt vertically through the joist is a good idea. ,

Indeed - provided one doesn't remove the nut and then hit the bolt with a hammer (per video clip recently posted)

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

A bolt vertically through the joist is a good idea.

I hope that is a joke...

 

[george121212]

Thanks for all the helpful thoughts. I think with some care I will try and find the centre of the beam. If I were to lift up the floor board , what would be the best way to attach the ceiling clip to the joist? Thanks

 

[RandomGrinch]

I think with some care I will try and find the centre of the beam.

Sometimes the hole that the cables to the ceiling rose come through, is large enough to see, or feel where the edge of the joist would be.
Also, if you have a powerful magnet, you may be able to locate the joist, by the line of fixings for the plasterboard, or the lath nails.

what would be the best way to attach the ceiling clip to the joist?

Two big screws!

 

[ericmark]

Most ceiling roses are rated 5 kg, I used a plug in type, as easy to lift and slide in, not easy to lift and make connections. I would simply not go for a fitting over 5 kg.

 

[JohnW2]

Most ceiling roses are rated 5 kg,

"Most ceiling roses" surely have no facility for supporting a fitting of any significant weight ?

In any event, no matter how 'strong' a rose might be, and even if it had some means of supporting a significantly heavy load, the security of the support of the fitting would be no better than that of the attachment of the rose to the ceiling - which would presumably take one back to the OP's 'square one' ?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks for all the helpful thoughts. I think with some care I will try and find the centre of the beam.

Just one word of caution ... you need to try to ascertain the route whereby the cable (above the ceiling) is getting to the rose. When a rose is attached to a joist, I've come across situations in which the cable goes through a hole drilled diagonally from the side of the joist to the centre of the bottom of the joist, or in some groove/whatever carved into the bottom surface of the joist. In such a situation, screws inserted 'into the centre of the joist' might possibly go straight through the cable1

If I were to lift up the floor board , what would be the best way to attach the ceiling clip to the joist? Thanks

Unless you were to contemplate boltimng through the joist, having access from above probbly wouldn't alter how you attached the fitting (screws into joist from below). However, per the above, it would enable you to make sure thatv there was not anything (cables, or even pipes!) that those vascrews might penetrate!

Kind Regards, John

 

[george121212]

Thanks for the help John.
I think I am going to take my time with this lift a few floorboards up.

That way I know we are in the beam well and not going to clip any wires or pipes with a good visual from above. Although it will take a bit longer it will be a safer job and maybe save any complications

Cheers pal.

 

[ericmark]

I used this which is seems has been discontinued, with the hook taking the weight I was not that worried, but to hang on the power cord yes I think 5 kg is a bit much, but at 9 kg the power would be independent to the weight support, and possibly it will require some method to lower and lift the unit, with a support some thing like this it is not simply screwing into a beam, I know you can get things like this but some were you need to be able to connect and disconnect the supply cable and not sure I would trust wood screws, things like this are clearly designed to be fixed to a concrete ceiling not wood beams. A internet hunt shows items like this but to find one with correct beam spacing would take some doing, clearly designed to be fitted when the building is built rather than a after thought. But any wood screws have a shearing force with this, so it could take a lot of weight.

When I first looked at the thread did not see the picture of the fitting, I would not want to use the fixtures supplied with it with 9 kg, wonder if 9 lb not 9 kg?

 

[Sureitsoff?]

That fitting looks to be a lot less than 9 kg, has the op actually weighed it.

Edit. Is the first pic the current pendant if so ignore my comment!