What fitting do I use to hang something from a ceiling?
Question:Hello,
I need to hang a few things from a ceiling.
1. A mosquito net, to fall round a bed. I tried a screw in hook and it just got pulled out. Is there anything I can use which won't pull down the whole ceiling if it is pulled?.
2. IKEA MINIFÅNGST hanging storage (circular net, with 3 compartments). I have seen these hung from curtain poles between doors or partitions, but I can't see a space in the room I can do this - would rather it could be hung from the ceiling. But, what kind of fitting would I use? (And if it is pulled, it would need to be one which doesn't bring the ceiling down with it!).
Thank you for any advice.
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Answers:
you need to knock the ceiling with your knuckles and find the joist (you can hear the hollow & solid wooden bits by doing this) - then your hooks should stay in...if you put into the wood.
you can get special plaster raw-plugs & use screws..but not sure how sturdy they are.
you have to screw it into a joist(the wooden cross beams tap till it sounds solid not hollow behind or get into the roof space and follow them from there measuring either between them and the wall or window or the ceiling light xx
I would use a sky hook if you can find one..lol
use a sky hook
Locate the cieling joists and hang from them.
Don't try and hang anything from a ceiling without finding the joists above the plaster, plasterboard or dry wall fixings will not work here.
as previously mentioned you need to find the joist, from there you can use almost any wood fixing screws or hooks, although I would recoment using a skyhook or a ring so that you can hook and unhook easily.
Most fixings are dependant on what they are fixed into, and also what load you want to put on it. Most fixings will give up if one pulls hard enough, so you need to provide what is suitable. You didn't say what the ceiling is made from. If it is a new house, then it is likely to be plasterboard. An older house will be formed using timber laths.
With regard to the mosquito net, then a proprietary plasterboard fixing will be suitable. This will be strong enough to support the weight of the net and reasonable handling. Although it won't let you swing on it and shout Tarzan!
With regard to the storage this will need something more substantial. Joist fixing is preferred, but this dictates where you can hang it. If you can gain access above ie the loft, place a piece of 18mm plywood so it fits over the top of the joists. You can then fit a long bolt through the ceiling and plywood, and fasten with a nut & washer. The head of the bolt will be flush with the ceiling and holding up the storage unit. If it isn't a loft, you will need to remove the floorboards, you can then fit the plywood between the joists / trusses using some angle brackets. You can thern use ordinary screws (which you could also do for the mosquito net).
Hi there copy and paste this link at the bottom of this page in to your browser, this is the fixings that we would use at work for fixing into plaster board, one word of warning though before you decide to use this method go into your loft and see if the ceiling is actually plaster board or the old lated method if it is the wooden lated method then you cannot use these fixings if it is the plasterboard method then mark out your holes where you want them, drill a 7mm hole in the ceiling and drive the fixing in with a power driver then get a no 8 screw and drive that into the fixing length of screw will depend on your own judgment.
hope this helps you out
regards
mark
P.s we fit window winding gearing to windows in schools and hospitals this is the fixing we would use, we put 4 in per window operator this is the bit that you turn when you open the window and some sets can take tome real force to open we have never had one pull out yet. as in the screwfix website it states that the fixing is stronger than the plaster board itself, if it is installed correctly using the method stated above the fixing will never pull out it is only when they are not installed correctly that people have problems through using the wrong size drill bits and so on .
obviously if it is for some other application that would apply extreme amounts of force on the ceiling then go with the others and fix direct to the joist if you having problems locating the joists it might be worth popping your head into the loft to get a rough idea of where they are or use a timber stud detector around £15.00 from any good D.I.Y store
When you find the joist you need nothing more than a good wood screw or if that is not suitable you can get screw hooks sold in b&q and places like that that will require a small pilot hole first so you can get the screw hook in easier and will avoid splitting the timber above. the screw hooks can also be used with the fixings that I mentioned earlier.
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.
Don't think ceiling, think joists. first find a joist... turn off the radio and then gently tap the ceiling and listen for a change in the sound - Damn, you missed it but you already have a hole where your hook pulled away. have a poke around with a length of wire and find a joist, turn around and find another, now you know how far apart they are, remember you found the side of the joists and you need to fix to the centre so allow an extra inch. Drill a pilot hole and screw in your hook-s, it should take no longer than a kettle needs to boil, have a drink....
you could buy a joist/baton detector they are not that expensive now then you could just use the hooks you have been using or you need a fixing with a large surface area at the back (once fitted) try a fastbrolly they expand at the back and come in lots of sizes and quite easy to use
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