Installing a ceiling hook

[JimL]

I would avoid the plastic anchors for this job. Maybe in the wall, but not in the ceiling to hang a lamp over an expensive glass table.

[RBM]

[Gita]

I live in a condo (spackle-covered concrete ceiling) and want to install a ceiling hook to use to swag a pendant light to centre it over my dining table.

What's the best way to go about installing the hook so that it stays securely in the ceiling (the last thing I want is for it and/or the light to come crashing down on my glass dining table)?

Someone suggested a concrete anchor (the sleeve type that expands when you insert the screw...is it called a lead anchor?), but I wasn't sure how well that would work in a ceiling (as opposed to a wall). Another option I thought of is to use one of those special concrete screws, though I'm not sure what type of hook I could use in conjunction with one of those...

Any suggestions for a secure installation would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Colbyt]

You did not specify the weight of the fixture. Most will be under 15 pounds.

A tapcon screw sunk 1" into the concrete and securely tightened (I say securely because sometime they strip out) will support 15 pounds with no problems. The problem is finding a hook that can be attached using a tapcon.

All the ceiling hooks that look good that I have seen are the ones sold with a toggle or machine thread/lag screw combo.The toggle won't work in concrete. You will have to use the combo screw.

My pesonal experinces have been that the non-conical, fluted plastic concrete anchors have the same or more holding power than a lead anchor. A picture link for illusration puposes only:

If you go this route or the lead anchor buy the anchor that is on the low end of the scale to increase the compressive power. Example: If the anchor is good for screws size 10-12, use it with a 12 screw.

And here may be more reading than you care to do on the subject:

Colbyt

[Ron Tock]

Molly bolt.

[Gita]

I did buy one of those kits, but was unconvinced that a plastic anchor would have sufficient holding capability when used in a vertical orientation. They seem to work their way out of drywall (horizontal installation) over time, so I wasn't sure about using them overhead.

[Gita]

I'd guess that the fixture is at most 7 lbs.

That's what I bought. The previous condo owner had also swagged her light (but was not kind enough to leave the hook!)...I'm not sure what she used, but it left a huge hole (much larger than the combo screw and the space I'd imagine the anchor would occupy). I plan to drill a new hole and spackle over the old one anyway...probably the safer than recycling the hole, right?

Ah, NON-CONICAL. I hadn't seen one of those before. Perhaps that's what RBM was referring to in their reply.

Ron Tock's reply and the pictures from the Chase-Pitkin website made me realize I was thinking of a molly bolt and not a lead anchor...

Thanks - I will try some of the suggestions and see what happens!

[JimL]

If the hole she left is round and the concrete is not crumbling, I'd sure use it if it is the correct size or can be drilled out to a correct size. So much easier.......

[Colbyt]

At 7 pounds of weight, I think you will be fine using the plastic anchor above. Take the combo screw that came with your hook kit to the hardware store. Find the correct size anchor and then buy a combo screw that has the wood screw threads as long as the anchor. I recall that there is only about an inch of coarse threads on the one that comes in the kit and that the anchors when you get up to that size are about 1.5". If it was on a wall I would use the shorten one.

For best results use a hammer drill to drill a clean hole. If can't use a hammer drill, consider down sizing you bit one size then after the wobble effect you will be about right.

Colbyt

[Rich256]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Gita" Newsgroups: alt.home.repair Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 10:30 AM Subject: Re: Installing a ceiling hook

If the hole is close to the right size for the toggle and located where you want it, by all means use it. Takes a pretty large hole to push the toggle through.

[Gita]

It's a concrete ceiling...I can't use a toggle (assuming you mean those spring-loaded wing type toggles) unless I want to drill through my upstairs neighbor's floor. :)