How would you hang this light?

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  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    How would you hang this light?

    We visited Cairo this past Christmas and bought this pierced pendant lamp. It probably weighs about 5 pounds. I'm going to see if I can find some lamp cord and a lamp socket locally, but I don't know how I'm going to mount it to the ceiling. The screw on the base of the bell shaped mount allows that tabbed portion to slide up and down. I didn't think to ask the seller if they would normally bend that tab down and screw through the holes into a mount on the ceiling. It just needs to be hung temporarily until we move at the end of the year but I also don't want it falling. The ceiling is drywall and I have plastic anchors that can support the weight. Any thoughts?

    Thanks,
    Paul

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  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #2
    I am not the expert/professional, but my experience with drywall is to not trust drywall at all for heavy fixtures. Find a stud or build a wood crossbeam support platform behind the drywall that will support the weight of the light. Having said that, I do tend to overbuild for the purpose of strength in most everything I build, and I have not yet been disappointed.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

    Comment

    • Condoman44
      Established Member
      • Nov 2013
      • 178
      • CT near Norwich
      • Ryobi BT3000

      #3
      I would use a fan rated box. Several different types to secure to structure.

      Comment

      • tfischer
        Veteran Member
        • Jul 2003
        • 2343
        • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
        • BT3100

        #4
        5 pounds isn't very heavy. I think a standard ceiling toggle bolt (NOT a plastic anchor) would do OK. We had a kitchen remodel about 5 years ago and our hanging pendant lights have to be at least 5 pounds, and the contractor just used "old work" boxes with those, so that he could place them after the countertops were in and position them precisely (vs the new work boxes for everything else that was supported by studs)

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        • Carlos
          Veteran Member
          • Jan 2004
          • 1893
          • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

          #5
          As noted above, you need a box anyway for the wiring. That will also provide a place to secure it. Five pounds is nothing, and I'd be perfectly comfortable with corkscrew anchors or even just Wall-Dog screws to hold some sort of hanging fixture or plate. I've got Wall-Dogs holding much more weight than that.

          Comment

          • atgcpaul
            Veteran Member
            • Aug 2003
            • 4055
            • Maryland
            • Grizzly 1023SLX

            #6
            I think I have something I'll be happy with. I need this to be more of a plug and play solution since we live in a rental overseas. I noticed this hook on the wall of my office which I guess is for tying back the curtains--which I never do. It engages securely with my plastic anchor. The lamp cord would just terminate in a wall plug with an on/off switch in-line to the bulb. Now I just need to find all these parts locally. No, the hook won't be concealed, but at least I can show off the lamp.

            My kids and I were waiting for their school bus the other day. They spotted a Lowe's moving box sitting on the curb across the street and they got super excited (for me) so they made it a point to point it out for me. If only it were as easy as walking down the street to Lowe's or Home Depot.


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            • tfischer
              Veteran Member
              • Jul 2003
              • 2343
              • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
              • BT3100

              #7
              Those screw-in plastic anchors like that scare me, a lot, for this purpose. You're putting all the weight on a very small portion of those threads, against highly brittle sheetrock. A toggle bolt would be much more robust and not much additional damage to the ceiling.

              Comment

              • leehljp
                Just me
                • Dec 2002
                • 8429
                • Tunica, MS
                • BT3000/3100

                #8
                My first response post above was done from my memory of a pillow fight with my slightly older sister when we were teens, and the resulting damage caused from a simple pillow. Just hope nothing "hits" it accidentally.

                You don't live in an active earthquake zone do you? If so, you will need stronger anchoring even if it is only 5 lbs. Oh, the dents I have seen on ceilings from hanging lights in earthquake zones.
                Last edited by leehljp; 03-14-2019, 01:38 PM.
                Hank Lee

                Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                Comment

                • Carlos
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jan 2004
                  • 1893
                  • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

                  #9
                  I don't know about plastic ones, I rarely use them. But the medium metal ones are rated to something like 25 pounds. All of my DC tubing is hung up with Wall-Dog screw anchors into the ceiling drywall.

                  Comment

                  • os1kne
                    Senior Member
                    • Jan 2003
                    • 901
                    • Atlanta, GA
                    • BT3100

                    #10
                    I wouldn't trust that plastic drywall anchor with the hook - pretty sure it wasn't intended to support 5+ pounds suspended from it.

                    At a minimum, I'd use a medium-duty toggle bolt.
                    Bill

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