How do i mount my projector if i have a drop ceiling?

Answer 1

The other answers have the basics, but none of them plainly say you need a ceiling projector mount suitable for your projector. Mounts specific for dropped ceilings exist -- see the link -- but can be expensive.

Really all you need is a universal mount with a rod long enough to attach the top plate to the joists above the dropped ceiling and allow the projector to be attached to the mount at a suitable height below the ceiling. A tile dropped ceiling can then be cut to allow the rod to poke through the ceiling and reinstalled, or a drywall ceiling opened sufficiently to allow access for the mount and then patched or the hole covered with a suitable plate.

As mentioned in other answers you also need to consider weight of the projector, bolt mounting pattern and routing of the connecting and power wires.

Answer 2

Your drop ceiling should have individual tiles that if you go up to them you can push them up and slide them over to reveal your ceiling jousts. The down rod mounting brackets for your projector will then need to be attached to the ceiling jousts. The only problem is, is that you may need to cut out a hole in the tile to fit it around the brackets to get your tile back in place. I should look like it just disappears into the ceiling.

Answer 3

go above the drop ceiling to a structural bean. You may need to extend a pipe or other vertical member attached to the beam -- extend it far enough down to attach your projector. The key is since you cannot mout directly to the ceiling you must mount to a structural member above ceiling level

Answer 4

Use the same method that supports your drop ceiling.

The ceiling tiles are held in place on runners and tracks, which are supported by the ceiling above. Since this ceiling is normally helping to support your drop ceiling AND the floor above it; it can easily hold the weight of your projector.

The problem is the attachment. If you can drill into the true ceiling then you can attach your projector supports to it. However, if we are dealing with a steel beam then you need some other route.

The drop ceiling isn't strong enough to hold your weight, but it is pretty strong. You can use cables tied to 4 supports to suspend your projector. Provided we aren't talking about a massive one that weighs over 30 pounds. To be safe you should measure the weight of the projector on a bathroom scale or look at the box to see what its weight is. Add 1 to 2 pounds for the weight of your extra support equipment and a bit of a safety margin. If your projector is a massive one then you can use additional supports to hold it in place.

Take down and roof tile and stick you head up in the area to find out how the drop ceiling is supported. Then determine what you are going to use to hold the projector in place. You will also need to determine where you are going to put the cables for it.

I suggest that you run the projector's cord to an extension cord that you just lay on top of the drop ceiling. You then run the extension cord to a spot over a wall plug. Cut a small hole in that ceiling tile and run the cord down from there, you will probably want to attach it to the wall. Since the hole is going to be only a few inches on each side you can cut your hole in the middle on one end piece of the ceiling tile. The rest of the tile will be supported by the track. This will allow you to drop that extension cord as close to the wall as you want. You can do the same with the video cables that you are using to feed your equipment. These RCA cords can be found at Radio Shack. You will probably only find them in 6’-0” lengths so you will need to get extension RCA cords that have female jacks on each end. They exist, but they may be hard to find.

You can buy a metal strap that has regular holes just like those that support the ceiling tile track system. If you can screw into the real ceiling then you can drop four of them and attach them to your projector. In this case you can put all of the weight on the projector itself without pulling it out of the ceiling.

I suspect that you have a steel beam with spray on insulation as your real ceiling though, and you can’t drill through that with wood working equipment. In that case you will want to suspend the projector with cable. Measure the distance from four straps to the exact center of the ceiling tile. Add the measurements up and add 15% (at least 2’-0”) to allow for your knots. You will need to build a support for the projector itself. You can use similar metal straps that support the ceiling tiles track system. Take a strap and attach it to the projector. You will probably want to mount two straps on each side, so you won’t have to drill any holes into the front. Or you can use one strap on each side, and two straps on the rear. Take off the case before you drill into it so you won’t hurt anything inside. Lay the strap against the case, line up a hole in the strap, and drill through that hole in the strap. You will need four metal screws to screw into your holes. You will want small short ones so they won’t interfere with the internal operations of the projector. You may also want to use a washer to make sure the screw can hold the strap, without slipping through the hole, or select a strap with smaller holes.

While the case is off you will use it to cut its outline into and through the drop ceiling tile. You want to cut as close to the case as you can to make a firm fit. You can make a duct tape rib around the edge of the box to attach it to the ceiling tile. The adhesion properties of the duct tape are too weak to entrust your projector to them, but the strength of the tape itself is strong enough. Use small screws drilled into the tape to attack it to the projector case and the ceiling tile. This won’t be strong enough to hold the projector’s weight, but it will prevent the projector from moving and shaking, around in its position.

Reattach the projector case. Cut the cable to the size you measured plus a few inches to allowing for your knots. Tie the cables to the projector case as tight as you can. Steel cables would be too tough to cut and tie, but you can use thick speaker wire. These cables can support a lot of weight since they are made out of long, woven copper threads. These threads run the length of the cable so you will be using one long strand of cables (this is how the Golden Gate Bridge is suspended).

You could use a second person to help you for the next step; holding the projector while you attach it in place. Your second person (on a separate ladder) holds the projector’s weight as you put it and the ceiling tile back into place. Then run cable from the projector to each ceiling tile support strap. Tie the cable into knots. Make sure they are tight; use a pair of pliers to help you. These cables have to support the weight so they need to be taunt when the ceiling tile is placed back into its track.

Now you have the projector suspended from the ceiling. If this is too difficult for you to attempt then talk with a home repair expert or hire an electrician to put it in place for you. You can find all the parts you need at a home store like Home Depot or Lowes. If you hire another person to do your job then, first, price the parts needed for the job at Home Depot and use that to determine if an estimate is fair or not. Once you count the contractor’s labor cost then your estimate should be fairly close to the actual price. If it isn’t then you need to find out what their plan is. Since you know the weight of the projector you will be able to make sure this estimate doesn’t include a trapeze, or a structure strong enough to support one.

Unless you are a good do-it-yourselfer you may want to hire an expert to help you. You can search your area phone book for a licensed electrician. Their price won’t be cheap, but they will make sure that once the job is done then it will never have to be done again. They can also be held liable by a court if they damage anything in the process. A licensed electrician can splice cords together, even RCA cords, to make sure that they are long enough to reach your equipment and that all of your equipment follows the Local Building Code. The electrician will probably want to wire the equipment into your circuit box, but it will be cheaper to just use extension cords. You can also put (and should put) a surge protector in the electric line. Your projector is probably as expensive as a home computer and is just as susceptible to electrical overload.
It is standard practice in the construction industry to have the contractors bid for the work and give it to that contractor that gives you the lowest bid. You can draw a simple ceiling plan and place your equipment on it. Then make an appointment to see the electrical contractor and bring that paper and all the stats for your equipment to him. If you don’t do this then you will have to make an appointment for the contractor to come to your house and give you an estimate, which will cost you money. If you visit the electrician yourself then you don’t waste all day waiting for him to come to you and you don’t pay for his time and trouble to come to you. He may want to still charge you, since it takes some time to figure out what plan he wants to use and what material and equipment will be required. Coming to the electrician to get your estimate will seem a little weird, but you will probably save 75% on an estimate if he had to come to your place.

If you go for a professional then contact me again and I can help you with the plan; before I was disabled I was a professional draftsman.