Looking to mount something on the ceiling and the stud finder doesn't seem to find anything. I'm thinking its all wood so I can probably mount it anywhere ?
2007-11-13 16:23:04 · 8 answers · asked by Pradeep 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Yes, you have joists in your ceiling. Get a better stud finder or use that one properly
2007-11-13 16:39:38 · answer #1 · answered by James M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While wooden lath behind plaster is one possibility, I live in a house built in the 1920's in which all the walls and all the ceilings are solid wood planking 3/4" of an inch thick. Originally these were covered with fabric based wall paper to keep the breezes out, but are now over covered with thin sheet rock. The good news is that I can mount almost anywhere.
I would suggest some careful searching after buying a small can of plaster patch. Drill a small hole and watch what comes out. If it is white powder and drills pretty easily, then you have sheet rock. If it is very hard and dulls the drill then you have old plaster on lath which has to be drilled like tile or concrete. If you get light brown wood sawdust, then you know you have solid wood. Also notice when the bit drills firmly and how far in it is when it jumps in a bit or all the way which will tell you about paneling, open space or hitting a joist.
2007-11-13 17:39:48 · answer #2 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Without knowing at all; your location; type of structures built in that location; and or types of materials used in that location; we can only give you a general sense of Normal; where we are.
Even homes hundreds of years old must have methods by which a second story floor is supported; even it it was logs punched through adobe mud brick siding.
Construction evolution has created floor trusses; while some contractors use 2 x beams.
Certainly the suggestions are valid so far depending on the type of YOUR construction. Normal spacing of beams or trusses would be 16 or 24. 24 is most common in commercial construction, but is used for roofing; etc. in residential.
Obviously you need to do a bit more research; especially since you suspect a wood ceiling.
Steven Wolf
2007-11-13 23:20:06 · answer #3 · answered by DIY Doc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There may be a way to go through the wall to assess the damage before you start tearing out floor boards. We had this problem in the 2nd story ceiling and a professional found a leak in the ceiling with only about a six inch hole. He checked for termite or rodent damage through the roof and attic and he repaired everything with only the one hole visible (he later repaired that as well). When the problem began again within six months there was no charge for the repairs
2016-05-23 02:25:51 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there ar ceiling joist thry are either 16" or 2' apart( almost always). if you look in your basement and look at floor joist they generally the sme direction e.g. east-wesr, north-south. your stud finder should finf them if your house is over 50 years old you may have wood lathe and that is messing with studfinder but by no means can you hang stuff of any weight whereever you want.
2007-11-13 16:32:53 · answer #5 · answered by paul 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes you have studs in your ceiling. the reason you cant find them is because you probably have plaster and lath. you would need a better stud finder that calibrates to the thickness of the ceiling to find the studs
2007-11-13 16:29:15 · answer #6 · answered by ben s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well their not studs their called ceiling joist and even if your ceiling is wood its still attached to the joist.
2007-11-14 00:07:16 · answer #7 · answered by hersuperman2006 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, listen the rest of them or your going to have a mess
2007-11-13 16:54:01 · answer #8 · answered by stj 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋