I broke the ceiling!
October 9, 2010 5:11 PM Subscribe
Can I course correct and finish my DIY swag-lamp hanging project?
So I bought a beautiful cobalt blue and brass mid-century swag-lamp for over the dining room table. I watched 6 videos on how to hang a swag.
I thought I got the right swag hook/toggle hardware for directly above the table, and one over where ceiling meets wall. I measured precisely and perfectly. I drilled and drilled and drilled until I had the perfect hole to fit the toggle. I pushed the toggle through the hole and hit, uh, wood so I've discovered this isn't like a drywall situation where the toggle can butterfly open. Ceiling beam? My question is, is there other mounting hardware that can help me use my perfectly drilled hole and salvage the situation without calling in a ... a ... Guy?
So I bought a beautiful cobalt blue and brass mid-century swag-lamp for over the dining room table. I watched 6 videos on how to hang a swag.
I thought I got the right swag hook/toggle hardware for directly above the table, and one over where ceiling meets wall. I measured precisely and perfectly. I drilled and drilled and drilled until I had the perfect hole to fit the toggle. I pushed the toggle through the hole and hit, uh, wood so I've discovered this isn't like a drywall situation where the toggle can butterfly open. Ceiling beam? My question is, is there other mounting hardware that can help me use my perfectly drilled hole and salvage the situation without calling in a ... a ... Guy?
Response by poster: Oh. Right. Thanks, I'm gonna try!
posted by thinkpiece at 5:27 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by thinkpiece at 5:27 PM on October 9, 2010
What's your ceiling made out of?
If it's plaster, you may have hit the lathe of the plaster. If you did, you should be able to drill all the way through the lathe and use the hardware you already have. I wouldn't trust the lathe to hold something up on its own. It's often rather thin.
posted by advicepig at 5:29 PM on October 9, 2010
If it's plaster, you may have hit the lathe of the plaster. If you did, you should be able to drill all the way through the lathe and use the hardware you already have. I wouldn't trust the lathe to hold something up on its own. It's often rather thin.
posted by advicepig at 5:29 PM on October 9, 2010
lathe
Lath. Plaster has lath.
A lathe is a big machine in a shop.
posted by exphysicist345 at 6:20 PM on October 9, 2010
Lath. Plaster has lath.
A lathe is a big machine in a shop.
posted by exphysicist345 at 6:20 PM on October 9, 2010
For next time, spend the $10 or so on a decent stud finder. They are cheap, and save you endless hassle -- sometimes you want to hit the wood, and sometimes you want to miss it; either way, getting it wrong is a bother.
For this time, you can either put a screw-hook into the wood you found, or shift a couple of inches over and use your existing toggle. Both will work fine.
posted by Forktine at 6:24 PM on October 9, 2010
For this time, you can either put a screw-hook into the wood you found, or shift a couple of inches over and use your existing toggle. Both will work fine.
posted by Forktine at 6:24 PM on October 9, 2010
Right, lath. I am so ashamed. I sincerely would not trust it screwed into a lathe.
posted by advicepig at 6:35 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by advicepig at 6:35 PM on October 9, 2010
Response by poster: sulaine, thanks, I thought it wouldn't hold and I was kind of nervous to try but it's perfect.
posted by thinkpiece at 7:08 PM on October 9, 2010
posted by thinkpiece at 7:08 PM on October 9, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sulaine at 5:18 PM on October 9, 2010 [1 favorite]