Hanging canopy from ceiling

blackthunda77 · 02/11/2010, 09:49 AM

anyone know of any links on here or threads of people who have successfully hung thier canopies from thier ceiling? i cannot find any pertinent threads, here or on google. thanks.

blackthunda77 · 02/11/2010, 10:04 AM

and this is a custom canopy, im not talking about the sunpod kits.

Tomaric · 02/11/2010, 10:11 AM

What are you really asking? Is it possible? Is it to heavy? With the proper anchors you could hang yourself from a ceiling joist! (not a recommended suggestion for testing the strength of your anchors) Weight should not be an issue. I have seen folks also put them on pulleys so they can raise and lower the lights.

blackthunda77 · 02/11/2010, 10:13 AM

im looking for ideas, ways people have done it. pictures, DYI, etc....

sowellj · 02/11/2010, 11:02 AM

My ceiling is concrete with steel rafters so it was pretty straightforward. S hooks and chain. However, there is not reason you couldn't do the same thing and just find the ceiling joists.

jmski333 · 02/11/2010, 12:17 PM

you could mount a finished piece of wood across all of your ceiling joists that are over your tank, that way you are distriputing the load evenly. and chances are your Ceiling joists aren't exactly where you want them to be. And you definately dont want to trust that weight with the dyrwall hangers.

here is what i did with my t5 fixture. its not exactly a canopy but its the same concept. You can see in the picture where i secured the piece of oak with pairs of 2 1/2" screws into each available ceiling joist over my tank and than covered them with oak mushroom caps to make it look finished.

blackthunda77 · 02/11/2010, 12:41 PM

Jordan- Thanks! Thats exactly what im looking for. Ideas like that. Definately a possibility. I have to go check to see where my joists are.

blackthunda77 · 02/11/2010, 12:42 PM

the canopy is a DIY out of 3/8" plywood and 1x8, so id have to estimate the whole weight of it to be somewhere around 30lbs.

jmski333 · 02/11/2010, 01:23 PM

Blackthunda, i feel that i could easily hang from my Oak board, let alone trust it with 30 lbs. 6 screws holding my (maybe) 10lbs light is way overkill. But it also wouldn't hurt to use a couple 2 1/2"-3 1/2" lag bolts for proper measure in place of some screws for your application.

Dont forget though that all the weight is also on the two wires/chains/whatever you have it hanging from, so attach those to the board with something strong. Stainless I-hooks would probably work.

btw, your ceiling joist run parallel to your floor joist, (that is if your house is framed properly, which i'm sure it is.)

02/11/2010, 09:49 AM	#1
blackthunda77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast/West Coast Posts: 4,887	Hanging canopy from ceiling anyone know of any links on here or threads of people who have successfully hung thier canopies from thier ceiling? i cannot find any pertinent threads, here or on google. thanks.

02/11/2010, 12:17 PM	#6
jmski333 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 494	you could mount a finished piece of wood across all of your ceiling joists that are over your tank, that way you are distriputing the load evenly. and chances are your Ceiling joists aren't exactly where you want them to be. And you definately dont want to trust that weight with the dyrwall hangers. here is what i did with my t5 fixture. its not exactly a canopy but its the same concept. You can see in the picture where i secured the piece of oak with pairs of 2 1/2" screws into each available ceiling joist over my tank and than covered them with oak mushroom caps to make it look finished. __________________ -Jordan- Current Tank Info: 90RR mixed reef

02/11/2010, 01:23 PM	#9
jmski333 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 494	Blackthunda, i feel that i could easily hang from my Oak board, let alone trust it with 30 lbs. 6 screws holding my (maybe) 10lbs light is way overkill. But it also wouldn't hurt to use a couple 2 1/2"-3 1/2" lag bolts for proper measure in place of some screws for your application. Dont forget though that all the weight is also on the two wires/chains/whatever you have it hanging from, so attach those to the board with something strong. Stainless I-hooks would probably work. btw, your ceiling joist run parallel to your floor joist, (that is if your house is framed properly, which i'm sure it is.) __________________ -Jordan- Current Tank Info: 90RR mixed reef

02/11/2010, 10:04 AM	#2
blackthunda77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast/West Coast Posts: 4,887	and this is a custom canopy, im not talking about the sunpod kits.

02/11/2010, 10:11 AM	#3
Tomaric Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 239	What are you really asking? Is it possible? Is it to heavy? With the proper anchors you could hang yourself from a ceiling joist! (not a recommended suggestion for testing the strength of your anchors) Weight should not be an issue. I have seen folks also put them on pulleys so they can raise and lower the lights.

02/11/2010, 10:13 AM	#4
blackthunda77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast/West Coast Posts: 4,887	im looking for ideas, ways people have done it. pictures, DYI, etc....

02/11/2010, 11:02 AM	#5
sowellj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: greenwood, sc Posts: 712	My ceiling is concrete with steel rafters so it was pretty straightforward. S hooks and chain. However, there is not reason you couldn't do the same thing and just find the ceiling joists.

02/11/2010, 12:41 PM	#7
blackthunda77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast/West Coast Posts: 4,887	Jordan- Thanks! Thats exactly what im looking for. Ideas like that. Definately a possibility. I have to go check to see where my joists are.

02/11/2010, 12:42 PM	#8
blackthunda77 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: East Coast/West Coast Posts: 4,887	the canopy is a DIY out of 3/8" plywood and 1x8, so id have to estimate the whole weight of it to be somewhere around 30lbs.