I took a deep breathe and managed to hang it ....and my ceiling is still in place! I didn't add any reinforcement to the light fitting/ceiling. The shade is resting on the light socket so my main concern is that the wires in this hold.
Fingers crossed!
Mary, March 2009
Yes I think it may be strong enough. On suspended ceilings where plasterboard is fixed to wooden joists the fixing screws often go through the plasterboard and into free space the other side - just half an inch of plaster for the screws to bite into. Over time the integrity is lost and the screws can pull out easily - most annoying.
Give your ceiling fitting a good tug (having turned off the power first) and check how firm it is - Have two friends hold a dust sheet under the lamp when you hang it like in the clip - only joking.
Glad you liked the clip by the way - I thought it most appropriate.
Peccavi, February 2009
Excellent, thanks. Peccavi Love the clip!!
I live in a flat and so the ceiling is my upstairs neighbours floor and it's a 1950s block with concrete ceiling. Do you think this would be strong enough for the screws? I am a complete novice!
Mary, February 2009
You can test it by hanging an equivalent weight onto the ceiling fitting - risky to fit the new lampshade but that's what I would do...
Alternatively you need to fit a wooden brace between the joists - either from the floor above (easier) or from the room itself - much more difficult because it will very probably need ceiling repairs afterwards.
You need a strong base for the fixing screws to bite into.
