Anyone ever hang a ceiling fan off of a concrete ceiling? A friend of my wife lives in a fancy condo building with unfinished concrete ceilings and wants a ceiling fan in her living room. I have a few ideas to make sure the box will hold the weight of the fan, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to get some input from the brain trust.
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You will need a concrete nailer of some sort for the straps on the cable or conduit. Tapcons work just fine but take more time. I would use drop in (or up in your case)anchors for the fan box (make sure you buy a box rated for the fan). The anchors can hold much more than a Tapcon and aren't all that expensive. I mainly use the anchors for 3/8 threaded rod but I'm pretty sure that you can find a smaller diameter. My advice is to be as neat as you can. Your installing this fixture over a finished surface so everyone will see your work. Good Luck!
Well if the cables were installed correctly, they would be sitting off of the ceiling by several inches. I dont think that he will need a three inch tapcon for a ceiling fan box. We just wired a parking garage that uses the cable system that you are speaking of. A rebar grid went under the cables which sat on these plastic carriers. I think that he will be fine.
We use a gas concrete gun. Paslode makes it. Now that you mention it, chip out would be an issue on finish work. Buy the short tapcons and just add extra screws in the box. Set the clutch on your screwgun so you dont torque them out of the hole.
Edited 7/18/2008 12:49 pm ET by arcflash
Expansion bolts?
Scott.
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
You need to be EXTREMELY careful that you are not drilling into a post-tensioned ceiling. The cables depend on their integrity to support the load above. This isn't a job for a handyman with a concrete bit to install a few tapcons. The liability should be reflected in the bid.
Just my humble opinion!
Thanks for the input. I'll get as much information about the concrete as I can before even considering drilling into it. Are there any similar considerations if the ceilings are traditional reinforced concrete?
If it is a traditional rebar and concrete ceiling, you can have at it. I would recommend tapcons, because if you use a powder-actuated nailer, you run the risk of spalling of the finished concrete surface. Tapcons, although they take more time, give you a better chance of not damaging the surrounding concrete.
Tapcon website. Pay attention to pullout values for the material you're using. http://www.itwbuildex.com/tapconxl.htm
Arcflash had some good advice. If I read your original post correctly there is already a box and wire there. I would look carefully at how the box is installed. I would do tapcons but do them out at an slight-moderate angle sort of like toe-nailing (believe proper term is splayed). Would either use low clutch setting or screw in by hand.
I would doubt the box is fan-rated so to be safer I would put a nut and lock washer on the screw above the tab on the box. An alternative would be to install the screw from inside the box pointing down then use lock washer and possibly double nut to hold the fan bracket.
Yes - it sounds like Arcflash has some good advice and experience. The name scares me though... :-)
I have seen ceiling fans mounted on a regular metal octagon box. Don't do it. You want a box that is rated for a ceiling fan.
Ive seen my share of them, even caused a few. Luckily, none have got me yet.
I think you were replying to Matt's comment, probably should reply to his, not the first post, might confuse the orig poster. And easier too.
then the original topic goes to the back page
Not following that, it is still the same thread. Matt made the comment to me, you hit reply on his post and it stays right where you put it, it is just addressed to Matt, not the original poster (guy who started the whole thing). If he has the e-mail notification checked he will get an e-mail saying you posted to him.
Your post will make no sense when in reference to the original post, while it makes perfect sense to Matt's.
Just trying to help.
Now I am replying to yours. When someone clicks on this topic, they just see our argument, and not the original discussion. Are you following now?
I do not believe what you think you are doing can happen. If you go back and reply to the first post it is still going to be the last post in the line. This one is not treed like some of the forums (at least in the mode I have selected). It does not hijack it to our fruitless discussion. I believe if someone has not read any of it and they select the topic it goes to the first one.
Anybody else out there have a way to explain this any better?
Edited 7/19/2008 12:44 pm ET by rasconc
Anybody else out there have a way to explain this any better?
Probably not.
AF may not be used to how the system uses a place marker to remember your last unread message. When you return to a message, you get sent to your last viewed position.
A new reader is always sent to the first post, as that's their "last" unread posting.
This, IMO, is a significant imporvement over other fora, where "threads you have replies in" sends you, invariably, to the first post, meaning you have to track through every posting to get to the "new" stuff.
AF may not yet appreciate how just a "bump" will keep a thread visible just yet. He's getting experienced, though, and will note how quickly "Next 50" is an under-selected button ('cepting for the hard-core BT addicts <g>).Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Noted.