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I am looking for advice for anchoring a ceiling fan in a concrete ceiling. The fan mounts on a metal bracket with two spots for screws and no anchors are provided. The fan is 130cm in diameter. What are the best anchors to use for the fan? This is a rental, do this has to be something that can be undone.
Thanks
Dan
Ceiling fans generally attach to a metal ceiling box, which could be mounted to your ceiling with a couple tap-conn masonry screws.
That's a big fan. A lot of rotational mass, even though it is supposedly balanced. ( I've never seen one that didn't vibrate somewhat though.)
I'm thinking you're definitely in the epoxy anchored,"Drop in" anchors and bolts, type of products. Might find some "Red Head drop ins at a Home Depot. Maybe.
The drop in's can be covered over with anchoring cement when you're done and no longer using them. You would have a couple of round dots where the anchoring cement would be a different color.
Fastenal carries a few different product lines. There is a tool required to install drop in anchors. Make sure you get the tool to set the anchor correctly.
I would use two expansion bolts, put in at opposing angles, to hold the heavy walled ceiling fan box.
https://www.hilti.com/anchor-fastene...ansion-anchors
I use "caulk in" anchors a lot, and the Greenlee tool for expanding them, but I've never used one overhead.
https://www.grainger.com/product/GRE...w-Anchor-4CM94 Those tools set the anchor flush with the finish surface, no chance of distorting the threads in the insert, and you don't have to be precise with the hole depth, like you do using a pound in tool. They come in several sizes.
If drilling big anchors into the rental's ceiling is not a good option for you, you might consider mounting the fan to a wooden beam that runs across the ceiling, and rests on tall things at the ends. The tall things could be bookcases. The whole rig would be kinda wedged in place, and would not require holes in the building. Also, the power cable to the fan would be concealed behind a bookcase, and inside the beam. (The beam would actually be a U-channel.)
Dan
One critical thing to know is how thick the concrete ceiling is.
If you go the anchor route, no matter if drop in, Hilti style, or tap con, all have a minimum embedded depth criteria.
You also need a special electrical box to mount it. The box is deeper, to accommodate the longer mounting bolts for the fan. The mounting screws for the fan will engage the box at the front and back. The "plastic" boxes have complete thread engagement. I wouldn't mount a ceiling fan with a plastic box myself.
That fan is 51" in diameter, which will probably have 22"-24" long fan blades. Something to consider.
Sorry. I should clarify that this is being installed in a Swiss apartment. There are no boxes with mounting points. Just a glorified plastic cup molded into the concrete. Lights are hung by hooks inside or next to the box or with a plate attached to the ceiling with anchors. this is the light in our room right now...
As far as ceiling depth? thick! The Swiss don't screw around with engineering things.
Here is the installation instructions for the fan. https://www.hornbach.ch/data/shop/D0...0117155224.pdf
Attachment 386049
That's a small and light fan, so it shouldn't be too hard. Does that hole have any way to put some kind of wings or anything into it? Seems like there should be some sort of anchor that could go in the hole and expand. Hmmm, maybe make something...
Do you know if it is prestressed concrete if is you need to know where the cables are so do don't damage them. I had to drill some anchors in prestessed before and they had to mark the spots that I could drill into.
I just installed a box for a light above the dining table in my apartment using these: https://www.hilti.ch/dübeltechnik/kunststoffdübel/r4675 Remarkably strong in concrete. Shouldn't need anything larger.
https://i.imgur.com/ulVg02L.jpg
This is similar to ceiling lights and fixtures in Germany. Take the two long screws shown in the parts list to a hardware store and buy some plastic anchors that are the same length as the screws and provide a tight fit when you start the screw. Fischer is the common brand for anchors in Germany, and the part number will be something like 5x60, where 5 is the diameter of the masonry drill in millimeters and 60 is the length of the anchor in millimeters. I usually toss the mounting screws that come with fixtures and use screws I buy from the hardware store. I trust the hardware store, not the manufacturer of the fixture, and have experienced several screws snapping off while not even fully installed. For a ceiling fan, I would use a pair of 4.5x60 screws and matching anchors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Mages
You'll need to identify the location of the cable in the ceiling before you drill the holes. Depending on how old the house is, the cable could be embedded in the ceiling concrete or fed through the ceiling slab from the floor above. A hammer drill and appropriate masonry bit is all that is required. When you are done with the rental, the anchor is easy to remove and the hole can be filled with any commonly available filler from the hardware store. It will not be easily visible when painted.
The cables are a concern. I think it is safe to assume that a hole within 2" of the light box no deeper than the box and inline with the probable direction of the cable (front to back of the building) should be safe.
That said, I made small pilot hole using a masonry bit and a hammer drill. The bit just went through it like a hot knife through butter. I am concerned that this concete is not really structural concete, but some sort of low density version used for the purposes of the ceiling. Will it be strong enough? I also noticed that the fan only has one E14 bulb. I cannot find any around here stronger than a 60w equivalent. With the glass shade, this fan will not put out enough light for the room....
When in doubt, it is time to find a new plan. Thanks for the advice!