I am trying to hang a 10lb object from my ceiling. I have popcorn ceilings and a flat roof. My stud finder is not helping, I even measured 16″ from the south and the west walls and tried putting a nail up to see if I could find it and no stud. How do I find a stud? Do I even need to secure it into one at that weight? Thanks!
Will ~ Boston, Massachusetts
I would certainly recommend finding a stud in the ceiling for hanging something that weighs ten pounds. If it is a flat roof over the room and there is no attic space, you will likely be able to look at the rafter tails on the outside of the house to determine where they will be running on the inside. Tapping on the ceiling is also a good way to locate ceiling joists. A hollow sound indicates space between joists and a solid dead noise indicates close proximity to a joist. Once you have a sense where the joist is, use a small nail to confirm the presence of a joist by tapping it through the wallboard on the ceiling. Good Luck!
