RE: (OT) Ceiling joist spacing

["Hawes,Timothy Edward (GEG)" <haweste@xxxxxxx>]

</lurk>

Apologies for the delay - I seem to be about a week behind catching up with
the digest mails.

One of the tips I was told for finding joists / studs is to drill a small
hole at a flat angle (i.e. almost parallel to the ceiling / wall). Insert a
length of stiff wire until it hits the stud / joist and mark the wire.
Withdraw and lay the wire flat on the ceiling and mark the end. That's
where
the joist starts, joists and studs are _normally_ about two inches thick,
so
measure one inch further along and that should be the centre of the joist.

It's easier to do than to describe, and it does assume that you know which
way your joists run. Usually they'll span the short length of the room, but
not always. If you can see the orientation of the flooring above it helps.
If you need to support something from two joists, use the same hole as a
starting point, drill another flat angle in the opposite direction and
repeat the above procedure. A bit of flexible decorators sealant and a dab
of paint should disguise the hole afterwards.

HTH,

Tim.

<lurk>

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 4
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 11:56:46 -0000
From: "PatrickLidstone" <patrickl@xxxxxxx>
Subject: (OT) Ceiling joist spacing

Is there a standard spacing for ceiling joists? I need a solid
ceiling fixing, but don't have access to the floor above. I think I
know where one joist is, but don't want to have to drill random holes
to locate a second. The house is victorian, but the ceiling is
plasterboard, but no fixings are visible.

Patrick


+