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Finding studs in a popcorn ceiling?

I would like to move my chandelier over, but I need to make sure it's secured in the wooden beams above. I called our apartment complex and they are not sure which way the beams run. I do have a stud finder, but I'm not sure if it will work once it's horizontal on the ceiling, and even if it does, we can't run it along popcorn ceilings like we could if they were flat. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Public Comments

1. look for any nail pops out up on the ceiling and that will tell u where a stud ...where the light is now may be a ceiling joist....most house framing the studs and joist are every 16 inches on center...so get a tape measure and a hammer and nail...after u find where a joist might be, then measure where u want the light to be and use the nail to poke through the ceiling and see if u hit a ceiling joist
2. Remove the chandelier and the box it is mounted to. As you have to repair that portion of the ceiling anyway, you can enlarged the hole enough to LOOK for the rafters. There is normally a board BETWEEN 2 rafters to support ceiling mounted fixtures. If you don't have access from ABOVE, you will probably need to open the ceiling from on rafter to another to install such a support. NOTE: Studs are in walls, not in ceilings.
3. Look at your roof above where the chandelier is.If it's an "A" frame, the joists run perpendicular to the long side.Normally, most houses I've seen, they run from the back of the house to the front. Your chandelier should be installed w/a special heavy duty fixture bracket,in between two joists.Tap the ceiling w/ your index finger knuckle. You can feel where the joists are. When you find one, you know there should be another one either sixteen(16) or twenty four(24) inches from the center of that joist.
4. use a putty knife. place it flat on the ceiling, put the stud finder on that, then move knife and finder together.