Expert: Dan Griffin - 11/10/2011

Question
Correcting the weight involved:

I want to hang a 36" pot rack from my kitchen ceiling to hold about 18 lbs. I live in a NYC apartment building built in 1904. Construction is very sturdy, dense lathe and plaster, long before drywall was even invented. I understand joists are preferred (the ceiling is so thick I can't even find them even with a stud finder) for hanging but suspect that advice is given when wallboard is assumed to be the ceiling material. Based on past experience (been here for 30 yrs) I think toggles will do it. Do you agree? Do you think 1/4" will do it or heavier? Thanks!

Answer
Ron,  I think the 1/4" toggles will be adequate.  As you say, finding joists would be ideal, but they might well not be where you want/need them anyway.  Another approach that would be worth considering would be to create a mounting plate.  I'm thinking about a piece of 3/4" MDF or plywood cut larger than your pot rack in the same general shape, I'm guessing oval.  Router the edges and give it a high gloss paint job in complementary color.  This would allow creating a hole in the ceiling large enough to insert a tape measure to find the joists and fastening the backplate well.  The pot rack would be fastened to the back plate.  These are NOT what I have in mind, but might illustrate the thought:
http://www.wishihadthat.com/decorative-medallions.aspx

Good luck on your project, let me know how it turns out.