position of wooden joists over the ceiling

[svouts]

I need to install a second layer of acoustic plasterboard without removing the old ceiling. The screws should be bolted to the wooden joists and not hanging from the ceiling plasterboard.

What is the best way to find the position of the wooden joists/beams over the ceiling plasterboard?

 

[denso13]

Hammer and a nail? If you are covering it up it won't matter if you make holes in it. Once you find the first few the others are normally spaced the same.

 

[joe-90]

Flat blade Screwdriver.

 

[noseall]

Just use your claw hammer and bost a hole each side of the joist. Use the hammer to acoustically find the joist then - BOSH!

Do this both sides then nail and string a pencil line or if you have a laser mark the joists onto the existing ceiling.

 

[karl666]

I need to install a second layer of acoustic plasterboard without removing the old ceiling. The screws should be bolted to the wooden joists and not hanging from the ceiling plasterboard.

What is the best way to find the position of the wooden joists/beams over the ceiling plasterboard?

Thermal imaging !

This is my spare room. You can see where the plaster boards have been nailed to the wooden batterns

Untitled

• karl666
• 10 Nov 2012
• 1

 

[^woody^]

Thermal imaging !

I too, often forget to use the IR camera which just happens to be hiding in my toolbox. Many a time I've made the expensive mistake of hiring a flat-bladed screwdriver from the hire shop.

Fortunately, joists tend to be at 400, 450, or 600mm centres

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Or an itsy bitsy drill bit, tis obvious when you find the joist.

 

[^woody^]

An excellent tip, courtesy of the ultimate handyman site, is to use a neodymium magnet to find the nails. This seems to work better than a proper stud detector

 

[karl666]

Thermal imaging !

I too, often forget to use the IR camera which just happens to be hiding in my toolbox. Many a time I've made the expensive mistake of hiring a flat-bladed screwdriver from the hire shop.

Fortunately, joists tend to be at 400, 450, or 600mm centres

You have your IR camera in your tool box ! They can be very expensive toys. Wouldnt catch mine rolling around in a toolbox