Hanging a light fitting from structural beam

pkdays · 2 Sep 2016

Hi all,

not sure if I'm posting this in the right category...

I want to add a small chandelier type light fitting to hang in the centre of the room. There has never been a light fitting there so there are no cables existing. It is a very old house with exposed wooden structural beams and annoyingly there is a large beam running across the centre of the room crossing exactly where I want to hang fitting from. I am not sure about the best way to tackle this job!?

I have attached some photos so you can get an idea of the situation. You can see there is a small hook that the previous owners have screwed in exactly where I want to hang the light.

Is it safe to drill a small (but it'd have to be deep) hole vertically through the beam and feed a cable through from above? Or should I just have the wire going round the outside of the beam and into the ceiling through the plasterboard at the side? - if so would it not look strange with a ceiling pendant placed off to one side - so how would you do it?

It'd be great to hear your thoughts - many thanks!

bernardgreen · 2 Sep 2016

I personally think that a small hole drilled vertically through the beam would be acceptable. A hole that would take 1 mm² twin and earth would not significantly weaken the beam but using smaller cable with suitable fusing down would be better for the beam.

alexjgoldie · 2 Sep 2016

I would also imagine drilling a small hole wouldn't weaken the beam. Although if you did want to go around the beam, you can get decoratively coloured flex cable, bronze or brown maybe?

TheVictorian · 2 Sep 2016

I'd have decorative flex running from a small fitting on the plastered ceiling I think. Prevents some idiot from banging a nail into the beam in future without thinking that there may be a cable within.

OwainDIYer · 2 Sep 2016

pkdays said:
Is it safe to drill a small (but it'd have to be deep) hole vertically through the beam and feed a cable through from above? Or should I just have the wire going round the outside of the beam and into the ceiling through the plasterboard at the side? - if so would it not look strange with a ceiling pendant placed off to one side - so how would you do it?

If that is an old oak beam then good luck in drilling a long hole through it.

I would bring MICC down the side of the beam and tight bend into a conduit box on the underside of the beam and mount the chandelier to that with a chain hook plate.

Paulg31 · 2 Sep 2016

Structurally I can't see an issue with a small hole drilled drilled vertically through the depth of the beam.

diyer56 · 2 Sep 2016

My father has a similar setup in his dining room. He had a removable ceiling rose fitted to one side of the beam (on the plasterboard) with a supply cable looping to the chandelier. The chandelier then hangs from the metal eyelet (as in your picture).

The advantage to this arrangement is that the chandelier can easily be taken down for cleaning.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/LDMC11C.JPG

sparkwright · 2 Sep 2016

Buy TWO small chandeliers, and fit either side of the beam, centre of each plastered section.