HANDYMAN questions - Drywall, ceiling

[RavensGryf]

I finally decided to replace the temporary eye hook in the ceiling to hang Griffin's ladder. Now it has a safer toggle bolt with eye hook.

Joe, Stephen, any construction people or handyman types around right now?
In order to fit the toggle into the ceiling, I had to make a big enough hole of course.
This gap and loose hole around the eye bolt - I have a few questions concerning this. The men aren't home right now, and besides, I'm not sure they'd have the best answer :54:

1) With movement of the hanging toys, do you think the fine powder (what the drywall is made of) will continue to fall as there is movement around the bolt? I sprayed the area off with water in attempt to clean off as much of the loose pieces and powder as possible.

2) Anyone know what drywall is made out of? This is an add-on ceiling built during the 1970's. I hope it's not made with asbestos or anything harmful back then?

3) Would it be a good idea to spackle around the hole to hold the eye bolt firm without movement? Would that work?


Thanks!

 

[Mattroma]

1. If the eye hook moves, it will rub and dust will come off a little. Not as much as when you drilled the hole. Some of the dust initially is the coating applied over the drywall.
2. Gypsum
3. I would fill the hole in the little. Shove a little paper in the hole to give the spackle a little backing. I don't know about your bird, mine would be intrigued by the hole and start picking at it.

 

[RavensGryf]

Thanks Mattroma - I will put the acrylic ceiling protector back up like it was before. See pic. It's the place between Raven and Griffin's cages where you see the ladder hanging. If you zoom in and look close, you'll see a clear acrylic disc up there. That should protect from him getting to the ceiling material, as well as protect against any little bit of powder still falling out. I think I am leaning toward filling the hole. Thanks for your advice.

After posting, I read that it's made mainly of Gypsum, then I read it can contain asbestos before the 80's yikes! I did hold a trash can up to catch most of the powder when I was making the hole, then wiped up the rest that I could see. I didn't drill (too messy and didn't want to move the cages). Kind of worried about that, but can't do anything about it now.

 

[GW.Joe]

I finally decided to replace the temporary eye hook in the ceiling to hang Griffin's ladder. Now it has a safer toggle bolt with eye hook.

Joe, Stephen, any construction people or handyman types around right now?
In order to fit the toggle into the ceiling, I had to make a big enough hole of course.
This gap and loose hole around the eye bolt - I have a few questions concerning this. The men aren't home right now, and besides, I'm not sure they'd have the best answer :54:

1) With movement of the hanging toys, do you think the fine powder (what the drywall is made of) will continue to fall as there is movement around the bolt? I sprayed the area off with water in attempt to clean off as much of the loose pieces and powder as possible.

2) Anyone know what drywall is made out of? This is an add-on ceiling built during the 1970's. I hope it's not made with asbestos or anything harmful back then?

3) Would it be a good idea to spackle around the hole to hold the eye bolt firm without movement? Would that work?


Thanks!

Hi Julie,

Unscrew it completely out (the old toggle will just be left loose in the ceiling DON'T Try to remove it, you could damage the rock, its ok "up there"), get another toggle, use the same eye hook but this time add a "fender washer" to span the gap and stop dust

Like this:

You don't really need the "stop nut" the eyehook will stop at the washer, get a big fender washer (like 2 inch)

That's it !!

HUGS

 

[Anansi]

Sorry I'm late to the party, Julie! But Joe is absolutely right! (And always so helpful with the pics/diagrams!) That is the exact solution I'd have gone with, myself. Only difference is that I would suggest use of the "stop nut" (assuming, Joe, that you are referring to the only nut I see in your pic). Not so much to stop the eyehook as to keep the washer a bit more snug to the ceiling.

Let us know how it goes, Julie!

*Edit: Upon a second look at Julie's pic, I now see exactly why you said the stop nut wasn't necessary, Joe. The eyehook just barely seems to clear the hole. So Julie, if that's due to the thickness of the ceiling, then Joe's point about not necessarily needing the stop nut is most appropriate for you. But if you could get a slightly longer eyehook that might allow for a bit of the thread to show beneath the hole, the stop nut could serve to hold the washer a bit more snugly to the ceiling. Just a thought.

 

[RavensGryf]

Thank you so much guys!! Joe, as always I love the diagram! Yes, I will re-do and use a washer.

Stephen - the eye hook is actually about 3" long. I first "guess-timated" how far to screw the toggle on (considering the 1/2(?) inch drywall), then the screw was still hanging out a bit long, so I pulled down (on the toggle against the ceiling inside) as I screwed the bolt in so that no length was hanging out.

So since my research tells me this drywall made before 1980 most likely contains asbestos , it kind of makes me nervous to re-do it and cause more to be released into the air.... Well, can't help it, so hopefully doing this once or now twice, will be of no consequence. You'd probably have to be exposed on a more regular basis in order for it to be a significant carcinogen?? Hopefully. I know I'm overthinking, but you understand how it is when it comes to our precious birdies!

Or...I can still do the spackle. :52:

 

[GW.Joe]

Thank you so much guys!! Joe, as always I love the diagram! Yes, I will re-do and use a washer.

Stephen - the eye hook is actually about 3" long. I first "guess-timated" how far to screw the toggle on (considering the 1/2(?) inch drywall), then the screw was still hanging out a bit long, so I pulled down (on the toggle against the ceiling inside) as I screwed the bolt in so that no length was hanging out.

So since my research tells me this drywall made before 1980 most likely contains asbestos , it kind of makes me nervous to re-do it and cause more to be released into the air.... Well, can't help it, so hopefully doing this once or now twice, will be of no consequence. You'd probably have to be exposed on a more regular basis in order for it to be a significant carcinogen?? Hopefully. I know I'm overthinking, but you understand how it is when it comes to our precious birdies!

Or...I can still do the spackle. :52:

The eyehook will do the same thing as the stop nut, not using a stop nut means the eyehook will be closer to the ceiling, using a stop nut means the eyehook will be "lower" from the ceiling

One trick is to use a Hepa filtered vacuum up at the hole while you work on it (get one person to hold the vacuum up there to the side of the hole running the vacuum) then while they are doing that you work on the toggle, anything that falls will be sucked in

Also there is using an air mask

One thing you might want to do is seal it with some latex caulk, once you push the toggle in and are sure it is setup right, leave enough room to jam a caulk gun under the washer and pump in a few squeezes (into the hole)

Then tighten, then use a wet rag to wash away any extra caulk (keep going over it with a clean wet rag till all the caulk is gone from the outside)

EDIT: It should be TIGHT, turn the eyehook into the toggle till it is very "hand tight", there should be no movement when you are done (make sure you do it this way cause once the caulk dries it will be harder to remove)

HUGS

 

[RavensGryf]

Thank you again!
I don't have a HEPA filtered vacuum though. Can I put little masks on the birds? Lol

Come to think about it, there shouldn't be dust falling this time since the hole is already there. I can do it slowly and carefully too, and cover the cages then wash the covers anyway.

After this, I'm DONE!

 

[GW.Joe]

Well any good "bagged" vacuum may be better than nothing, just don't "aim" the vacuums "exhaust" at the birds cage or someones face

 

[Anansi]

And also, you might want to use the wet rag Joe was talking about earlier to dampen the area before you begin working. That would cut down on the airborne particles that would potentially escape. And masks are a must! Don't take any risks with asbestos, Julie. I know you're looking out for the birds, but make sure to look out for yourself, too! [emoji6]

And Joe, brilliant idea with the latex caulk! That would be perfect!

 

[RavensGryf]

just don't "aim" the vacuums "exhaust" at someones face

Why not?! Lol I'll be glad when this is all done. :31:

 

[RavensGryf]

ALL DONE.



I had no one this morning to help me, but it was pretty easy, and thank goodness it didn't require a vacuum anyway. There was NO visible dust falling at all as I unscrewed the bolt out of the ceiling. I had covered the birds and held a wet towel under where I was unscrewing the bolt just in case. I found we didn't have any caulk around here, and didn't want to buy a whole tube just for a small dab, so I found some spackle and a butter knife, and filled in the little area around the bolt and some under the washer, and screwed it in tight. I know people often fill in spaces behind spackle with paper like Mattroma said, but it was such a small hole that I didn't. I just filled it in there, around, and under to seal off the asbestos!!

Now I feel comfortable that it is hanging safely. Even though Griffin is the only one who uses it at all of 120g, I noticed that the stuff hanging is actually much heavier than it looks.

 

[GW.Joe]

ALL DONE.

I had no one this morning to help me, but it was pretty easy, and thank goodness it didn't require a vacuum anyway. There was NO visible dust falling at all as I unscrewed the bolt out of the ceiling. I had covered the birds and held a wet towel under where I was unscrewing the bolt just in case. I found we didn't have any caulk around here, and didn't want to buy a whole tube just for a small dab, so I found some spackle and a butter knife, and filled in the little area around the bolt and some under the washer, and screwed it in tight. I know people often fill in spaces behind spackle with paper like Mattroma said, but it was such a small hole that I didn't. I just filled it in there, around, and under to seal off the asbestos!!

Now I feel comfortable that it is hanging safely. Even though Griffin is the only one who uses it at all of 120g, I noticed that the stuff hanging is actually much heavier than it looks.

PERFECT!! Great Job !! Spackle is really better cause it can be broken easier than caulk in needed

Is it VERY tight?

 

[RavensGryf]

Thanks for all your help Joe! Yes. It's in there very tight.

 

[Anansi]

Nice job, Mrs. Fixit! Most impressive! Glad you got that all sealed up. Much more secure now than it had been originally.

 

[GW.Joe]

Thanks Julie,

Could not of done it better myself, isn't it a good feeling having it TIGHT and knowing it will stay that way?

BTW, the asbestos "may" be manufactured "in" the rock but NOT the outside popcorn !!

HUGS

 

[GW.Joe]

Oh, and just to share with you, I hang TON of weight from my ceilings, here is a spare bedroom that houses my "other" flock

These all use toggles and the big red and white plane on the right weighs 11 pounds

 

[RavensGryf]

Cool Joe! Do you go outside flying them much? Any RC Hellicopters or just planes?

 

[GW.Joe]

Thanks, We fly over at Valley Forge national park, about an 8 minute ride from my home, Rissa is one of the only girls in the club that actually flies the planes (since she was 15)

I do have a few choppers, one is an Align T-Rex 450v2, pictured here:

I am more of a plane guy and just do "basic" heli flight
(Align choppers cost a few bucks and the fear of crashing keeps me flying it cautious)
You can see it in this shot, hanging to the right of the big planes nose

The big plane is my baby, I built her last year and have not maidened her yet (this year though )

It is a PULSE XT 125 with a gas engine, and has a 76 inch wingspan, Recognize my pilot LOL??

(these pics are all from my RC forum)