Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater QS8 ceiling mounted with Omnimount 20. Drywall OK?

Hey now,

I just got my Omnimount Ceiling 20 brackets and am about to hang my QS8s. The mounting instructions show the installation for drywall in detail and talk briefly about installing into wood.

Has anyone here had experience with mounting QS8s from the ceiling in just drywall? Would the vibrations loosen the screws in drywall, or is drywall strong enough to take both the static and dynamic loads?

Any help here would be great!

Thanks!

I wouldn't use screws and anchors to hold up a QS8, they are too heavy and will fall. Molly bolts will work reasonably well but the best way to insure it won't fall is screw the mount into the nearest stud/joist/rafter.

Hi Beth! Long time no see, how are you?

I'd use a plastic anchor from E-Z products, they've held our QS8s in the past two rooms without nary the first indication of any type of a failure. I highlighted the 50# anchors because it looks like the Omnimount may only have 2 mounting screws? I used the 30# anchors for the standard T bracket that comes with the QS speakers.




Here's their line of products...
EZ Products

.

I know others that have also had success with easy anchors. My VP150 is on the wall that way, should work with Qs8's as well.

Hey Rick, what is with the new screen name?

Randy a couple of folks started asking me if I were a pastor, so I just switched to what I have used on most of the past forums I've been on, my name!

Hi Beth,

I'd get a stud finder and attach the bracket to the stud/joist/rafter. Those plastic anchors may work on the walls but I wouldn't take a chance on using them on the ceiling. You wouldn't want the speakers to accidently fall and get damaged... uh....I mean...hurt your loved ones. Well...unless that's what you're really after. Happy hunting.

Rick, in reality we are all pastors, it is just that most don't take part. I was one of the ones that asked you.

Rick and Rick, he's talking ceiling mounts, not wall mounting. You really think direct pulling pressure on drywall anchors will hold them to the ceiling?

Properly installed I do believe they will hold just fine.

I hear ya Randy, I have the utmost respect for the folks who do take part ... I don't, like I *should*.

Auggh. I wouldn't use anchors on the ceiling, even really high quality anchors installed perfectly. If the joists aren't in the right place then run a nicely finished piece of wood between the joists and hang the QS8 from the wood.

>>or is drywall strong enough to take both the static and dynamic loads?

I should also offer the non-engineer's view (not mine, but I had to learn it over the years) -- if it takes more time to work out the loads than it does to patch the drywall, just hang 'em from the drywall and don't stand under them for a few days until you know if they're going to fall down

EZ Anchors are not designed for ceiling applications where the load is pulling directly away from the drywall.

For safety attach them directly to a cieling joist.

That is a good thought John, Beth could take a nice stained piece of wood and attach that to the joists, then attach the speakers where she wants them...

Beth, can you provide any pics?

I got the idea from Mark, with his "QS8 plaques".

>>I just got my Omnimount Ceiling 20 brackets and am about to hang my QS8s. The mounting instructions show the installation for drywall in detail

Beth, I just noticed this. Are you saying that the instructsion cover mounting directly into the *ceiling* drywall ? Is there any chance those are generic instructions covering both wall and ceiling brackets ?

Do you have an attic?

You could always run a 2X4 between the joists in the attic, then mount the QS8's into the 2x4.

Similar to bridgeman's idea but have the wood in the attic instead of on the ceiling.

If you do this I would make sure that you drill into the 2" side of the wood (so the screw has 4" of wood to 'bite' into.) Not to mention the reduced deflection and higher moment of inertia when the 2x4 is bent about that axis. The tricky part would be placing the wood exactly where you want the speaker... you could poke a hole up from the ceiling and stick a wire hanger through to see where to place the 2x4 in the attic.

bridgeman,
Here is the link to the omnimount page:
http://www.omnimount.com/consumer/product.aspx?ProductId=fe7fa0e3-d6f7-4b54-885d-34db03c2f7e1

The 'installation instructions' pdf talks about drywall installation, but it shows a picture of a wall at the part so I do not know if drywall ceiling mounting is ok.


On a side note, My audio pier is made by omnimount, here is the picture:



It is a VERY sturdy piece of furniture.

It says it is rated at 50 lb per shelf, but It definitely feels sturdy enough to support someone standing on it.

Oh really?

Check out item 'ZT'....

Ceiling fasteners

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How about "EZ Anchors are not designed for ceiling applications where a *heavy* load is pulling directly away from the drywall" ?

I think I have an experiment to do with some old drywall I have, my EZ Anchor assortment and my free weights..........

Most ceiling drywall is 3/4" with 16" on center studs, should work just fine, not saying I would do it though. I'm sure the 12 gauge wire would keep the Q's from falling to the floor.

A #8 E-Z Anchor is rated up to 50lbs, what does a "heavy load" constitute?

An elephant.

Is that down force when mounted in a wall like what is holding my VP150, or straight down as in a ceiling mount, just curious?

Dunno, that's why there was a question mark.

In looking at the page, it looks to be pullout strength, the 50lb rating is for 1/2" board, 75lbs pullout strength for 5/8" board. The anchors should work fine, as originally thought by the Axiom pastor.

Description Pullout (ultimate average lbs.)
Gypsum Thickness

..................3/8" 1/2" 5/8"
Light Duty Plastic 25 30 40
Light Duty Zinc ...30 40 50
Medium Duty* ......40 50 75
Twist-N-Lock ......65 75 80
Heavy Duty ........70 85 150

Hell, you could suspend an EP600 with the HD 150's.

Ceiling and walls with dryboard around these parts are only 1/2" or 5/8" so it would depend on what the house was built with.

I meant to say 5/8", 1/2" is fine as long as your rafters are the correct spacing.

Guys, I have, hanging from my ceiling drywall on a single toggle bolt, a plant that I'm reasonably sure weighs as much as, if not more than, a QS8.



The Omnimount 20 has two screw holes per mount.



I'm reasonably certain that if Beth used two mollys per mount, the QS8 would be secure.

Hold on... isn't pullout strength the point where the threads in the anchor rip out of the drywall ? That's the least of my concerns -- I'm worried about the drywall bending out, breaking/tearing, and falling to the ground with the anchor still securely threaded into the drywall bits.

Jack, I think the plant is about to eat your digital clock. That can't be a good thing.

Sorry I'm late to the party....

I know the EZ instructions said 'not for critical applications' but my point is that the Omnimount has two mounting screws spreading the load over a couple of inches and the QS8 weighs only 13 pounds, I wouldn't consider that to be a critical application and wouldn't hesitate using two of the 50# (or even 30#) EZ anchors to hang a QS8 in this method ... but that's *me*.

Bingo! And, with a molly bolt, the force is spread over the width and length of the spring loaded molly, not focused in one small spot as it would be with a threaded screw. And, with two molly bolts, the force is spread out even more.

John, that plant has been up there for more than 3.5 years. My clock even sticks it tongue out at it. Here's what it looked like in May 2004. You'll notice the dear little thing has grown.

OK, makes sense. I can see two molly bolts, with the arms parallel to each other (rather than in a single line), holding a QS8 safely.

Rick, I'm not saying that the EZ-Anchors wouldn't work (they probably would) but they would be outside of my comfort zone.

Jack, go and read "Day of the Trifids" again.

If you can't find solid wood to attach them to, use toggle bolts in drywall they will hold them just fine. If the bright color of the heads of the toggle bother you, color them with black magic marker.

Ah! Now I get your meaning. Actually,though you can't quite tell from the photo, those tendrils are almost down to the floor which means it's about to eat the the clock and the EP500.

I had mentioned molly bolts would work in my first response but would prefer the mounts into wood. I have a pot/pan rack mounted over the kitchen island held up by only 4 molly bolts and the weight on that rack is probably about the same as 2 QS8s.

My wife has asked me about getting one of those pot/pan racks, but I'm pretty concerned about the weight issue. Not to mention the fact we're in an apartment.

Compared to some of the things I've seen hold a couple of airplanes together I've flown in the past, the E-Z Anchors are like an engineering marvel that merits their own segment on the Discovery Channel ... Modern Marvels? Yea, that's the show.

Boy am glad the 'Getting my foot in the door' days are long gone.

E-Z Anchors hold incredible amounts of weight as long as the object is not going to be experiencing any side to side movement pressure that could loosen them. QS8's are not for bass so I doubt there would be any vibration capable of loosening things. There is certainly no tell tale drywall dust under my wall mounted QS8s with E-Z anchors.

Still, since I don't want to be blamed for a fall so maybe toggle bolts are a better choice for a ceiling application. I think E-Z's would hold but since toggle bolts are not expensive, why not erase any doubts. Again, make sure they are tightened to avoid any movement that might wear into the drywall.

Beth,

While I agree that the EZ set anchors are one heck of a device, I would be hesitant to use them unless you are certain that the sheet rock on the ceiling is 5/8” and the joists are on 16” centers. All it will take is one accidental bump to the speaker and the paper on the rock will rip, which will ultimately lead to the speakers dropping at the most inappropriate time (most likely with you under it). Another concern is if there is foot traffic above the mounting location. Vibrations from walking above the speaker will eventually cause the rock to weaken.

Sheet rock gets its strength from the paper that binds it together. If the paper tears, the strength is nullified. I’ve removed sheetrock and inspected the back side where different anchors have been used. It’s not a pretty sight. Having seen this first hand, again, I do not recommend you use them to hang anything of considerable weight such as the QS8’s.

As suggested already, I would run down to your local hardware store, buy a stick of ¾ X 3” hardwood (Oak) long enough to span between two joists and screw this to the joists. Then just mount the hangers onto the Oak.