Hanging a heavy chandelier

Weight is the first question

Check the weight on the box or the manufacturer's website before anything else. A typical plastic ceiling rose is designed to carry a light pendant, not a large fitting. Glass and crystal chandeliers can weigh 10–20 kg or more. That weight has to go into the structure of the ceiling, not into plasterboard or the electrical connector.

Supporting the fitting

• Into a joist: if a joist is in the right place, a heavy-duty hook or bracket goes straight into it.
• Into a noggin: if not, a length of timber is fixed between two joists above the ceiling to carry the load. That's easy from a loft and needs more care from below.
• Not into plasterboard: cavity fixings aren't suitable for heavy chandeliers, however strong the packaging claims.

The electrical connection is made separately, in a suitable enclosure or connector block, so no weight hangs on the cables or terminals.

Getting the height right

• Over a dining table, the bottom of the fitting roughly 75–90 cm above the tabletop.
• Where people walk underneath, at least 2.1 m clear of the floor.
• In a double-height hallway, around first-floor level, so it's seen from above and below.

Hold the fitting up at a couple of heights before cutting the chain or cable. It's much easier to judge in the room than on paper.

Dimmers and lamps

Chandeliers are often dimmed. With LED lamps you need dimmable lamps and a compatible trailing-edge dimmer rated above the total load, but not so far above that the load falls below the dimmer's minimum, which causes flicker. Many-armed fittings can add up to more watts than you'd think.

Assembly

Unpack and check every part before going up the ladder. Hang the frame first, then the crystals and drops, working evenly around the fitting so it stays balanced. For high ceilings and stairwells, use proper access equipment rather than a stepladder balanced on a stair.