x-pole, victorian house, plaster & lathe ceiling. HELP ME!

Pouchie started this discussion · 7/4/2010

After years of desperately wanting one, I finally knuckled down and bought an x-pole I have just spent all day trying to fit it in the room, and I just can't do it! I live in a Victorian house in London, built in in 1905 where the ceiling is made of plaster & lathe (at least that's what we think). The floor is made of original wooden floorboards running from one end of the room to the other. I tried all the tips to locating the ceiling joists and nothing works. Tapping with my knuckles makes a hollow sound everywhere, inserting nails into the ceiling didn't work because of the plaster construction I think, Stud-finders are useless on that kind of ceiling (I read this though I didn't try it). I went into the loft but I could not see the beams on the floor because MDF has been laid on the loft floor covering everything. What can I do to locate the joists i my bedroom ceiling? Once I do, can I actually place the pole underneath the joists although the ceiling is made of plaster & lathe and the floor is made of floorboards? Please help me work this out. You have no idea how frustrated and disappointed I am (especially that I had to battle for years with my boyfriend before he agreed to have a pole at home 😢 ) Thanks Dee

4 replies

velvetvixen · 7/5/2010
I will have to ask my husband if there is a good way to determine this. We ended up taking out our light in the middle of the room so I could center my pole and where able to SEE where the joist where b/c of the opening. We also traced around the xpole top with pencil so we can make sure its over a joist every time. I have plaster and hardwood floor (with carpet over it) an haven't had any issue. I would LOVE to have a Victorian house with a pole! Victorian is my fav! Congrats on the pole! It is so much fun! 🥂
Layla Duvay · 7/6/2010
I have a Victorian home and an X Pole. Plaster and lathe ceilings are pretty tough, so I wouldn't worry about it. I've got mine over a beam (I think) and I had to drill into my ceiling to find one (for the mount for my old lil mynx). Check to make sure your ceiling is still "keyed"--that is, the plaster is still well stuck to the lathe. Press the ceiling gently around the area you want to use. If there's no give, it's fine. I have a cracked ceiling in my pole room, but it's well keyed, so I haven't had any problems. I've been poling with it for over a year and I'm pretty heavy, so you should be fine! A friend of mine who built her own home says these old houses were built so far beyond code, that they can take much more that newer homes.
LittleBird · 7/6/2010
Very interested in the post, since we are buying a Victorian and once we do, I'm buying an X pole! Glad to hear from Poleophile and Vixen that it can be done, let us know how it goes for you, Pouchie! 🙂
Pouchie · 7/7/2010
Hi everyone, Thank you so much for your replies. I ended up calling a builder who did some work on the house when we moved in (imagine the conversation we had...he was chuckling away the whole time) To locate the beams in a victorian house, here is what you do: you start in the corner of the room where the ceiling meets the wall, and you start counting interval gaps of 400 mm (which is the distance between each beam). You get to the beam where you want to place the pole and you drill a hole to make sure that there is indeed a beam up there. If so, you can full the hole with polyfiller and place your pole there. I haven't done it yet because I have never used a drill...I might get the builder to come around. I will keep you posted as to wether his suggestion worked!