Hanging Stained Glass from a Metal Header

[grwold]

My MIL lives in an assisted living facility that's fairly recent, around 10-12 years old.  She has a framed, stained glass piece she'd like to hang in one of her windows.  I haven't weighed it, but it's several pounds.

"No problem," I thought, "I'll just install some J-hooks into the header & we're golden."

Oh, no!  Not that simple.  The window's got some kind of metal header that snapped off my drill bit and is very resistant to self-tapping screws, too.  It's buried under at half-inch or so of drywall/paster, so I can only try to guess what it is (metal, gauge, amount of empty space inside it, etc.) by feeling through the holes I've been able to make.

The facility has no issue with me hanging the decoration, but they will not help me do it and their maintenance guy doesn't know what the header is, either.

What suggestions would you make for hanging this stained glass?  It's reasonably heavy, so it won't be supported just by a couple of screws in the plaster layer alone.  Is there an industry standard that'll tell me how to tap into that header?  If I cut a board to span the top of the window (the window's recessed in the wall, so I have 34" of width and 4" of depth to work with), is there an adhesive that's strong enough to glue it to the painted plaster and have it support the stained glass?

Sorry, but I haven't any pictures to help clarify--I could get some if that'd help.

Thanks, in advance.

[blackhat]

3 sided frame glued into the window opening?  Full width top piece and a cripple supporting each end of that

[JosephP]

I'm honestly surprised they are OK with tapping into anything or gluing things to the wall...that's gonna leave a mark when it comes out.

(but I guess with the prices of assisted living these days, a $500 repair isn't too big of a piece of the pie....or more likely she'll be charged when she moves, but I digress).

I agree with blackhat's suggestion of a 3 sided frame:  I'd set a 3/4" board against the top of the frame that sits on a "leg" on either side.  Screw those legs into the sides if its not metal.  If it is metal, adhesive to hold those to the sides (that's where it stinks to be the person taking them off) - and maybe another board across the bottom but on the insides of the side boards to keep them pressed against the sides.

[EightFingers]

You might have tried to drill into a drywall screw. Did you try a second hole?

[Dave Crow]

Thinking outside the box. You can use wire or small chain attached to one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Doorway-Multi-Use...1049925b26


8 bucks nd you're good to go!

[MstrCarpenter]

Not sure it's appropriate in in an assisted living facility; but a Ram-Set would do the trick.

[DieselDennis]

3 sided frame glued into the window opening?  Full width top piece and a cripple supporting each end of that

Sounds like a winner to me.  Make an upside down wooden "U" the size of the window.  Attach the stained glass to this wooden "U" anyway you want.  

Should make for a quick install, and a quick removal with no more mess.

[gjohn]

There are large magnets with hooks available. Amazon has a variety. You might be able to use the metal header to your advantage.

[EatenByLimestone]

Cobalt drill bits go into hardened metal.

[grwold]

Thanks to all of you for your guidance.  I put together a U-shaped bracket that spans the window and has 6" legs.

   

Brass furniture bolts in each leg are secured with t-nuts.  They extend into the wall, and through the metal studs framing the window's sides.  The cobalt bit did a nice job with those holes.

   

   

With a tight compression fit across the top of the window and the bolts into the metal framing, no construction adhesive was needed.  The stained glass is now hanging safely, and looking great!

   

   

Too bad we're getting our first, brief snow and now rain today.  Brighter backlighting would make the window pop.