Adding a Ceiling Fan

Q: I’d like to add a ceiling fan in my bedroom, but the center of the room (where I’d like to locate it) falls right on a ceiling joist. I was hoping to install between the joists from the attic side, but now I’ve found an obstacle. How do I mount the fan?

A: Try using a PVC saddle box. These electrical fan boxes straddle the bottom edge of the joist, and lag screws pass completely through the fan bracket, through the box and into the framing member. The wires are threaded upward on either side of the joist, and there’s no need to cut the ceiling framing.