Dear Mr. Coyote,
I don’t understand what “tagging” is. You need to have the front of your box flush with the wall surface which means 1″. You can get 1″ mud rings – possibably resorting to an electrical contractor supply place. Or you could just mount a deep box with 1″ sticking out from the stud face.
I would suggest using a 4″ square box – and since you are doing this [for?] yourself – why not go for double receptacles in each outlet box so you will have more room to work with. And don’t get insulted with the “coyote” reference. My art professor was Wm. T. Wiley.
-Peter
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Replies
Wile E.
I really don't like nails in these situations. They are hard to pull out. They are hard to pound in in the back of the box. I agree with the method of drilling 2 or 3 pilot holes in the back side of the box and using screws. Drywall screws would work but would be politically incorrect on this board. So use some pointed - not self-drilling - sheet metal screws. A long Phillip's bit or and extender will help with this operation.
Note - A plain metal 4 square box will need some sort of mud-ring to attach the receptacles/sconces to, so allow for that thickness.
-Peter
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Wile E. Coyote,
If putting in the screws causes the box to be pulled out of plumb--
I have a couple of pairs of large ViceGrips [number 12LC ?]. I would use these to hold the box in place while shooting in the screws. Even driven in at a slight angle, they will hold the box in position. You don't need the 1/4" holes on the opposite side unless you are a perfectionist. Anyway, the cover plate will cover up the boo-boo.
-Peter
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Is your mind really on electrical?
We've got plaster over button board 1" thick, and to make the outlet boxes plane in, I've been nailing a block between 2 studs to attach the (deep)box to that hold it out to the right level...inspector hasn't had a problem with it. They wanted shear panel between two windows in the kitchen, just as easy for me to shear entire wall, so used the blocks for the outlets and switches in that wall too.
Would work before shear panel is installed, or with open studs on other side of wall..
Jen
Go frontal with screwing of the box...I like those technical sounding construction terms...nailing and hammering are two of my favorites...
Just finished putting up the lid in my kitchen, got my grumpy computer technician to help...now it's time to crawl back under the floor and land a couple more whips for new outlets on the side of kitchen that's not done yet. Or else tear out all the old plaster on that side and put shear panel on the wall first...the main bearing wall that runs down the center of the house, probly wouldn't hurt..It's always something...
Hey, at some point I'll need to pump your brain (construction term) for info, you don't owe me a thing.
Jen 8):
The last few shear walls that I had to deal with we just hammered up regular nail-up boxes and marked their position with paint on the slab. Rockers will tend to more often cover these boxes so having a reference on the floor can make finding them much easier.
Regular boxes won't meet the front face of the drywall so a PVC goof ring is used when installing the receptacles. We check with the architects and usually find there are no structural problems with the holes needed for the boxes to go through the wall. The last one said to me that as long as there were only a few holes and they were smaller than a six inch square, 1/4 square foot, there would be no problems even without any additional blocking or reinforcement.
I like to use "adjusta boxes" for places you're describing. They cost a couple bucks more but you have about an inch of travel in and out of the wall to adjust flush with your finish. They also have a pretty hefty mounting bracket that wraps the stud.
And I always screw 'em in...I use the cad plated drywall screws...don't really care whether anybody likes 'em or not.
Jules Quaver for President 2004
Given the sort of loads it is reasonable to expect on an electrical box I have no quarrel with cadmium plated drywall screws. A switch should see no appreciable load at all after it is installed. A receptacle might get a bit more abuse but even a short nail, not my first choice, holds for generations.
Be sure to check with the architect or engineer for the job. Most, at least most I have had to contact, were helpful as long as I got to business and was specific. Find out from the electrician how many and where the boxes will be cut in and how big the holes will be.
Most likely unless you are putting in a few six gang boxes your unlikely to have many problems but it is a call that must be made by the people who designed the house or are expert in this area. On the other hand it is possible that portions of a shear wall may be more critical than others. He/she may want you to shift things around a bit.
I have never run into any problems cutting in a few boxes but it is, I have been told, possible for it to bring up issues. Get the word from the horses mouth just to be sure. I hope everything comes out well.