How to install an electrical box in drywall

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years. Installing electrical boxes is one of the first stages in electrical rough-in work. Electrical box installation is regarded as easy work—more like carpentry than electrical wiring.

Adding an electrical box to your existing wall for a switch or outlet is easy when you have the right materials and know a few tricks. And you don't have to remove any drywall. The walls can stay in place. The key is to purchase an electrical box called a remodel box or an old-work box rather than a new-work or new-construction box. Many of these old-work boxes from home centers and other big home improvement stores do not come with paper templates.

How to install an electrical box in drywall

Follow these expert tips to install an electrical box into drywall or plaster without the need for wall studs or joists. Not all fixtures need to be attached to a wall stud or joist. Installing these handy boxes only takes about 15 minutes and they give you the freedom to decorate your space exactly how you want. Try your hand at this small electrical project using our step-by-step instructions below. Before you get started, plan the job carefully, as running cable through walls covered with drywall or plaster can be difficult. Remodel boxes also called cut-in or old-work boxes clamp to the drywall or plaster rather than attach to a framing member, making the work easier. However, they are only as strong as the wall surface to which they are clamped. If the drywall or plaster is damaged , cut a larger hole and install a box that attaches directly to a stud or joist. Select boxes that meet local codes. For a ceiling fan or a heavy light fixture, buy a fixture box that attaches to a fan-rated brace. Before cutting a hole, use a stud finder to make sure no joist or stud is in the way. For your safety, turn off power before starting this project. If the box does not come with a cardboard template, hold its face against the wall, use a torpedo level to make sure it is straight, and trace it. With a utility knife cut the line deeply enough to cut through the drywall paper.

This allows the box to be easily removed should the layout need to be changed before the NM cable installation.

.

Follow these expert tips to install an electrical box into drywall or plaster without the need for wall studs or joists. Not all fixtures need to be attached to a wall stud or joist. Installing these handy boxes only takes about 15 minutes and they give you the freedom to decorate your space exactly how you want. Try your hand at this small electrical project using our step-by-step instructions below. Before you get started, plan the job carefully, as running cable through walls covered with drywall or plaster can be difficult.

How to install an electrical box in drywall

Adding an electrical box to your existing wall for a switch or outlet is easy when you have the right materials and know a few tricks. And you don't have to remove any drywall. The walls can stay in place. The key is to purchase an electrical box called a remodel box or an old-work box rather than a new-work or new-construction box.

Bounce patrol cast

Use profiles to select personalised content. Yet another type right uses separate mounting brackets that slide in after the box is inserted and bend over the sides of the box to lock it in place. Lee Wallender. Tug to make sure the cable clamps tightly. Practice first because it is hard to control. Cut to the inside of the knife cut to prevent fraying the paper. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. For spaces used by people with accessibility issues requiring a wheelchair, for example, lower switch heights might be practical. Select boxes that meet local codes. Take your time cutting a lath-and-plaster wall when installing an electrical box. However, they are only as strong as the wall surface to which they are clamped. Chargers that have permanent wall stations are less likely to add strain to the outlet—more like permanently attached dryer cords. Before cutting a hole, use a stud finder to make sure no joist or stud is in the way.

.

Whatever standard you choose, try to maintain uniformity for all electrical boxes. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Test to make sure the old-work box fits in the hole. Adding an electrical box to your existing wall for a switch or outlet is easy when you have the right materials and know a few tricks. Create profiles to personalise content. If the drywall or plaster is damaged , cut a larger hole and install a box that attaches directly to a stud or joist. Drill starter holes at each corner and then cut with a jigsaw. The walls can stay in place. Project Overview. In new construction, attaching a strip of drywall to the front face of studs can serve as a guide for attaching wall boxes.