Ceiling box extender??

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

So my wife bought a new fixture for in our dining room, and as with most things in an old house things are not quite right.

Box is recessed 1” into ceiling due to ceiling being reworked at some point.



The new fixture hangs from a chain and the support plate needs something at ceiling plane to hold it.


Do they have 1” box extensions? All I see are 1 1/2” ones locally.

Added bonus is they drilled out the threads on the old box and used longer screws tapped into the back of the box to hold the old fixture.

 

[u2slow]

There's a pancake box extender.

There's also round wiremold boxes that can be used as a spacer/extension but that's more for a crowded box, and will be visible.

If the stripped holes won't re-thread to a larger screw ( say #10-32), you may want to consider small nuts for backing, or changing the box entirely.

 

[Shiftless]

How is that old box attached? Is it screwed to a ceiling joist? If so, unscrew It and replace the box with a deeper Octagon or square if you have to box and put the old wires back through and secure with the proper clamp.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Seams to be some type of old box support in ceiling.

Box removed

Can this mount be moved?


Box was screwed to this with two 10-32’s

Never seen one like this before. Is it an old work support that was inserted into ceiling through the box hole? If so can it be loosened and moved down?

 

[PCustoms]

Arlington makes a plastic box extension

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Arlington-BE1R-Setback-Ceiling-Box-Extender-Fits-3-1-2-4-Round-Octagonal-Boxes

 

[eejack]

You really don't need to lower the box.

The bracket will screw into the box tabs and the black cover will **** into the ceiling. The bracket does not need to be right against the box tabs ( as evidenced by the old fixture you removed from this spot ).

The box support is likely a through hole ceiling fan bracket, designed to go through the old 4" round hole and into the studs. As such it likely can be loosened and moved...but to me that seems like more work for zero benefit.

 

[Sinatra]

That’s a ceiling fan box and support bracket kit installed there. You should be able to remove the metal bracket and put a metal or plastic cut in box in that will fit flush with the ceiling surface. As long as your new fixture isn’t too heavy. The existing bracket is put through the ceiling box hole and expanded to lock into the joist. The screw holes in the box are enlarged to allow for larger screws to go through the back of the box to support a fan.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Kinda / sorta….

The box tabs were drilled out and a 10-32 ran thru to tapped holes in the back of box.

The old fixture was supported only by the center threaded “pipe” that the wires pass thru, the new fixture has that and two mounting screws with knurled knobs that hold the plate to the box.

These mounting screw are WAY too short and so is the “pipe” to mount to the box 1” above the ceiling surface.

Even a Raco “old work” box is meant to be installed on a 1/2” drywall ceiling. This ceiling has plaster & lath with 1/2” drywall over top.

The fixture is not very heavy, I may look for a plastic box to mount. But I doubt they are made to mount onto 1” thick ceilings either.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

So I removed the bracket to investigate further.

The joist to the one side of the hole is not tight to the ceiling, either broken or something. The bracket was spaced off the back of the ceiling by a small piece of 3/4” plywood to allow it to grip into the joist.

Ceiling mounted old work box will hopefully get it done. That is if the hole is not too large for the mounting tabs.

If that don’t work, I have some drywall repair in my near future.

 

[dave*99]

The box was not drilled out. It's a fan box. The long 10-32 screws are sized to support a fan.

 

[dave*99]

Can you mount the steel strap to the box with the 10-32 screws and get longer screws to attach the black cover to the steel strap?

 

[mm08822]

Rip out what is there and install one of these. The 2-1/8" deep version may be better to allow depth adjustment if the ceiling material has separated from the joist while still permitting the teeth to bite into the joist.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

The challenge with those retrofit fan boxes the “legs” are designed to be on the backside of 1/2” or 5/8” drywall.

I have a lot more than that in the thickness of the ceiling and it seems to have some of the plaster & lath on one side and not nearly as much on the other.


What I removed was an earlier version of those with a 1-1/2” box.
Where is that Westinghouse box from? Home Depot listing?

An old work - plastic ceiling box won’t work as the diameter of the hole is too large for the flange or on one of those. Just got back from Lowe’s to try that.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Rip out what is there and install one of these. The 2-1/8" deep version may be better to allow depth adjustment if the ceiling material has separated from the joist while still permitting the teeth to bite into the joist.

It would be helpful if you included a SKU or model# in the image…Hint..Hint

That Home Depot?

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Found it on Home Depot, ordered one and a small medallion to help cover the large hole that is there, that may get larger.

 

[sparky 1971]

It looks to me like the box that was there was 1-1/2" deep. Get a 2-1/8" deep version of the box and put it in.

RACO 4 in. W x 2-1/8 in. D Steel Gray Drawn Octagon Box with Five 1/2 in. and Four 3/4 in. KO's, 1-Pack 167 - The Home Depot

Octagon Boxes are manufactured from durable pre-galvanized steel, and are designed to house and protect electrical wiring, switches, receptacles, and to support light fixtures. All steel octagon boxes

www.homedepot.com

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

It looks to me like the box that was there was 1-1/2" deep. Get a 2-1/8" deep version of the box and put it in.

RACO 4 in. W x 2-1/8 in. D Steel Gray Drawn Octagon Box with Five 1/2 in. and Four 3/4 in. KO's, 1-Pack 167 - The Home Depot

Octagon Boxes are manufactured from durable pre-galvanized steel, and are designed to house and protect electrical wiring, switches, receptacles, and to support light fixtures. All steel octagon boxes

www.homedepot.com

Yup that was mentioned above 1-1/2” box was removed.

I ordered the 2-1/8” Westinghouse box mentioned above.

 

[sparky 1971]

Yup that was mentioned above 1-1/2” box was removed.

I ordered the 2-1/8” Westinghouse box mentioned above.

I stopped reading way too early, missing the fact that it was taken care of already. What I meant was to use the 2-1/8 box on the existing bracket, not knowing the bracket had been removed. MY bad.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

I stopped reading way too early, missing the fact that it was taken care of already. What I meant was to use the 2-1/8 box on the existing bracket, not knowing the bracket had been removed. MY bad.

No problem, I was actually hoping you would jump in. Have seen your knowledge help others over the years when working on wiring challenges.

Unfortunately removing the bracket to reposition it was a logical step at the time in the process.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

End to the saga tonight.

2x6 from above and a 2-1/8” fan box.