Outlet Height - Garage Journal Best Practices?

[Spudland_Dave]

Any "GJ Best Practice" height for garage recepticles? my current garage has em at oh, 42"-44" high, and I feel thats a bit too high, whenever you plug anything in...heavy extension cords for example, you can see a lot of strain/weight on the plug/recepticle. Or when you plug something like a grinder in, you dont have a whole lotta cord left to work with...

No Codes, No Inspections here...so I can do what I want.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Keep them higher than 18" above the floor (so they're above any potential explosive gasoline fumes) but beyond that it's up to personal preference. Many people will locate them at 50" above the floor, figuring that if a 4x8 sheet of plywood or something similar is leaned against the wall you still have access to the receptacle. However, if you like them lower than that it's fine too.

 

[Shocker]

All mine are 44" above the floor. Perfect height IMHO. There are several strain relief solution for extension cords if you have concerns.

 

[Jackson]

The best advice I got was to make them higher than 48". That way when you have a sheet of wood leaning against the wall they aren't covered. Funny, because I don't think I've ever in my life NOT had a sheet of something 4x8 leaning against a wall somewhere. Works for me!

 

[mrobins297aaa]

I have mine at 48" to the bottom, I have a couple outside plugs that I put at 54"..........its so nice to open those exterior covers and be able to see the plug without bending over.

 

[AZ Garage]

Put em any height you want! +48" is a good idea as stated before.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

High. 50" to clear the 4x8 plywood is a good idea. Don't be afraid to put in a double box so you have four outlets at each location; especially on a work bench or where you might plug the chargers, radio, etc. in. I like the new GFCI outlets with the little LED. You always know when the outlet(s) are hot.

 

[Falcon67]

48" here, perfect height for me.

 

[tdkkart]

48" here, perfect height for me.

Unless of course you're less than 48" tall...............

 

[rockchucker]

The best advice I got was to make them higher than 48". That way when you have a sheet of wood leaning against the wall they aren't covered. Funny, because I don't think I've ever in my life NOT had a sheet of something 4x8 leaning against a wall somewhere. Works for me!

THIS! ^

 

[MrMark]

I like 18 the best. 48 is too high. It puts strain on the cord as you noted. I also think plugs half way up the wall looks like hell. Do what you think is best.

 

[ddawg16]

Depends on where on the wall they are.

As noted above....if it's likely that your going to be leaning a 4x8 sheet of plywood against the wall...put them about 52.35" high.

In the front of the garage, near the door....yea...14" to 18" high. In my case, all of mine are about 52" high....but at the front of the garage I have a big hook that one of my extension cords hangs on...so the cord stays on the hook, one end goes to the outlet, the other end I drag around as necessary.

Most of my boxes are 2 gang....and I flip flop the orientation of the outlets so that depending on how the plug is built, It's not sticking up...

And I have a couple of outlets hanging off the beam in the middle of the garage....I actually get a lot of use out of these....I have a short extension cord (12") that uses one of those plugs that allows you to rotate it anyway you want....it allows me to plug it in and it hangs straight down...the other end has three female recept's on it.

Note.....NOT the cord that is hanging down...that is why I made up the short extension cord....

You can never have enough outlets in your garage.....your not going to use them all at the same time...but it's a PIA to go searching for one....

Do this....open your door....walk in....where would you want to plug in an extension cord....that is your first outlet....

And....make sure you have a couple outside....

edit....looking at that last pic I think I just figured out a partial solution to my lighting in the front....I think I'll toss a couple of single tube T8's right on the header above the garage door so I can turn those on at night when the door is closed.

 

[rlitman]

Do this....open your door....walk in....where would you want to plug in an extension cord....that is your first outlet....

Right behind the door, on the wall, I have a pair of large hooks. One facing up, and one facing down, that I wind my 100' extension cord on. Just behind that at eye level is the closest outlet.

About half of my floor space is covered by a loft section that clears the floor by 6' 8". Since it is that low, I just put my outlets on the "ceiling", and have power strips plugged in them near every bench.

 

[Chucktown]

I thought code requires an outlet every 6 ft on an open wall? At any rate, I believe the more outlets, the better.

 

[ddawg16]

I thought code requires an outlet every 6 ft on an open wall? At any rate, I believe the more outlets, the better.

Does not apply to garages....

And to be specific, it's actually more like 12'....basically, a floor lamp with a 6' cord against the wall must be able to reach an outlet....so if you place your outlets at 12' intervals....the 6' cord would always reach one of them.

 

[Chucktown]

Yeah, I knew that (re: 12 ft)....it's still early where I live.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Kevin54]

The best advice I got was to make them higher than 48". That way when you have a sheet of wood leaning against the wall they aren't covered. Funny, because I don't think I've ever in my life NOT had a sheet of something 4x8 leaning against a wall somewhere. Works for me!

^^^^THIS^^^^. I don't know how many times I've had to drag the extension cord out to another outlet because I had something against the wall blocking the outlet. Either plywood or drywall.

I thought code requires an outlet every 6 ft on an open wall? At any rate, I believe the more outlets, the better.

I have mine about every 6' or so. Depends on where a window or door lands. I have a couple up high towards the ceiling for a clock, traffic light, or whatever else I want to plug in.

Also determine where you will eventually have a bench, because that will change the height on some possibly.

 

[Falcon67]

Unless of course you're less than 48" tall...............

2 yr old grandson is 30" tall, so they are still perfect because he can't get to them.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I like 18 the best. 48 is too high. It puts strain on the cord as you noted. I also think plugs half way up the wall looks like hell. Do what you think is best.

Agreed on the "Mid wall" plugs... Just measured my basement woodworking shop outlets and I had put those 23" off the floor...might just set my laser level at 24" and go with it.

Sheets propped up along the wall...peeve of mine. Its just asking for a sheet of 3/4" Advantech to fall over on one of the kids or cars. If I have a sheet of anything after 30 days, I usually rip it down into easily managable/storable sizes.

 

[MrMark]

That sounds like a perfect height. I am doing some now and I may go with that too.

 

[coolreed]

outlet Height is a personal choice. Mine are 42". May I suggest putting in many 120 V outlets? Acouple of 220 outlets would be wise also.

 

[Kevin54]

One thing to consider when placing outlets on the wall at a 4' height..... It's easy for you if you are hanging drywall, but for whoever finishes off the drywall, if you run the sheets horizontally, it's a pain to work around a lot of outlets when taping and mudding and sanding. The reason being that the outlet is mounted in the bevel of the drywall, so it takes extra time around each one to get things smooth in the tapered area with the outlet in the way.

 

[ddawg16]

One thing to consider when placing outlets on the wall at a 4' height..... It's easy for you if you are hanging drywall, but for whoever finishes off the drywall, if you run the sheets horizontally, it's a pain to work around a lot of outlets when taping and mudding and sanding. The reason being that the outlet is mounted in the bevel of the drywall, so it takes extra time around each one to get things smooth in the tapered area with the outlet in the way.

Good point....but was not an issue for me......I have a stem wall that is 8"....so....my outlets are still fully within the bottom sheet....

Yea....that would be a b!tch to mud having a box right in the middle of a seam.....

 

[rodm1]

I have one on each side of garage door that is 70". they are grate I don't have any junk blocking them.

 

[Falcon67]

>One thing to consider when placing outlets on the wall at a 4' height.....

It was a PITA with OSB too. Chop a hole, use big cover plates, done.