Electricians: 36" or 52" Wall switches?

[yeldogt]

Any electricians out there that have done 36" switch height?

Was mentioned on my last build and my architect suggested it yesterday (different architect). The house will have large moulding ... I'm sticking the outlets down in the baseboard.

He said they are easy to use and allow for more wall space ...

 

[The Cobbler]

not an electrician.
I find 36 a bit low, good for handicap access tho.
I like 48" from floor to top of box .

 

[yeldogt]

The 52" that I always used is to the center of the box ..... not much not much higher vs your 48"

 

[mm08822]

I have always used:
48" CL for switches
18" CL Receptacles
60" CL Tstats
unless I am matching existing in same room/house.

Amazing though, how many different heights you can find in one room/house - I guess owning a tape measure or creating a story pole is too hard for some!

 

[Aceman]

We do 48" to the top or 46" to center for switches, etc.
20" to top or 16" to center for receps.
60" to top or 58" to center for thermostat boxes.

 

[yeldogt]

My architect has evidently been doing this for many years --- they fall at the same height as a door knob.

Natural height of one hand.

We are using Lutron rocker switches -- so they will be great at 36 .. not sure about the Lutron electronic switches for all the recessed that dim -- they have a dim control and LED lights on the side. Still a one tap switch ..

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

My standard layout has always been 48" to the top of switch boxes,and 16" to bottom of outlet boxes unless something is in the way.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Instead of measuring for receptacles, use a claw hammer standing on end to set the box height to the bottom of the box. It is already in your hand for nail up boxes.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

36" seems low to me...but whatever floats your boat...

 

[ard]

Where does your architect put switches in the kitchen and bathroom??

Or are countertops at 24 inches- the natural position for your knee??

 

[yeldogt]

Where does your architect put switches in the kitchen and bathroom??

Or are countertops at 24 inches- the natural position for your knee??

The switches in the kitchen are going to have to be on the side of the cabinets -- so we have to work that out. The switches for the baths are on walls not impacted by the counters.

The outlets go in the baseboards .... This I have done before when the baseboards are large enough ... you don't see them.

 

[rburke65]

We always did the hammer heights and 36" seams way low.

 

[BADSIX]

Any electricians out there that have done 36" switch height?

Was mentioned on my last build and my architect suggested it yesterday (different architect). The house will have large moulding ... I'm sticking the outlets down in the baseboard.

He said they are easy to use and allow for more wall space ...

I was with the understanding that there was a code height for receptacles
Jay D.

 

[prostreetamx]

I've wired hundreds of houses and 48" to the top of the box is standard here, even in kitchens. My older house had them at 52" to clear the fire blocks but I always thought that was pretty high. Your inspector might not like your plug boxes in the base board as being too low and the separate issue about the gap allowed between the box and the finished surface of the wall or combustible baseboard. If you are allowed to set your boxes that low I would suggest using the Carlon adjustable boxes to get your final depth even after your base is installed. I used them in my new garage due to different thickness drywall and shear panel plywood used on each wall. We also used a straight claw hammer for plug boxes and each guy had the same hammer.

 

[prostreetamx]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-Gang-2...uCVQsLFWIrHi1Puw2kngcaAiew8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Instead of measuring for receptacles, use a claw hammer standing on end to set the box height to the bottom of the box. It is already in your hand for nail up boxes.

Not all hammers are same length.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

The switches in the kitchen are going to have to be on the side of the cabinets -- so we have to work that out. The switches for the baths are on walls not impacted by the counters.

The outlets go in the baseboards .... This I have done before when the baseboards are large enough ... you don't see them.

Do you know the minimum height for outlets according to ada?

 

[yeldogt]

I was told the code does not care (outlet height) -- I don't like seeing the outlets on the wall. I did it about 6 years ago -- my shore house is a cape and all the walls have wood wainscoting -- we hid them in the design.

 

[yeldogt]

Do you know the minimum height for outlets according to ada?

I don't think residential has to follow.

 

[yeldogt]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-Gang-2...uCVQsLFWIrHi1Puw2kngcaAiew8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

That's a great box !

 

[malibu101]

At a new building where I work. In the bathrooms--
Electrical print called out switch boxes to be 48" to center above finish floor.
Finish print called out tile to end 48" AFF.
The tile ends at the middle of the box.
They put 2 bullnose tiles around the box so the plate fit instead of another full course of tile, or, moving the switch height.
Looks kinda hack!


I'll try to remember to snap a picture tomorrow if I remember.

 

[Radix2]

I've wired hundreds of houses and 48" to the top of the box is standard here, even in kitchens. My older house had them at 52" to clear the fire blocks but I always thought that was pretty high. Your inspector might not like your plug boxes in the base board as being too low and the separate issue about the gap allowed between the box and the finished surface of the wall or combustible baseboard. If you are allowed to set your boxes that low I would suggest using the Carlon adjustable boxes to get your final depth even after your base is installed. I used them in my new garage due to different thickness drywall and shear panel plywood used on each wall. We also used a straight claw hammer for plug boxes and each guy had the same hammer.

I love the operation if those adjustable depth boxes - but they have a problem with wide GFCI outlets such that they don't have room to fit in properly. I had to use a chisel to cut off part of the boss that holds the adjust screw to make them work...

 

[Want2race]

Not all hammers are same length.

Yep. I made the mistake and did 12" once. Huge mistak

 

[Cmreschke]

Not all hammers are same length.

As long as the same person nails up the house, who cares?

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I don't think residential has to follow.

Minimum has been 15" to center of box for residential as long as I can remember.

 

[nine4gmc]

What country are you in OP? 36" seems low unless it's for a handicap space.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

As long as the same person nails up the house, who cares?

Most shops have more than one guy wiring a house.
Tape measures on the other hand are standardized.

 

[reader2580]

I wired my previous house when it was being built. I made up pieces of wood as guides so each box would be at the same height. My current house has outlets at all different heights in the basement.

 

[Kaizen]

it sounds like you are hoping the 36 will work for aesthetics. sounds like you bought what the architect was selling. whatever is at 48inches better be durable because everyone is gonna be hitting it looking for the switch. all of this hiding switches in sides of cabinets imo is just more work,expense,and not functional. every time you have to plug something in you have to get on your knees? are there maids in this house?

 

[yeldogt]

Yes, we have maids and no kids. I never bend down.

I paid for what the architect is selling. Good ones are often correct.

I'm going to a house thats being built next weekend .. we will see.

 

[anuccite]

I just spot checked my house All switches are 48" to bottom of switch box, and 12" to bottom of outlets (excluding counter height outlets)

 

[prostreetamx]

I love the operation if those adjustable depth boxes - but they have a problem with wide GFCI outlets such that they don't have room to fit in properly. I had to use a chisel to cut off part of the boss that holds the adjust screw to make them work...

I used the normal version of this box with the box going vertical. The one I linked would work for sideways base board mounting. That being said I had no problems installing the larger GFCI receptacles with no modification. The only boxes I had issues with installing GFCI's in was the older style metal cut in boxes. It welded the plug to the box since it was a tight fit and hit the screws. The plastic adjustable boxes I used in single, 2 gang, and 3 gang were also larger inside, which I like to make more room for makeup. They are a far cry from the old 16 c.i. boxes they used in the past. All the boxes in my house are also larger then standard for the same reason. My smallest single gang boxes start at 20 c.i.

 

[bczygan]

I like 52" cause I'm tall.

 

[Radix2]

I used the normal version of this box with the box going vertical. The one I linked would work for sideways base board mounting. That being said I had no problems installing the larger GFCI receptacles with no modification. The only boxes I had issues with installing GFCI's in was the older style metal cut in boxes. It welded the plug to the box since it was a tight fit and hit the screws. The plastic adjustable boxes I used in single, 2 gang, and 3 gang were also larger inside, which I like to make more room for makeup. They are a far cry from the old 16 c.i. boxes they used in the past. All the boxes in my house are also larger then standard for the same reason. My smallest single gang boxes start at 20 c.i.

Yep those are the boxes I used. The issue is that the adjust boss would not let the GFCIs I had lay flat in the box ( they twisted to the side) making the plug face not parallel to the wall.

Might have been my GFCI are bigger than others. Some people wouldnt notice the unevenness of the plug, it was a disappointment though because those boxes are really great behind tile and you can zip them out for a perfect fit after everything is done.

 

[tab2]

I just checked the drawings on my 5 most recent (commercial construction) sets of drawings. The architects had elevations called "Typical Above Finished Floor (AFF) device heights to center Unless Otherwise Noted (UON)". They were all the same with the following:

Power and tel/data = 18"
Card Readers = 42"
Switches = 48"
T-stats = 54" (1 said 60")
FA = 80"-96" to bottom of lens, minimum 6" below ceiling.

Those adjustable boxes are sweet.

 

[AntonLargiader]

In my own spaces, I install t-stats just below eye level. My wife is 5'7" and the stat is around 62~64". At work I will probably go an inch or two higher. They are much easier to read straight-on.

Our house has solid brick exterior walls so the receps have to go in the baseboard. Honestly, I wouldn't really want them to be as high as 18". And in a shop I wouldn't want them as low as 18".

 

[kwschumm]

36" seems low to me...but whatever floats your boat...

Seems low to me too. I think it would look strange but folks get used to these things.

 

[rburke65]

Well we would all check our hammers before we started. Saved time. How much deviation in hammers can there be? What?.....ya got a 7" hammer!?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

depends on the type of hammer.

ive got:

finish hammer
ball peen hammer
fiberglass hammer
and a few framing hammers with skull and cross bones....

all with different length handles...

 

[Falcon67]

I was told the code does not care (outlet height) -- I don't like seeing the outlets on the wall. I did it about 6 years ago -- my shore house is a cape and all the walls have wood wainscoting -- we hid them in the design.

Our old house used 8" tall baseboard - I put the outlets in the replacement baseboards just like the originals. Like the look.

ADA is for commercial and public accommodations. Why we never touch the older buildings at work. Major reno = major compliance headaches.

In the shop, I put the outlets at 48" to the bottom - allows for a 4' wide sheet of whatever to lean against the wall and still get to a plug.