Question about best way to mount flood lights in eave...

[CarCrazyRDM]

So I am nearing completion of wiring my 24x36 garage and one of the last things I need to do is install some junction boxes for some flood lights at either end of the building. I can get the wire to these locations fine via the second story. My problem is I don't know what the best method is to mount them or what my options really are.

Forgive me if I use incorrect terminology in describing anything...

My eaves have a 12" overhang. And at the end of the building there is about the same length past the last rafter where I'd like to mount a flood light. The problem is there isn't any substantial structure to mount my junction box too. I think my best option would have been to ask the framers to nail in a 2x4 towards the bottom of the last rafter and whatever the board that runs parallel to the rafters but forms the end gable end eaves. Then I would have had something to nail my junction box too. But I failed to realize I'd need such so I am left with what I have.

As far as I can tell my options are either cut a big enough hole to slide in a piece of 2x4 and attempt to nail/screw it in between the rafter and end board or screw my metal junction box to the last rafter. But that then puts my flood light extremely close to, if not directly over, the down spout for my gutters. I know I could completely remove the eave board (or whatever it is called... the vented board... looks like peg board) and then do what I want. But at this point that eave board is all caulked and painted and behind trim, etc and I really don't want to pull it out and have to patch it up.

Is it possible to just slide a old-work style junction box in a hole that I cut in the eave board? I'm not sure what that eave board is, seems like some type of pressed wood. It isn't as strong as a 1x4 or anything but seems like it might support the weight of a flood light fixture. Yes/no?

Is there some other option I am not thinking of?

In the event I have not described things well or there are various types of construction options in eaves, below are some pics that I hope help clarify.

Thanks in advance for any info.






The nail you see hanging down, kind of above the down spout, is just to the inside of the last rafter that I can access from inside on the second story.

 

[sands35]

Use a ceiling fan box. I'd use a plastic one as it won't rust. Though the cross bar will be metal. There are also fan boxes that saddle a joist. I'd put the fan box cross bar between the joists. In 20 years, the facia board will need to come off to be replaced, so don't attach anything on that.

If you are using floods with low weight, you could use an old work box, though I'd only do that if the soffit was plywood and not particle board.

 

[CarCrazyRDM]

Good idea sands. I hadn't thought of the boxes that come on/with the "rails." I'll have to go see if I can find one that will work. Although it may still be a ***** to try and attach the rail ends to the rafters without cutting a pretty big hole in the eave/soffit board. But I've got a tiny battery powered drill that I can probably finagle through the 3.5" - 4" hole necessary for the box. We'll see what I can do. Thanks.

And I meant old-work box in my original post but wrote "new."

 

[Cyberbear]

Go to your local Home Depot and look in the electrical dept. and choose a suitable metal box with mounting brkt. attached. These are plated and won't rust if kept dry and are light in weight, so the eave board with the holes should carry the weight of box and fixture. Plastic boxes exposed to weather may crack as time passes.

 

[wayne55]

I did something similar to what Cyberbear stated. I found a round metal surface mount box (it was white) that I mounted directly to the plywood under the eave. Drilled a hole for the wire and fished it through. This will certaiinly hold a couple of floodlights.

 

[raddksn]

sands has the solution. the fan box he's talking about has a bracket that will rest on your soffit and expand with a screw to extend and bite into the rafters. it installs thru the hole you cut for the box. when you see it at your local box store you'll understand!

 

[CarCrazyRDM]

I found the kind of expandable rail with a junction box on it today that you were talking about raddksn. I had never seen these before and hopefully they will go in without too much trouble. Thanks much for the heads up! These should make the job much cleaner and easier than I originally expected. Once again this forum and its members come through! Much appreciated.