wall studs where I want an exterior light

[sky jumper]

I want to install exterior lights on either side of the overhead garage door but there's a bank of about 6 studs in the way. moving the light to the next open cavity is not desireable. how do you deal with this?

is there a type of light that doesn't need a box in the wall? just drill a hole to run the conduit through the stud to the exterior light fixture.

I built this garage so I have nobody to blame but myself. since there's at least a few extra studs here I'm comfortable drilling through one of them, but not comfortable chunking out a big cavity for a box. although they are 2x6s.

 

[TTMotorsports]

The lights next to my garage door have no box. Drilled straight through where I wanted it then. Otched it so wire could be behind drywall with a nail plate over it. Then the fixture attached to a bracket I screwed through wall into the stud. Then hung fixture on the bracket.

 

[b-boy]

I mounted my lights directly to the external wall.

I mounted a box inside the building, and ran a short run of conduit through the wall. The wire runs from the inner box, through the conduit, to the fixture. The inner box has a blank plate covering it, so the wire connection are accessible from inside the building.

 

[aandpdan]

What kind of siding is on the building? Arlington makes a number of different mounts that have integral boxes. You don't have to cut the sheathing.

Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Arlington-8151-1-Vertical-Siding-Mounting/dp/B001S2N664/ref=asc_df_B001S2N664/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193994910693&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3116928213666634494&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001743&hvtargid=pla-502957941992&psc=1

 

[rsanter]

If it was me I would want a box there.
They make thin boxes that will be the depth of the sheathing or a bit less.
Make a hole with a hole saw, go to the studs, no deeper.
Screw the box to the studs.
Bore a hole through the studs at an angle to come out the side into the cavity.
Your done

 

[mm08822]

Use a pancake box - 1/2" deep. Depending on your siding material and fixture, you may be able to surface mount the box on the sheathing. Worst case, you may have to recess the box either with a holesaw or router (before the siding goes on.).

You will still need to get a cable into the box. Locate where a knockout is in the back of the box. At that location, drill the stud 3" deep. Then you need another hole 90 degrees to the first one to get into the stud bay.

 

[sberry]

I like boring the hole big enough that a cable connector fits in to it even if I gotta nib the screws off. Screw this in to an outdoor fixture box, screw box to building. I spray ground screw with penetrating spray, ground the box with long enough tail to wire any fixture grounds to it. Can even trace around box and notch siding. You soon forget about seeing a little box.

 

[LXCam]

Use a pancake box - 1/2" deep. Depending on your siding material and fixture, you may be able to surface mount the box on the sheathing. Worst case, you may have to recess the box either with a holesaw or router (before the siding goes on.).

You will still need to get a cable into the box. Locate where a knockout is in the back of the box. At that location, drill the stud 3" deep. Then you need another hole 90 degrees to the first one to get into the stud bay.

Another vote for a pancake box.

 

[Zeke]

I mounted my lights directly to the external wall.

I mounted a box inside the building, and ran a short run of conduit through the wall. The wire runs from the inner box, through the conduit, to the fixture. The inner box has a blank plate covering it, so the wire connection are accessible from inside the building.

This is fine as the wall canopy for the light is considered a box if there is enough room. I've seen some wall lights where the base plate was flat. That won't work.

 

[yeldogt]

Holy studs Batman !

Depends on the siding

Pancake box -- IMO go straight in with a drill for the wire. I would not angle -- you have plenty of support there. They make them with plastic wire holders.

Arlington does have some solutions if vinyl .. With nailed siding I make a mounting block out of Boral and paint to match .. the pancake fits in the block ... so only need the hole

 

[cybrdyke]

 

[Jim greengo]

Move the light over a foot.

 

[sky jumper]

the siding is LP smartside, but I'm planning to use the 5/4" LP trim to make mounting blocks for the fixtures. so i'll have about 1" of trim before the plywood sheathing. I should be able to fit a pancake box in there then.

good suggestions, all.

 

[Falcon67]

I'm in the "drill a hole" camp. I'm also wondering what kind of point load they were supporting with that army of studs. My exterior is Hardi and the lights are mounted right to the siding.

 

[toplessHO]

another vote for pancake box
they make them with built in clamps for romex,so you dont have to fight the locknut type connector

 

[DFB]

Shallow Pancake box as previously mentioned

 

[TractorJeff]

I'm in the "drill a hole" camp. I'm also wondering what kind of point load they were supporting with that army of studs. My exterior is Hardi and the lights are mounted right to the siding.

Probably on each side of the Garage Door, hence the additional 2x6's.

 

[Jim greengo]

Or you could just drill a hole through the studs,then drill I hole in through the siding connecting the 2.
Fish the wire through studs and out through siding.