Tim Fitzgerald
Well-known member
I have seen these at lowes... what are they and in what circumstances would they be used?
What is an "old work" box?
- Thread starter Tim Fitzgerald
- Start date
383 240z
Well-known member
When your needing a box, but the wall is already up. They usually attach to the drywall, rather than directly to a stud. Keith
Strength is an issue, and there are several kinds of old work boxes (also known as "Cut-in boxes") The strongest is the side-grip metal box. They used to be available only through commercial electric supply houses, but lately they have them at Home Depot. At a glance, they look like regular switch boxes, but they have a screw on each side of the box that when tightened pulls up the end of a metal flap that bends outward and grips the drywall from behind. The gripping part is about 2" wide, so it's very strong.
I'd say something unkind about advance planning, but no matter how well you plan, needs change. In my business we have to deal with this all the time. New occupants want their phones and computers in different places, and tearing out all the walls is very inefficient!
I tried to add a picture, and it didn't work. Search for "Raco Old Work Box". There's a pretty good picture on Grainger's web site, though it shows the box with the grippers deployed, not flat on the sides of the box as they are when you buy them.
Hard to explain, but when you hold one in your hands, you'll understand in two seconds flat.
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I'd say something unkind about advance planning, but no matter how well you plan, needs change. In my business we have to deal with this all the time. New occupants want their phones and computers in different places, and tearing out all the walls is very inefficient!
I tried to add a picture, and it didn't work. Search for "Raco Old Work Box". There's a pretty good picture on Grainger's web site, though it shows the box with the grippers deployed, not flat on the sides of the box as they are when you buy them.
Hard to explain, but when you hold one in your hands, you'll understand in two seconds flat.
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Since buying and renovating our 1924 home we've changed quite a bit electrically. Where I opened up walls completely I replaced/moved boxes with proper nail in units, but there have been a lot of times where we just needed to move something or add a new run to a wall that couldn't be opened easily.
I've used the basic plastic ones from lowes that are blue and have to flaps that swing out when tightening the screws, pulling the box tightly against the wall.
I've used the basic plastic ones from lowes that are blue and have to flaps that swing out when tightening the screws, pulling the box tightly against the wall.