When you are doing electrical wiring in existing walls, you can save time and effort by using flush-mount electrical boxes instead of conventional ones. You have to nail or screw a conventional box to a stud or rafter, but if the wall is covered with drywall, this means cutting out a large section. Flush-mount boxes, also called remodeling boxes, save you this trouble by attaching directly to the surface of the drywall. They have less room inside than conventional boxes, and can't support much weight, but they are adequate for switches, outlets and light fixtures that aren't too heavy.
Instructions
1. Place the flush-mount box upright against the wall or ceiling, making sure there are no studs or rafters behind it. If you are installing a rectangular box on a wall, plumb it with a level. Draw the outline of the back of the box on the wall with a pencil.
2. Force the tip of a drywall saw through the drywall and cut along the outline in even strokes. Remove the off-cut.
3. Run electric cables to the location of the box and pull them out of the hole. Feed them through the self-clamping holes on the back of the remodeling box, pulling out enough wire to make connections.
4. Push the wires into the wall and set the box in the hole. Turn the screws on the front edges with a screwdriver until the anchors attached to the backs of the screws hook around the drywall. When the anchors are in place, tighten the screws to hold the box firmly to the wall.
Tags: