Floor Outlet

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sd4524

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Southern California
Residential customer has requested a floor outlet in his office. Flooring is carpet. I have access from below only through a can light on the first story.
Any advice on cutting the carpet out? I plan on using a single gang box. I was thinking razor knife, sciccors, and to go very slow. Just looking for any tricks from someone who has done this before.
 
1st, measure twice & cut once. I like using my vibe saw, it makes clean cuts without pulling carpet fibers. If you have to use jigsaw or sawzall, tape carpet well, mark on tape & cut clean with a razor knife before any sawing. Catch 1 thread & it will scar the carpet for several feet. Then cut the wood. Be sure you don't get right over the can light or you may not have enough depth.

Supply houses sell a few nice units that fit a holesaw cut. Some have the holesaw with them. Some have 120 V and data together. I just installed some others in a church trailer floor. P & S I thing these are, from big boxes. Much cheaper & have std duplex recep with attached flip caps. Ivory color. Plastic box is easy to use, has sliding brackets for easy adjustment. $39 I think. I cut these in with a vibe saw.
 
Those Floor receps that are round and use a standard hole saw are great. Just be careful with the carpet.
I would use a sharp knife on the carpet first after locating the hole. The carpet guys have this glue stuff that will seal the edge of the hole from fraying threads. It might be over kill for 1 hole.

Just be careful.
 
So be careful! Got it. I actually bought a floor outlet that uses a standard hole saw too. I am gonna scratch my head, look at both floor outlets and then decide which i feel like doing. Glue sounds like a good idea.
Gonna fish my feed wire from the outside of the house and use the can light hole for access only.

This may sound dumb, really dumb... was thinking of taking a lighter and burning the end of the carpet fibers after cutting the hole out. They would harden up some and be less likely to be pulled apart in the future. Cover plate should cover this up.
 
I am not sure I would use a hole saw on the carpet-- it may work okay but it may depend on the carpet. I would use the rectangular floor receptacle and score the carpet with a razor knife. Get all the padding and carpet out of the way and then either sawzall or jigsaw.
 
sd4524 said:
This may sound dumb, really dumb... was thinking of taking a lighter and burning the end of the carpet fibers after cutting the hole out...
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I like a man with confidence! ;)
Go to the fabric store (or your wife's sewing box) for a bottle of "Fray Check". You might go through a hole bottle (they're small) on this project, but its cheap and binding fibers is what it is designed for.
 
sd4524 said:
So be careful! Got it. I actually bought a floor outlet that uses a standard hole saw too. I am gonna scratch my head, look at both floor outlets and then decide which i feel like doing. Glue sounds like a good idea.
Gonna fish my feed wire from the outside of the house and use the can light hole for access only.

This may sound dumb, really dumb... was thinking of taking a lighter and burning the end of the carpet fibers after cutting the hole out. They would harden up some and be less likely to be pulled apart in the future. Cover plate should cover this up.
Click to expand...

You can get a blade for a soldering gun that singes carpet neatly. I've done that before. Looks similar to a hot knife used to cut nylon rope.
 
The job went well today. Came out perfect. Its funny, I spent a bunch of time laying out where the floor joist would be. Then when I drilled the pilot hole and pulled the bit out... you couldn't even tell that a hole had been drilled in the carpet.
I ended up using the round drop in box that comes with its own hole saw.
I cut the carpet in a small square shape with my razor knife. This hole was smaller than the holesaw size. Then you can lift the carpet up and use the hole saw on the floor without it even hitting the carpet. Just used scissors to cut the carpet ends.
 
sd4524 said:
I actually bought a floor outlet that uses a standard hole saw too.
Click to expand...
Dennis Alwon said:
I am not sure I would use a hole saw on the carpet-- it may work okay but it may depend on the carpet.
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Something I learned back in the days when I installed 8-tracks for a living:

Drill the pilot hole first, then install the cup, and run the hole saw in reverse so you don't pull the carpet loops out.
 
LarryFine said:
Something I learned back in the days when I installed 8-tracks for a living:

Drill the pilot hole first, then install the cup, and run the hole saw in reverse so you don't pull the carpet loops out.
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Well I have done that in other areas but not on carpet. I remember my boss from years ago running a auger bit thru the carpet. That was one expensive hole.
 
LarryFine said:
Something I learned back in the days when I installed 8-tracks for a living:

Drill the pilot hole first, then install the cup, and run the hole saw in reverse so you don't pull the carpet loops out.
Click to expand...

How does running in reverse cut the wood? Or do you mean reverse long enough to rub a hole in the carpet, then forward to cut the wood plug?
 
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