Boxes for Metal Studs

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emahler

Senior Member
OK guys...we are going to start the Frankestein Dentist office this week...they framed it in steel...here are my questions...

we'll be running half the office in NM...what kind of plastic boxes are available for steel studs? the only one i've ever used, and it was awhile ago, was a plastic carlon with a metal bracket that screws right into the stud...

the patient care areas are being done in HFC...we've always used a Caddy H23 bracket with a 1900 box and mudring...anything new out there that is better?

any other new products
 
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peter

Senior Member
Location
San Diego
Just use metal boxes.
You can get them with built-on brackets. If you get them plain, you can mount them using the two convenient little holes near the front edge of the box on the sides. It is even better to drill and additional hole near the back of the box and use a third tech screw.
For even more rigidity, find a piece of track [channel] about 22" long. At the 4" point, cut the two flanges and bend that portion 90* up. Then measure 14 1/2" and repeat the process. This is called a shoe.
Insert this piece in the stud bay at the elevation of the bottom of your box with a little appropriate tapping [adjustment]. Screw in place. Now you have two surfaces to hold your box.
Steel stud work is actually kinda fun.
Note: Usually steel stud instalations are done with MC cabler EMT. But you can use NM but if you run it through holes in the stud, then you have use plastic grommets to protect the sheathe from the thin and sharp metal.
~Peter
 
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~Shado~

Senior Member
Location
Aurora, Colorado
NM and metal studs are a bummer IMO....but, the last GC we did work for, did all his basements in metal framing. We used Carlon #B118B-UPC type boxes and stack its...Arlington has the new 'One-Box' F101, 102, 103, and 104 out....allows screw right inside of box to studs. I liked them...seemed a little firmer mount to stud. Not sure if Cheetah has anything to offer....but I wasnt too impressed using them...idea seems good but my experience didnt seem to show a significant time savings...
 
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Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
H23

H23

I've wondered if the Caddy H23 is ok since I realized they are UL listed for positioning only. What does that mean?
Can they be used as designed? Do they even need to be listed? 314.23(B) 2008.
 
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emahler

Senior Member
Volta said:
I've wondered if the Caddy H23 is ok since I realized they are UL listed for positioning only. What does that mean?
Can they be used as designed? Do they even need to be listed? 314.23(B) 2008.
Click to expand...

we've been using Caddy H23's with 1900's and mudrings for over 20 yrs...just looking for something newer and better.

never had an inspector even look twice at them...
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
H23's and 4-squares are about all I ever do on metal studs. There are nonmetallic clip on boxes, but they only go on one side of the stud, and they're 4 bucks a pop. That's why I stick with the old way, but black buttons speed it up a bit. If you have a flunkie that can prefab some stuff, that helps. I get two retarded boys to prefab as much as possible when I have bigger work that I have a decent amount of prefab.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
SEO said:
How much do you pay them?:smile:
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I work that out with the association. The Association for Retarded Citizens has an occupational services type branch where they employ the retarded folk to do light tasks, particularly assembly. The managers just set the price. It works out to be very reasonable, the work is accurate, and it helps out some people who might otherwise have a rough time getting work. I generally get the same two fellas every time. They do the work at their building, and I just drop off material and pick the stuff up when it's ready. They have a truck too, but I've never had them bring stuff to me.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
You might know that the Arlington One Box and the SmartBox are both touted as being good for metal studs. They're pretty cost effective, but you're still stuck with only being able to use one side of the stud unless you like putting track on the other side (which shoots any cost savings all to crap).
 
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Sparky555

Senior Member
emahler said:
OK guys...we are going to start the Frankestein Dentist office this week...they framed it in steel...here are my questions...

we'll be running half the office in NM...what kind of plastic boxes are available for steel studs? the only one i've ever used, and it was awhile ago, was a plastic carlon with a metal bracket that screws right into the stud...

the patient care areas are being done in HFC...we've always used a Caddy H23 bracket with a 1900 box and mudring...anything new out there that is better?

any other new products
Click to expand...

Not very new or plastic but I've used Steel City 52171-EW-SSX which is a deep box with bracket for steel stud & drywall spacer (just add ring). I suspect a 1.5" deep would be a 52151-EW-SSX. Probably a little more material $$$ & a little less labor $$$.
 
Greg Swartz

Greg Swartz

Senior Member
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
peter said:
Just use metal boxes.
You can get them with built-on brackets...
Click to expand...
Agreed. And the ones with the built on brackets can have NM connectors built in too... and they cost less than the Arlington or Carlon plastic - steel stud boxes.

Volta said:
I've wondered if the Caddy H23 is ok
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Never had a problem with H23s, H4s, or H6s... we use them all the time.
And as stated several times, they go on both sides of the stud...
 
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macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
Albiet I am somewhat unconventional, when I do commercial work where steel studs are employed, I bring a bundle of 1"x3" treated lumber onto the site, along with an electric miter saw. I just measure, cut and then drywall screw backing made with the lumber for holding the boxes in place at any location except right where the stud is located. And I can get one in pretty much in the same amount of time as using a much more expensive caddy brace. The boxes I mount are usually 4" square with switch rings, but I don't know why plain old nail on romex boxes wouldn't work this way, as long as the securing screws to hold the box to the backing are driven thru the back of the box, not the front edge. As far as bringing combustable wood onto the job, well I will only just point to the wood doorjambs the contractors install to hold the wooden doors and the wood door frame to the steel studs.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
mdshunk said:
If you have a flunkie that can prefab some stuff, that helps.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, in my area those flunkies would have to be either licensed guys or apprentices under direct license holder supervision.

We do a ton of prefab at our shop, prefabing 4" squares with MC whips, H-23s, plaster rings and grd pigtails are just one of many prefabs we do, but we can not just hire temps to do it.
 
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active1

Senior Member
Location
Las Vegas
Im fine with the H23's. Some place I worked for would only use the slider bar hangers. While they are great for some thing they are a bit of a waist of time and material compaired to the H23's.
 
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