Outlet Box Support

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laclede

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Question: Is far side box support always required on a 1900 box installed in a drywall partition? If so, what portion of the NEC requires it?

I have an installation where the contractor secured all his boxes to metal studs using two screws through the box into the metal stud. No far side box support is installed, and when asked, the contractor says the box will stiffen up when drywall is installed on both sides.
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

314.23(B) Structural Mounting. An enclosure supported from a structural member of a building or from grade shall be rigidly supported either directly or by using a metal, polymeric, or wood brace.
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Around here all 4" sqs on metal studs get a far side support. :)

[ June 02, 2004, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

I personly like to "block-up" 2-gang and larger boxes on both wood and metal stud. Nothing is worse than trying to install devices to a box that keeps pushing back into the wall cavity.

I usually cut 1x4 or 2x4 wood blocks and attach them to the end of the box not attached. This way the box can't go anywhere when the drywall or finish wall is installed. :)
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

Here is our typical method for mounting 4" sqs on metal studs.

Barestud1.jpg
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

Iwire
Are your drywallers using routers? I have found those caddy brackets to fold over when the drywaller slams the rock into place and then tries to route out a moving object we call a box. We have banned them in our specs for a new hospital because of this.
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

Actually we have real good luck, the drywallers will put up the rock with just enough screws to hold the sheet in then do the do the routing.

Once the routing is done they finish screwing off the sheet, if done this way all is good.

Of course we do get some that are a little bent but they still do the job.

Here is a picture from the finish on the same job as above.

Drywall1.jpg
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

1900 a/k/a 4 square or 4"x4" box. Uses a mud ring to mount devices.

By the way, I was commenting on the neat cutout. Around here the tapers have to fill around nearly every cutout with about a pail full of compound so that the plate will cover. Seems also that the rockers here make the box fit their cutout location with a hammer if they are off rather than making the cutout where the box is. :mad: And no, I haven't seen any use a router in a long time.

-Hal
 
Re: Outlet Box Support

Hal we do get rockers like you describe too, but the majority of jobs look close to this.

We generally install at 48" so if they run the sheets sideways we get the bucket of mud in all switch boxes, that never really bothers me. I just try to get the switches in before the rugs do so we do not trash the rug with compound.
 
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