Side Bracket Box Supporting Fixture

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DSamson

DSamson

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San Francisco, CA
I've learned the trade mostly on the job, very little formal classroom work. In a residential setting, one of the things I was taught was never use a side bracket box at a ceiling fixture location, use a hanger bar instead. (My mentor was never too forthcoming with specifics.) Well, I hate hanger bars, they're tough to set at a level depth for drywall and I think you end up with pretty flimsy support for the fixture. I'd much rather use a side bracket box.

Can anyone tell me if there's any particular prohibition on this?

I checked RACO's website / catalog, they list "lighting fixtures" "in ceilings" as one of the "applications for a side bracket box.

Thanks, really appreciate this valuable rescource.
 
DSamson said:
I've learned the trade mostly on the job, very little formal classroom work. In a residential setting, one of the things I was taught was never use a side bracket box at a ceiling fixture location, use a hanger bar instead. (My mentor was never too forthcoming with specifics.) Well, I hate hanger bars, they're tough to set at a level depth for drywall and I think you end up with pretty flimsy support for the fixture. I'd much rather use a side bracket box.

Can anyone tell me if there's any particular prohibition on this?
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Depends on the weight of the fixture. If you're hanging a fixture in a hallway that's never going to have a ceiling fan or chandelier, you can use a side bracket box.
 
The only time I use a bar hanger box is when the box has to be in a certain exact spot and I'm too lazy to cut a block. I use T-bar hanger bars on dropped ceilings, because that's the normal thing to do. In every other instance, I use a bracket box for ordinary fixtures. The brown Union 4070-N is my normal box for the ceiling when using NM cable. http://www.tnb.com/ps/fulltilt/index.cgi?part=4070N
 
Whats so hard about cutting a 22 1/2 piece of 2x4 ? Your never sure what fixture will show up on trim.Have had some want chandeliers in bathrooms.Be prepaired for anything.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
Whats so hard about cutting a 22 1/2 piece of 2x4 ? .
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nothing

Jim W in Tampa said:
Your never sure what fixture will show up on trim.Have had some want chandeliers in bathrooms.Be prepaired for anything.
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True. That sounds like an oportunity for a change order. Cha-ching. $
 
I always try to locate the ceiling fixtures in a geometric pattern. If it's a square room, it will usually go in the center. If the ceiling joists are not in the right spot, like Jim W, I will cut a 2x4 block and install it between the joists, and mount the box to that.
I rarely use the slide brackets because you never know what's going to be hanging from that box in the end.
As stated "Be prepared for anything".
Of course your plans, job schedule and budget may dictate that you get it up quick, regardless of the exact placement and at the lowest cost.
There's always scrap lumber and nails laying around on the jobs that I do, so the material is priced right.
One thing that I hate to see is a light fixture that's out of place because the electrician nailed the box to the closest joist instead of centering it up.
The fixture will always be where you place it. I don't want someone asking themselves (or me) in the future..."Why didn't the electrician center that light when he installed it"? To me, it's just a part of doing a good job.
steve
 
Having a lightweight 7-1/2" "chop" miter saw and a Passload gas powered framing nail gun on the truck is a must for me. Blocking is a snap and takes me no time at all. Hard part is super cleaned up jobsites, can't find any scrap, but I prefer those jobsites anyway.
 
I use a Reiker fan box for all ceiling mount light locations. At less than $7.00 it is cheap insurance in the event a ceiling fan or a heavy chand is chosen to hang there. Blocking is okay, but if you mount a steel side bracket box on the blocking is it rated for mounting a fan?
 
amptech said:
Blocking is okay, but if you mount a steel side bracket box on the blocking is it rated for mounting a fan?
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It is if it's rated for mounting a fan. ;)



Edit: (And you attach it properly.)
 
Larry,
Not all, actually only a few, octagon boxes with side brackets are listed for ceiling fan mounting. My reference wasn't questioning the blocking, but rather the box itself.
 
"All the ceiling fan rated metal boxes I have seen use 10/24 not standard 8/32 screws"

My supply house has a fan rated box on a bar hangar with rotating cams, turn them one way and they accept #10 screws, turn them the other way for #8s. They are only $7. Put them anywhere you thing they may want a fan and run 14/3. Then, when they ask for the change order, all you have to change is the bill.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
Nails on a job site ? Your joking right.Maybe a stick of them if you want to peel them off.
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Been there, done that.
I also carry a box with a assortment of different sized nails on the truck.
Sometimes I pull out the row of nails that missed the stud when the framer shot them...just kidding.
I was drilling thru a floor plate the other day and the wall moved... no nails. Of course there were enough nails in the other parts of the wall to frame a whole room.
It seems like nail guns have caused the usage of nails to go up and the quality of the construction to go down. Just my opinion.
steve
 
hillbilly said:
It seems like nail guns have caused the usage of nails to go up and the quality of the construction to go down. Just my opinion.
steve
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BINGO! People don't have to think where they put nails anymore because it's not that hard to put one somewhere.
 
If you guy's don't like my nailgun then turn in your cordless drill because real manly men in the past didn't use those either. As for me I'm busy making fast real cash getting the jobs done hyper quick. The bracket boxes are the fastest, but sometimes the joist spacing is not friendly to that, or else I need to mount a fan box out in the middle of the space. Thats when my framer comes out. 6 seconds later I'm done and you purists are still searching the floor for nails to straiten out.
 
macmikeman said:
"If you guy's don't like my nailgun then turn in your cordless drill because real manly men in the past didn't use those either".

What cordless? I still use a brace and bit and have to shave twice a day.
A electrician carries a nail gun? That's a good one (to me anyway).
Air driven or gas powered?
steve
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hillbilly said:
macmikeman said:
"If you guy's don't like my nailgun then turn in your cordless drill because real manly men in the past didn't use those either".
Click to expand...

What cordless? I still use a brace and bit and have to shave twice a day.
A electrician carries a nail gun? That's a good one (to me anyway).
Air driven or gas powered?
steve
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Cordless electric, whenever possible. Otherwise, air. Fortunately, using a nailgun isn't a threat to my manhood. :cool:

Men are weird.
 
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