Suggestions for replacing boxes in brick

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fourteen/two

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Had a job today replacing receptacles and covers on exterior brick. The receptacle screws broke off flush with the box. I tried drilling out the remaining screw, but had no luck. Tapping a new screwhole in the box just caused the fiberglass box to fall apart.

My idea is to use a smart box with some tapcons and hope it mounts in the brick.

My question is Has anyone come up with any good solutions to this problem?
 
fourteen/two said:
Had a job today replacing receptacles and covers on exterior brick. The receptacle screws broke off flush with the box. I tried drilling out the remaining screw, but had no luck. Tapping a new screwhole in the box just caused the fiberglass box to fall apart.

My idea is to use a smart box with some tapcons and hope it mounts in the brick.

My question is Has anyone come up with any good solutions to this problem?
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Sounds like you got a great solution.
 
low expanding spray foam works great for keeping boxes in place. Just make sure to put painters tape abound box for any foam that oozes out
 
I used construction adhesive with great results. At worst maybe I had to wedge something inbetween to hold it until it hardened. They use that stuff for block 1/2 walls in landscaping all the time. Never seen those come apart.

I thought about angle drilling a tapcon in place in the same situation. Seems like it would be very difficult if not impossable.

Also if it's just a vaneer brick there may be something elce to screw into.
 
fourteen/two said:
Had a job today replacing receptacles and covers on exterior brick. The receptacle screws broke off flush with the box. I tried drilling out the remaining screw, but had no luck. Tapping a new screwhole in the box just caused the fiberglass box to fall apart.

My idea is to use a smart box with some tapcons and hope it mounts in the brick.

My question is Has anyone come up with any good solutions to this problem?
Click to expand...

Plastic box, 2 screws out the back with plastic anchors (I've had bad luck with the Tap-cons on brick), perhaps silicone. That is how electrical is installed in foam / concrete homes.
 
Brick can be pretty brittle, and some times really hard.
I spent HOURS coring a hole at my previous house, it would have gone much better in concrete than it did in the brick.
Old brick (turn of the century stuff) can be too soft for most anchors.

I'd try an adhesive route. As mentioned that foam is amazing, and SS screws in a plastic box will make life MUCH easier next time around.

Doug S.
 
I know it isn't much help now, but when I break a screw off in a fiber box, usually because the taper filled the holes with durabond, I widdle the fiberglass around the screw with my knife. Then put my pliers on it and back it out. Hasn't failed me yet.
 
StreamlineGT said:
I know it isn't much help now, but when I break a screw off in a fiber box, usually because the taper filled the holes with durabond, I widdle the fiberglass around the screw with my knife. Then put my pliers on it and back it out. Hasn't failed me yet.
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Of course, this case was outdoors; my guess is rust.
 
fourteen/two said:
Had a job today replacing receptacles and covers on exterior brick. The receptacle screws broke off flush with the box. I tried drilling out the remaining screw, but had no luck. Tapping a new screwhole in the box just caused the fiberglass box to fall apart.

My idea is to use a smart box with some tapcons and hope it mounts in the brick.

My question is Has anyone come up with any good solutions to this problem?
Click to expand...
Yes use metal boxes next time in masonary!!
 
BLACK4TRUCK said:
ONLY if you use SS screws to hold fixture bar
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I would not bother with the stainless unless it was a special situation.

SS does not rust. But many of the hardware store SS fasteners are made of a junk grade metal no stronger than a SS fork. They look nice. Gauling is an issue with a small amount of dirt. If subject to large tempiture swings the SS expands at different rates than mild steel distorting the threads. Finely drilling out a SS fastener if broken may not go well. Drilling a fastener stuck in a softer metal is difficult because the bit will want to walk to the soft metal.

Just use a good hardware / supply house screw. Not device screws (they seem softer) or the ones that come with most fixtures (junk metal, metric).

I have drilled out plenty of box screws that broke. Most of the time it is from the installer crossthreading, wrong screw, screw bent, or screw that is a few inches too long. If your worried about rust throw a dab of any greasy substance like deox on it.
 
I've used masonry boxes (similar to a metal wall case, only no extraneous holes and with the screw flange turned into the box). If you do it that way using brass screws it should be easy to replace even if the screw breaks off (just punch it out and clean the threads or retap for a larger size screw).
 
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