Wiremold

Joethemechanic

Joethemechanic

Senior Member
Location
Hazleton Pa
Occupation
Electro-Mechanical Technician. Industrial machinery
Being pretty much all I ever did was commercial/industrial I never worked with the stuff. I actually never liked it because it seems like every time I encounter it, the install left a lot to be desired. But anyway I have to install some lighting and it looks like the best option. I don't even know all the manufactures of raceway like that are. Does anyone have a good reference hopefully a website where I can educate myself on what boxes, fittings, raceway, fastening clips are available and what works with what. It's only some 20 amp 120 volt circuits, but I need to get a material list together
 
Legrand owns the Wiremold brand and there probably your only real choice since they've pretty much cornered the market for surface raceways. Look through their catalog. The raceways that you're probably interested in are the 500 and 700 series. They used to make a 200 series but I'm not sure if that's still available. The smaller the number the smaller the raceway. The 200 series was great due to its low profile. IMO the larger you go the uglier it gets. Over the years I've installed miles of this stuff.


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A long, long time ago my girlfriend broke up with me over that stuff. She didn't have any receptacles along her kitchen counter. She didn't want to cut the sheetrock or pay a lot of money, so I suggested Wiremold. Easy job, take it from the existing refrigerator receptacle, around a corner to two new receptacles. So, I do it while she's at work and when she comes home, she takes one look and says get out! That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen!

She still owes me $42.

-Hal
 
Once you get into it its real easy.

The boxes have a plate that gets mounted first, wire mold gets snapped into it.

There are inside and outside corners, and other specialty fittings for different situations.

The raceway itself gets mounted with clips.

I always cut mine with a handheld bandsaw, then file the cut end.
 
I'll tell you I'm not really sold on the look of the wiremold. I almost want to use bell boxes and EMT, I think it might even be cheaper, not to mention I have about 200 feet of 3/4. It's 10 foot ceilings with hanging barn lights. The hanging lights kind of take your eye off of anything above them anyway
 
Just installed 5 lengths under cabinets. Aside from laying on my back :) the whole time, the paint is very thin. Not sure why it can't be a bit more resilient. Do yourself a favor and forget their wire connectors and just use the Wago splice connectors. They fit well and you don't need extra hands.
 
Little Bill said:
I like the plastic WM better than the metal. Easier to cut and just looks better.
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The house I grew up in had wooden wiremold in the summer kitchen, and E26 wall "receptacles" (sockets?) for connecting appliances. We even had a fan with an E26 "plug" out there. You had to give the cord a couple of reverse twists before you screwed the plug in.
Our summer home in the mountains was just as antique, plus it had a party line phone. Damn I must be getting old
 
I have installed my share of wiremold over the years. Looks better if you can use the supports that slide into back of the 500 & 700 series with think #8 flat head screws. Started out using a hacksaw with at least 32 teeth per inch but a cordless small bandsaw is now the best choice. Have a few 6" flat & round files to debur cut pieces. I prefer to use stranded THWN wire. Back in the day was fun installing solid #12 type TW wire thru it. Used an EMT bender to make bends & offsets in it. Think it was the FHA that made home sellers have at least two receptacles in every little row homes so we would install #200 wiremold to another wall and install a receptacle.
 
hbiss said:
A long, long time ago my girlfriend broke up with me over that stuff. She didn't have any receptacles along her kitchen counter. She didn't want to cut the sheetrock or pay a lot of money, so I suggested Wiremold. Easy job, take it from the existing refrigerator receptacle, around a corner to two new receptacles. So, I do it while she's at work and when she comes home, she takes one look and says get out! That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen!
Click to expand...

With that type of appreciation it’s probably the best $42 you’ve ever spent.

Sounds like it could have cost you hundreds of thousands years later if she’d stuck around.

Sometimes the least expected things can have the biggest positive impact.
 
ActionDave said:
It's the worst option. Don't do it. Expensive. Pain to install. You will make a dozen trips back to the store to get another part so you can finish the two hour job that is now taking forty hours.
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Yeah and when I looked out in the shop I have all the stuff to do it in EMT and bell boxes, I just might be short a couple of boxes I have to count how many I have. Shame I can't do it in 1900 deep boxes, I must have a fetish for them or something, I must have about 100 of them I don't remember buying
 
I have used it some most of it the #500. it had its advantages.

I had and old two family that was a rental property and the second floor needed receptacles. Had wide like 6" wood baseboard. Old plaster and wood lathe.

Balloon framing. I drilled a hole through the baseboard and shoved a string with a weigh into the hole. It landed on the basement floor. Pulled up some 14/2 and ran the Wire mold around on the baseboard.

Cutting holes and fishing wire and patching takes time
 
I really wanted it to look like this when it's done (Less the Roman Eagles), but I'm about 2/3 short on floor space and short a few dollars, so I'll just have to settle.

88156369-10-jpg_231542.jpg
 
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