wood or no wood for service panel

[dm9289]

In my area that has basements it is common practice to put a large piece of plywood on the wall before attaching service panel.
1.It gives you an area to attach romex
2.It gives you a slight barrier with the block wall incase its wet

Is there any other reason to use or not use plywood as a backer, as many know wood is getting very expensive.

Thank you for your input

 

[GoldDigger]

You can, I think, use an OSB or fiberboard panel instead of plywood, with the caveat that you have to be careful setting your screws to avoid stripping out the wood.
Whether there are any plastic or composite panels that might be suitable but still cost less, I do not know.

Local inspectors might make specific judgement calls based on local precedent.

 

[dm9289]

You can, I think, use an OSB or fiberboard panel instead of plywood, with the caveat that you have to be careful setting your screws to avoid stripping out the wood.
Whether there are any plastic or composite panels that might be suitable but still cost less, I do not know.

Local inspectors might make specific judgement calls based on local precedent.

It was just something i always see at one supply store they sell precut pieces. I do not believe there is a code issue either way. I find it nice to use but thought maybe someone had a situation where it helped or hurt their project.
I like the look of the clean plywood but prices as they are my guess is in my area we will start seeing less of it.

 

[grich]

My 45-year-old house has its' 100A panel mounted on the countertop scrap made when the sink hole was cut out.

I added a subpanel a few years ago. That is mounted on the replacement countertop's sink cut-out. Might as well be consistent.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

In my area that has basements it is common practice to put a large piece of plywood on the wall before attaching service panel.
1.It gives you an area to attach romex
2.It gives you a slight barrier with the block wall incase its wet

Is there any other reason to use or not use plywood as a backer, as many know wood is getting very expensive.

Thank you for your input

You could use ledger board (rough sawn wood). It is cheaper the plywood but you may want 2X stock to back it up.

 

[James L]

You don't have to have any substance behind the panel, only moisture barrier. Air is a suitable barrier.

I have, in the past, mounted a panel using (4) ½" chase nipples around tapcons as spacers. Then a 1x4 on the concrete above it to strap the entrance cable and NM cables

 

[Buck Parrish]

A couple pieces of 2x6 works better. Tapcons holding the wood on the blocks. Then the wood screws holding the panel on. Then you'll have a inch and a half thickness of wood to screw to.

 

[infinity]

We use plywood because it makes strapping the cables easy. That's enough of a reason to offset any cost of the wood.

 

[Electromatic]

One AHJ near me requires something behind the panel if mounted on an exterior basement wall. They don't consider the 1/4" bumpouts of the panel mounting holes sufficient. I would regularly get a pre-cut quarter sheet of pressure treated plywood from one of the box stores. Recently, because of price and availability, I've gotten pressure treated 1x6s and cut them into a couple of panel-length strips.

 

[LarryFine]

I have, in the past, mounted a panel using (4) ½" chase nipples around tapcons as spacers.

I hate to waste good parts like that. I would rather use something like 1/4x20 nuts as spacers.

 

[Little Bill]

The house I just finished had the main panel in the basement. There was some 2x12 lumber left over. I "cabbaged" a couple of them and put them side by side. Panel fit perfect on these. Someone even left some anchors that I used to mount the boards!
I'm not so much concerned about moisture from the block walls, I prefer some type of backer so that I have a way of strapping the conductors.

 

[augie47]

We always used painted plywood where we mounted panels to block. To me, looked neater and provided ease for stapling and mounting associated equipment (timers, communication blocks , etc).
I have had inspectors request the plywood be painted with fire resistant paint. Don't know if that was actually "Code" but since I paint them it was easy to comply.

 

[kwired]

I hate to waste good parts like that. I would rather use something like 1/4x20 nuts as spacers.

Scrap pieces of PVC or EMT work great as well.

 

[kwired]

I seldom put anything behind panels. Old house with extreme uneven bricks or ones in poor condition are the better candidates. If walls are always wet, I don't even want to put wood on it, especially OSB or plywood.

New construction, there is a serious problem if the wall is wet and the house is past enclosing, roofing stage, etc.

Attaching cables? I have many times mounted panel to concrete wall, and attached say a 2x4 twelve inches above the panel to drive staples into. Usually don't cost me anything for that 2x4 as there will be scraps on site. If not I usually have some scraps around the shop for things like this as well as for other various tasks like temporary blocking to support something, a buffer between something you don't want to beat up as you try to move it with a hammer, etc.

 

[gadfly56]

Some jurisdictions (NYC?) require the board to be treated with a fire resistant coating or fire resistant paint. Fire alarm panels are generally not allowed to be mounted directly to an exterior basement wall, per the manufacturer's installation instructions.

 

[steve66]

You can, I think, use an OSB or fiberboard panel instead of plywood, with the caveat that you have to be careful setting your screws to avoid stripping out the wood.
Whether there are any plastic or composite panels that might be suitable but still cost less, I do not know.

Local inspectors might make specific judgement calls based on local precedent.

If this goes in a basement, or somewhere that might be damp, building codes might require something treated.

 

[James L]

If this goes in a basement, or somewhere that might be damp, building codes might require something treated.

I don't think they do, unless there's something local.

 

[Frank DuVal]

I use scrap treated (whatever I find) behind the OSB (no one buys plywood around here) panel. If enough room, I also like to put insulation behind the OSB. Of course, there is no scrap insulation on site since the box has to be up before OK to insulate inspection....

 

[RWC/NC.]

We always used painted plywood where we mounted panels to block. To me, looked neater and provided ease for stapling and mounting associated equipment (timers, communication blocks , etc).
I have had inspectors request the plywood be painted with fire resistant paint. Don't know if that was actually "Code" but since I paint them it was easy to comply.

As remembering, in State of N.Carolina on a large commercial project (yrs ago) believe the sheets of lumber being used as "mounting backboards" for electrical equipment, were required to be "fire treated" by means of paint, or other forms of treatment in requirements of "fire treated". In remembeing several telephone rooms @ the certain facility, where was within our electrical scope, in supplying and hanging these treated backboards in the said discribed rooms.
I gave it a shot in trying "pin-point" the requirement in document of N.C Fire 3704, Chapter 8 / Section 803.1.2.1. & 803.4.. Which refers you to NFPA 703. I`ve currently run aground @ moment, in following this out further.

 

[bh08742]

You can buy "fire rated" plywood. It is sometimes spec'd on commercial jobs for backboards. When you paint it, you don't paint over the fire rated label so any inspector (usually fire) can see the rating