I’m a homeowner doing an addition to my house, and doing alot of the work myself.
I would like to wire up all my electrical outlets, switches and lights prior to installing sheetrock. Just to make it easier to work after dark, and to confirm all my circuits were wired correctly.
Is this going to make it more difficult to install sheetrock?
Thanks in advance for any help/guidance.
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Replies
Yes, it will unless you get crappy outlets and devices and cut the ears off so you don't have to pull the device and stuff endwise back into the box for the sheetrock to clear. You're best off testing the switch legs by scotchlocking them together and using the cans if you have them to tell you have proper connections. Install only the bare number of outlets, cut the ears off. Use a tester to check the wiring.
But then again, it's only an addition, you could scrap out the earless devices and it wouldn't cost you that much. Don't install the dimmer switches or gfi's yet.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Welcome to BT...
You'll likely wind up removing or loosening receptacles, light fixtures, etc to hang the sheetrock but no major fundamental problems. If you haven't done this before, be sure to install boxes etc at the right depth. For wiring basics, get "Wiring a House" for example, a Taunton book, has good basic info...good luck and be careful!
PaulB
Buy a work light and an extension cord and save yourself alot of trouble. If they're not wired right odds are it's a matter of reworking what's in the box and not repulling wire. Unless you just don't have any confidence in your work.
4 days
Make sure you know the codes for positioning the boxes---height and spacing.
Get a book on wiring, basically it is simple---black to black, white to white, and green/bare to green/bare. Switches have the black wire connected to the two terminals on the switch and the white/white and ground/grounds connected with wire nuts.
There is a max amount of devices allowed on each circuit----and generally, lights and wall receptacles are on different circuits.
Faced with some great need or desire to get the lights on and some internal power on I have made up most of the boxes with wirenuts and stuff the wires into the back of the box. You only need make connections on those upstream of the devices you need to be live. Install devices, switches or receptacles, in just a few locations. Usually not more than one switch, fixture and receptacle per room or two.
You could put some tape over the devices to keep them clean but I would instead install some second hand or cheap units as beaters and install better quality ones later, once the walls are finished and at least primed. The beater devices you can break off the wings and tape over the screws so you can handle the live device more easily.
I would be tempted to avoid actually mounting the devices on the box. Hanging off the wires well outside the box you can dress the device to one side and finish the drywall on one side of the box, move it to the other side and smooth the other side. When mounting the drywall you can cut a hole in the approximate position, a couple of inches round should work, pull the live device through and get the wallboard tacked into position so it can be routed around the box for a nice fit.
Sounds like a pain but I have seen it done. And this complication is only needed on those few boxes you have devices hanging out of. Another reason to keep that count as low as possible.
Instead of the good quality fixtures get a few keyless fixtures, simple plastic sockets that takes a regular light bulb without any cover. These units are dirt cheap. These I would let hang from the wires so it is easier to finish and paint the ceiling around. If you get some mud or paint on them your not out much.
Drywall finishing will take some care so go a bit slow around the junction boxes. Wouldn't do to short the circuit out with the sharp edge of a trowel.
On most sites I don't bother with this sort of complication but given a lack, or unwillingness, to use drop lights and extension cords It is an option.
I would avoid the variation on this method I usually see. All or most devices mounted and the drywall ending up with great gaping holes near the electrical boxes. Either because they tried to fit the drywall around the device's wings and/or tried to produce the cutout for around the box before mounting the board in place. Seldom does it produce a fit around the box that is easy to do by loosely mounting the board and routing around the box.
This usually means the devices are not properly supported by the wall surface. They end up loose and poorly aligned with the wall. Some never look right. This sort of situation take a lot more time to work and less motivated electricians often, under pressure of time, take shortcuts and end up hanging the device off the cover plate.
The gaps also means the walls are less sealed and allow more air and noise to get through.
notning worst than cutting out a outlet in sheetrock and hitting a live wire
Edited 8/8/2005 9:26 pm ET by BROWNBAGG
Water pipe? Nah live wires worse. Actualy the breaker would probably trip, but the water doesn't trip.
4 days
Go ahead and use work lights for ceiling fixtures and install duplex plugs to make sure everything works right. But you will need to remove everything and turn off power before drywall is installed.
Tip: Use a more expensive duplex plug that you can back wire, then when it comes time to take out the receptacle, just loosen the screws and the plug drops off. Do not confuse this with back stabing a receptacle. The ones where you push in the wires and release them with a small screwdriver in the slot. Never use these holes.
You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
Will you be installing the sheetrock and will you be using a router for the receptacle boxes? If so, you want the wiring pushed deep into the boxes or the cut out tool will make a mess. Make sure you shut off the juice while hanging, electricity kills! My electrician has a bumper sticker that reads "electrical work isn't a hobby". Needing to confirm that the wiring is correct isn't a good sign.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Needing to confirm that the wiring is correct isn't a good sign
Lots of electricians check there own work (or employees work) by lighting up the circuits one at a time to make sure all circuits work as planed.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv