2xw studded walls. Multi-gang elec boxes.

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mh_doni49
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:53 pm
Location: Holts Summit, MO

My interior walls are 2x2 studded with 1/2 drywall. I wanted to do some wiring which will include putting 3 switches at one location and 4 at another location.

But I'm having difficulty finding shallow boxes that aren't single gang.

How have you dealt with this?

Edit: I misspoke. They're 2x3. I measured from back of drywall to back of drywall and it's right at 2".
Don I
Holts Summit, MO
(Central MO)
calderhill
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:37 pm
Location: Oneonta, NY

There is a reason you cannot find 2" shallow, multi-gang boxes. In the trade, shallow means 2 1/2" depth but more importantly there is code capacity for boxes as well as the practicality of fitting all those switch wires in such small boxes. Even if you could fit 2 1/2" boxes in, multi-gang, "old work" boxes do not exist. Time to re-design!
mh_doni49
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:53 pm
Location: Holts Summit, MO

Thanks for the reply. As far as "old work" goes, one of the walls will be new as I'm putting one in but it'll be directly across from an existing one.

I was going to build it with 2x2s to match it.
Don I
Holts Summit, MO
(Central MO)
calderhill
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:37 pm
Location: Oneonta, NY

Well, if you're going to build a new wall, why not use 2x3's and then you can find and fit in just about anything. A 2x3 wall gives you a usable in-wall depth of 2 1/2" plus the thickness of the face wallboard. How about a picture? I'm not understanding how you can see a wall "thickness" to one across from it. You can have every wall in a house a different thickness and never see the difference.
ponch37300
Posts: 622
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:12 pm
Location: wisconsin

If nothing else you can use metal gangable boxes to make a 3 gang and 4 gang boxes. These say they are 2 3/4" deep, http://www.homedepot.com/p/Raco-2-3-4-i ... /203634456. This is the contractor pack, I couldn't find the singles online but I'm sure they have them in the store.

Just make sure that you calculate box fill and don't over stuff the box. Also if you end up using a metal box make sure you ground it.
mh_doni49
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:53 pm
Location: Holts Summit, MO

It's a wall separates the LR & kitchen. I want a matching wall on the other side.

I typed 2x3 but my phone's auto correct changed it and I didn't notice until I saw that you said I should use 2x3 studs.

I had an opening in the existing wall because I was installing connected smoke alarm. While I had that opening, I stuck a tape measure in there and from the back of drywall on one side to the back of drywall on the other side is 2" then the drywall is 1/2" for an available depth of 2 1/2".
Don I
Holts Summit, MO
(Central MO)
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KLBoldon
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:02 pm

I got a 2 gang remodeler box for my 2x3 walls from menards.
calderhill
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:37 pm
Location: Oneonta, NY

So the inside of the wall is 2". That means the studs, or however the wall is built out, is not a standard size IE: 1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/2. If you build a wall to match, you would have to use 2x2's and add another 1/2" somehow before you put up your wallboard. You're still stuck with finding a 2 1/2" max depth box that will accommodate your wall so, as ponch37300 posted about building your own, go here http://www.hubbellcatalog.com/raco/RACO ... =RacoBoxes to start and look around the site. I would spend some time looking through the big box stores and see what I could find. You never know what might be on their shelves.
mh_doni49
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:53 pm
Location: Holts Summit, MO

Ok thanks anyway guys. Now that I'm having so much difficulty finding boxes to fit (at a reasonable price), I'm starting to seriously consider the possibility of making the existing wall thicker (with furring strips and additional drywall) so that I can build the new wall that will allow me to use normal boxes and have it still match the existing one.

I was able to find a source for shallow gangable boxes but that solution would require 2 end pieces and 2 middle pieces for each 4 gang box. The min order for each type is 25 units at $3 each ($3 x 2 type x 25 units = $150).
Don I
Holts Summit, MO
(Central MO)
calderhill
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 1:37 pm
Location: Oneonta, NY

I normally don't hang on to a thread this long but I knew I had seen those boxes somewhere. Local Home Depot has all the 1 1/2" and 2" boxes that my link showed, @ $2.39 each.
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