Electrical before drywall?

bkeech

I am working on finishing my basement and since my Dad was in town and is an electrician, he helped me do all the electrical. Now I am wondering how to do the drywall with the little part of metal from the outlets that stick out? Book I have shows doing final electrical connections after drywall.

Should I disconnect all the electrical outlets and do the drywall?

jaros bros.

Yes, disconnect all the outlets and wire nut them and shove them back into the outlets. This will allow you to properly install the drywall. A rotozip works great for trimming around the outlets.

Josh Jaros

wirenut1110

Works well with mutilating the insulation on the wire too. When not done with care.

KE2KB

It looks so easy on HGTV

FW

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ponch37300

It depends on how you plan on cutting out your holes for the outlets. If you are using a rotozip you should disconnect the wires and shove them deep in the box. If you are just using a hand drywall saw you can simply unscrew the outlets from the box and push them threw the holes in the drywall as you slide the drywall in place. And then screw the outlets back in and put a piece of tape over the outlets when you paint.

J. V.

Don't use a router or rotary tool if you have plastic boxes. You will not have any box left. I knew an old timer who would put some lipstick on the outer front edge of the box. Then he would position the drywall over the box and push it up against the box. This left a outline of the box on the back of the dry wall. He would then cut it out, and put it up.

Bob Mariani

A measuring tape works well for this too>

jaros bros.

A rotary tool works great on plastic boxes. You just have to go the right direction around the box. I've never had a problem. You need to go counter clockwise with a rotozip, this way it follows the box. Don't set it too deep or it will cut through. It's much faster and more professional to use a rotozip. Just set the bit to the right depth, set a couple of screws into the sheetrock away from the box to hold it in place and drop through into the center of the box using previous measurements. Then move to the outside, pull out, and drop back in on the other side and move counterclockwise around the box.
Some people still use the chaulk, lipstick, lead pencil, etc which IMPOV leaves me scratching my head...but if you only had a couple outlets or didn't have a rotozip would make sense.

Josh Jaros

ponch37300

If you use the guide point bits you can use a rotozip with plastic boxes. I have done it many times and all the local drywallers do it everyday in houses. You have to use lite pressure. If you are having to push you are doing something wrong and will eventually push your way threw the box. If you use the guide point tips it will ride right around the box.

II Weeks

this OP sounds like Johnny Homeowner. He's not going to go out and buy a roto zip for a few outlets.

Shut down the circuits in the room. Use a level (Most are 2" wide, same width as the box) and level down to the floor and mark the floor. Then measure the hieght and write that down. Take out and tape the outlets if theyre not done so all ready. Push one end of the out let into the box as much as possible and rock over it but and screw it off just enough to hold the sheet rock and then do your cut with a knife and your done. Easy.

220/221

Just turn off power, unscrew the outlets and bend them horizontally out of your way. No need to remove them if you cut the holes before installing the drywall.

Measure twice. You want the plaster ears to land ON the drywall for a tight secure installation.