Instaling An Outside Outlet

JAVAMAN

I LIVE IN A BRICK CAPE COD HOUSE WITH PLASTER WALLS. THERE IS ONLY ONE OUTSIDE PLUG IN MY ENTIRE YARD. HOW EASY IS IT TO INSTAL A OUTSIDE OUTLET? i WANN PUT UP CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND THE ONLY OUTSIDE PLUGG IS IN THE BACK YARD. ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? THANKS

nap

do you have a basement, crawlspace, or slab foundation?

Stubbie

Flush mounted in the brick or just receptacles mounted to a short stem of conduit coming out of the ground?

JAVAMAN

I Have A Basement And I Would Kinda Like The Flush Mounted On The Brick.

Stubbie

Ok so your wanting something like this?

JAVAMAN

yeah that looks about right

Stubbie

Ok it requires proper location by that I mean you have to get a wire to the backside of the brick. That is just a matter of good measuring and finding the least amount of damage route getting there or the most amount of damage getting there but the easiest.....

You will have to make a series of drill holes using a good quailty mason 3/8" or so bit. And as you can tell you will need the proper template drawn on the brick. I like to use a tapcon bit about 1/8" first this will generally make a nicer cut out for the box if that doesnt work then enlarge with a 3/8 masonery.You may opt for just trying to take a whole brick out but be sure you have the correct clearance then you will just mortar the box back in. Anyway once the holes are bored in a rectangle you take a masonry chisel and using a hammer carefully remove the inner rectangle of brick. The rest is pretty self explanatory. It isn't going to look pretty at first but it all comes together in the end. Try not to be to perfect too small is worse than a little to large for the template.

nap

that particular box is an Arlington product.

Arlington's "InBox"

stubbie got you the hole in the wall but you need to get the wire up into the box. With a basement, that makes it a bit easier.

Do you know the structure of the wall? Wood framed, block, double or triple layered brick (some old old homes were built in this manner).

So, hopefully it is a wood framed wall. If so, when cutting in for the box, you may need to cut through the plywood sheathing as well (you will need a hole in it anyway). Measure from some reference point that you can use both in the basement and outside. Then, you will need to drill through the bottom plate of the wall directly under where you cut the hole in the brick. You should then be able to use a stiff wire (coat hanger) to poke from the bottom up (or vice versa). use this to pull the wire to the box cutout. Pull it into the box and mount the box to the wall and finish the install.

If the inner wall is CMU or brick, it changes the level of work.]

Let us know what the wall build is.

JAVAMAN

the walls inside are plaster then a empty space with insulation then the brick. with i am guessing wooden studs, house was built in 1952 or 53

nap

if you have plaster on wood studs, that is about the easiest you can get. You should be able to access the sill plate and dril upwards and outwards sp as to get in to the call cavity or the cavity between the wall and the brick.

sounds like you are good to go.

any more questions?

jogr

You might even be able to go straight through the rim joist in the basement if it is high enough above the outside grade level and avoid going through the sill plate altogether.