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Air Sealing of Electrical Boxes on exterior walls

5108 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  PerpetuallyRepairing
I have a 2x4 studded wall that I will be covering with 2" rigid foam boards. I was thinking of using face mounted electrical boxes on the drywall. I would feed the wires through cut outs in the foam and drywall, and into the box. I would seal the wire entrys on the back of the box using mastic? acrylic caulk?, then put the box against the drywall, tighten it against the drywall and caulk around it. Is this the best way?
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You could use wiremold boxes they are like $10.00 for 1. Would look the best. Or 4 square boves with rs covers
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..... I was thinking of using face mounted electrical boxes on the drywall.........
If you are going to use Wiremold boxes why not use the Wiremold surface mount channels to tie them together.

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It might be easier to look at using Icynene (sp) spray insulation and using regular boxes and wiring methods.

Someone had made nail-on boxes with a flanged gasket that sealed up on the back side of the drywall. Might have be a Canadien firm.

Check out this link.
http://www.lessco-airtight.com/
I think the route to go is the open cell spray foam insulation between the 2 x 4s. I would still want the 2" of foam board over the 2 x 4s to reduce thermal bridging. If the electrical boxes are not air sealed, this moves the air barrier to the spray foam. It would require sealing of the 2" foam board to the 2 x4 stud walls, which I should do anyway.

I appreciate the ideas for the other boxes and I will check them out at the store. At first glance they don't seem that much easier than sealing up a standard box. I will probably just stick with the standard surface mount boxes and not be so scrupulous about sealing. Thanks.
........... I will probably just stick with the standard surface mount boxes and not be so scrupulous about sealing. Thanks.
Perpetually, You used the wrong term.


surface mounted boxes look like
This:.
http://www.thefind.com/query.php?query=surface+mount+electrical+box,+Wiremold
.

Okay I got it. The boxes mount on the surface of the drywall. I've done this before on a soundproofed room using 4 square boxes with RS covers. You just have to seal the little hole the NM wires comes through the drywall. I will check them out at the hardware store. I hope the wife goes for the aesthetics.
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