Whats wrong with a pancake box?

 

Nothing I suppose... I think you're only suppose to have the fixture and one set of 14g wires coming in right? My original plan was to have the power enter this fixture, and then go to the next and then to the switch, so I"d have to rearrange that... plus feeding the fixture first, so that would be 3 14g, plus the fixture wires....is that not too much even if I did change my plan?

 

I would keep it to one 14-2 , just change the wiring plan.

 

So with a pancake box, I don't notch the stud at all? It's meant to just go the drywall depth right?

 

Yes. Thats correct.

 

Move the stud.

 

Maybe an option.

 

Thanks Stickboy, thanks Brric.

Moving the stud... is difficult. THere is an intact room on the other side of the bathroom. So the plaster wall on the opposite side is still attached!

I'm guessing both of you think notching the stud is a *bad* idea? The pancake box might be promising....

 

I've notched my share of studs before, dont get me wrong, I just try to avoid it when possible.

 

Two inches to the right or left is not going to matter.

 

sure it will... why do you think it won't?

 

thanks mpoulton

gregzoll... are you saying appearance wise? Or functionality wise, aka, the plate will cover it?

 

Both. Use a Old work or a "Smart" box. No one will notice that it is a little to the left or right.

 

We use pancakes all the time, much more often than I'd like. Personally if it was up to me and time is no iissue, I'd prefer to notch the stud.

 

Hello,

I'm trying to center a lamp right over the middle of a sink,


Charlie

2" in either direction of center WILL be obvious to the eye.
Notch the stud. Put some side support studs in if your concerned about load.

 

Sbulime, no 2" will not be noticeable when it comes down to it. As for the pancake boxes, they make them so that you do not have to notch out the stud, you just have to cut the drywall to be able to secure the straps to both sides of the stud.

 

Sbulime, no 2" will not be noticeable when it comes down to it.

Good luck with that... lol...

 

Electricians are always notching studs that I put in. Some, note, gentlemen, I said "some", have no idea if it is load bearing or not, or how much they can cut out. At least they're not as crazy as some plumbers, who will cut out an entire section of stud to run a 3" line.

If you are absolutely sure this is non load bearing, ( and I should ask how you know it is not load bearing before I continue) there should be no problem in notching it. As long as you do not notch deeper than 40% of stud. In a 2x4 that's 1 7/16". And notch should be as low as possible.

Occasionally a stud will warp or bend if notched because of they way wood fibers of grain run and inter-mesh. If the wall is open on this side, you said you could sister the stud so I assume it is, it would be best to put in a new or couple of new studs on each side of notched one, rather than notched sisters.

 

Thanks notmrjohn,

I guess I don't know 100% that it is not load bearing. It runs perpendicular to an outside (obviously load bearing) and an interior non load bearing hallway wall. I assume the hallway is not load bearing becuase the otherside of the hallway appears to be, becuase it runs down through the house all the way to the basement on what I believe are load bearing walls. Now, there are several of these perpendicular walls, in each of the rooms along the hallway. Only two of them have walls on the main floor beneath. Is it safe to assume then that bathroom wall is not load bearing since there isn't anything underneath it?

Im ok with adding studs on either side as well. Other than having to run piping through them!

 

I have used this fan rated box for wall mounted fixtures:

It has 13.5 cu in and will allow the use of (2) 12-2 cables. It installs just like a pancake with no cutting of the stud required.

 

Sbulime, no 2" will not be noticeable when it comes down to it. As for the pancake boxes, they make them so that you do not have to notch out the stud, you just have to cut the drywall to be able to secure the straps to both sides of the stud.

Maybe not in your bathroom .......
What if the wall he's dealing with is say, 20" in width?
You will see it.

 

In my bath, our fixture is offset, and when you look at it, you cannot tell, unless you really look hard.

 

I haven't run into RJ's box before.
But a similar idea is a fan rated saddle box.

 

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...+box+electrical&view=detail&id=A964ECF3393E9F159C16A7D26EC46EE3175AB5C4&first=1

Far simpler then notching.

 

Joe,

That pancake with an internal clamp will not even allow a single 14-2 and meet box fill.

 

Hello,

I was wondering, not sure if it's a local code thing or not, if a non-load bearing stud can be notched for a light box on a wall? I'm trying to center a lamp right over the middle of a sink, and unfortunately, there is a stud right there. SO I was wondering if it's ok to notch it enough to put the box basically in the stud? I know there are those pancake boxes, but would rather not do that. I can/will sister the stud just in case...

Other options are offsetting the box and getting a light fixture with a large enough wall plate to cover it, but Id rather not unless notching the stud really isn't to code or a good idea.

THoughts/opinions/advice? Thanks in advance....

Charlie

Depends on what type of light you ate installing. I you are using a light where there is a mounting plate (the length of your fixture) you can mark your centre mark on your mounting plate and drill a hole through the plate and put a plastic bushing in it and mount your fixture with toggle bolts

 

The problem with a pancake is they are only 6 cu in, enough for a single 14-2. If you have a single 20 amp circuit for the bath (lights and recept), you can not connect a single 12-2 to a pancake (and meet code).

 

rjniles and oso954, those are interesting boxes... I wonder if those are code up here in Ontario, as I was planning on getting it inspected even though I was doing it myself. Thats actually a neat idea.

I have a 14g circuit for the lights and bath fan, and a 14g for the recepticals. SOooo I could change my wiring plan to make use of the pancake.

THanks for everyone's input, this site is great!

 

How close to the edge of the stud is center?

 

Unfortunately, it's almost dead center on the stud. I can shift left or right a bit based on moving the vanity a bit in either direction.

 

Then use the box pictures in post#26 and be done with it.

 

If you can move the vanity that is fine. Easier to do that, than move a stud. Persoanlly the pancake box is going to be te quickest and easiset solution.

 

Unfortunately, it's almost dead center on the stud. I can shift left or right a bit based on moving the vanity a bit in either direction.

Nail a new stud along side of the existing stud then notch the existing stud and install box on the new stud right where the notch is.

 

If the space isnt finished, this would clearly be the answer. I think the space is finished already though.

 

they make a ceiling box that will stradle a stud

 

Two styles are shown in post #23 and 26.