DIY Electrical Outlets

[alm0stk00l]

I am trying to replace the outlets in my house and I am having a hard time. I was hoping someone could eyeball the pictures I have attached and give me some advice. For this particular outlet, I had to swap out the gang box because the previous the screw holes on the previous one were completely stripped and would not hold the outlet in place. While switching, the photo is what I ended up with. It looks to me as if the hole is a little to big for the new box; however, I am willing to concede that I just did not put the box in correctly.

If you do notice an issue with the picture, I would appreciate any "easy" ideas to fix it, as well as, the "right" way to fix it.

Thanks for the help!

Edit - the outlet is not horizontal, it just looks as if my pictures turned out side ways :)

[MDM]

What exactly is it that want to fix? 

If I had to guess it would be that the receptacle is not parallel to the main axis of the hole.  Question would then be "is the box not flush with the stud, or is the hole itself tilted?"

The "obvious" thing is that the cover plate is missing...?

[Gibbelstein]

I think you're right, and the hole is just a bit too big.  If I remember these boxes correctly, the little plastic 'wings' fold up on the top and bottom, right (as opposed to the sides)?  If that is the case, you might try holding the box in the center of the hole, as opposed to letting it sit on the bottom the way it is, so that both wings can catch approximately equally.  If it feels secure enough that way, I'd be tempted to leave it as is and just be mindful of it when using that outlet.  However, judging by the pink disney poster, is this a kids' room?  If things feel a bit too loose to you or you suspect they, being, you know, children, might not handle it very gingerly, you might also try a  different remodel/old work outlet box.  Take a tape measure, and if you find one closer to the size of the hole, it should fit better. 

Another option is "F" straps. (like these: https://www.platt.com/platt-electric-supply/Metallic-Box-Accessories-Supports/Appleton/896/product.aspx?zpid=214019
)   The idea is that the left bar (when holding the piece like a letter F) goes inside the wall and gets pulled tight against the drywall, and the two parallel pieces fold into the box to hold it in place.  It's awkward to describe, but it seems to work. 

Hope this helps!
Chris

[Greg]

If the box is secure in the hole, just get an oversized wall plate and be done. 

But, if the box is not secure, try adjusting the position as suggested or, if there is a stud on one side or the other, use screws through the side of the box into the stud.  Once secure, use spray foam to fill the gap and then when that's dry and cut flush if needed, install an oversized wall plate.

[flyhyr]

Spray foam is the quick and easy fix here. Use it liberally to anchor that box in the wall. Trim the excess foam flush with the wall after it has dried. Then put a cover plate on it and call it good.   

Next time the box has screw holes that are stripped, just buy bigger diameter machine screws. You can get the kind that are self-tapping and will create their own threads as they go in. It will save you a lot of work by since you won't have to replace the box


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[paddedhat]

Yep, the hole is WAY too big. As other mentioned, if you run into the screw issue again, and it's a plastic box, just switch to a #8 x 1" sheet metal screw. If you decide to install another old work box, like this one, they need to be cut extremely neatly and tight to function.  The way to do it is to use the box as a template. Place the box on the drywall, with the opening on the wall. Trace the sides, and the top and bottom of the box, NOT the flange. Now flip the box around and take a good look at it. If you traced everything, the cutout area for the screws and plastic "flippers" is drawn on the wall backwards, be sure to correct this before you cut.
If you removed a box that was attached to a stud, there is another way to fix this mess. Remove the box you installed. Now take a blue, single gang nail on style box, and use a hacksaw to cut the nail flanges off. Drill two 1/4" holes in the side of the box, about an inch in from the front of the opening. Hold the box flush to the drywall surface and use two drywall screws, through the side of the box, to secure it to the stud.  Using this technique and a "midway" cover plate, which is oddly enough midway between a standard sized plate and a jumbo, will hide the oversized hole.

[lthenderson]

I would not anchor the box using foam. You would have to sit there holding the box while the foam expands and cures to keep it in place. Also, with time, repeated pressure of plugging something in will compress the foam anchoring it in place and you will end up with a wobbling box and now you have a real mess to deal with to fix it.

I would anchor it to the stud that it most likely was attached to (assuming it was part of the original construction) like the previous post said. You can then fill in the remaining gap with spackle. If it can't be attached to a stud, the best fix would be to pull the box out and cut a patch of drywall to fit the opening. I will use hot glue or something to temporarily hold the patch in place while I apply a mesh over the area and re-mud and texture the area. Then you can cut the hole to proper size and install your box correctly.

[bortman]

The hole looks too big, but I don't think you need to use expanding foam or spackle.

I've replaced many loose recepticle boxes using f-straps with metal boxes as well as old work boxes with flip-out wings. These options are less than ideal, IMO.

A couple weeks back, at Menard's, I came across a screw-in old-work box, as pictured in this stack exchange thread.

I replaced a loose 2-gang box with one of these and it's very secure.

This, along with an oversized unbreakable wall plate should do the trick for you.

One might be tempted to take any plastic box and screw it to an adjacent stud, but this would likely violate code and, due to the shape of those boxes, wouldn't rest flat against the stud.

[Noahjoe]

Did you use an "old work" box? It looks like no. Old work boxes have wings on the side that you tighten against the drywall instead of nail/screwing into a stud. How did you attach the box?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Steel-City-1-Gang-Steel-Old-Work-Gangable-Box-Case-of-16-CDOWTG-16R/202596375

[Spork]

Did you use an "old work" box? It looks like no. Old work boxes have wings on the side that you tighten against the drywall instead of nail/screwing into a stud. How did you attach the box?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Steel-City-1-Gang-Steel-Old-Work-Gangable-Box-Case-of-16-CDOWTG-16R/202596375

It looks like old work box to me.  I see the little "wing screws."

[paddedhat]

A couple weeks back, at Menard's, I came across a screw-in old-work box, as pictured in this stack exchange thread.

This is an excellent idea that is not available everywhere, in fact, as an electrician who buys supplies from  all types of places, from local hardware stores, to big boxes and supply houses, I have never seen one.


One might be tempted to take any plastic box and screw it to an adjacent stud, but this would likely violate code and, due to the shape of those boxes, wouldn't rest flat against the stud.

There is no way in hell an inspector would ever be involved with a repair like this, or even notice one, if he was looking. I have screwed new work, nail-on style boxes to studs, countless times, with zero issues. They sit tight to the stud, and work just fine.

[paddedhat]

Did you use an "old work" box? It looks like no. Old work boxes have wings on the side that you tighten against the drywall instead of nail/screwing into a stud. How did you attach the box?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Steel-City-1-Gang-Steel-Old-Work-Gangable-Box-Case-of-16-CDOWTG-16R/202596375

Yep, this is a Carlon brand old work box with integrated flippers. They work great IF the hole is cut very precisely. As for the steel boxes you link, when it comes to a box that falls apart if the screws are loose, needs to have the drywall flanges properly set with those four screws, and then needs to be installed with Madison bars, or bang on clips, they are nothing but a PITA.  The new plastic ones are superior in every way.

[Oh_Wrd]

If you have this problem again, Just use standard wood/deck screws to fix the receptacle in place.  They will usually snug up in the standard boxes stripped holes with no problems.  BUT, If it is an old plastic box and the wood screw is still loose, stick a toothpick in each hole and then use the wood screws.  If it is an old metal box and a wood screw is loose, wedge a piece of a paint stirrer behind the screw tab and then screw it in.

Meanwhile, just go get one of the boxes that has the metal U clamp all the way around it.  The ones I've seen were always white.  With that you can suspend the box in the middle of the existing hole, and use a Jumbo cover.