Stud Walls...fast fix or noggin and metal box?

[Luminous]

Which do you prefer on new walls? Pros and cons?
I've always put a noggin in but am finding more and more that plasterers seem to measure the height of the socket then decide to cut the board half an inch higher.

I don't like how plaster can chip too easy with a pad saw or that the box is visible with fast fix. But then it takes longer to set up a metal one, but then it's a faster 2nd fix.....but then a fast fix is a quicker 1st fix!!!

Just wondering on general consesus.Thoughts?

This has probably been done to death hasn't it?

 

[Dave OCD]

This has probably been done to death hasn't it?

Yes !! I think you'll find the majority on here prefer the old fashioned way, I'll happily use dry-liners though, best way is to cut them in before skimming if possible then the lip on the box is flush.

 

[SJD]

I don't recall seeing a thread about this on here.

I've never put in a noggin, always a drylining box. And preferably just run the cable and have the plasterer cut the hole for me.

 

[Dave OCD]

I've never put in a noggin, always a drylining box. And preferably just run the cable and have the plasterer cut the hole for me.[/QUOTE]

You must know better and more helpful plasterers than most of them round my way.

 

[telectrix]

metal box and 1/2 tube of expanding foam.

I don't recall seeing a thread about this on here.

I've never put in a noggin, always a drylining box. And preferably just run the cable and have the plasterer cut the hole for me.

you mean you's trust a plasterer to cut it within 10ft of where it should be and somewhere near to the right size. blimey.

 

[buzzlightyear]

noggin in stud walls for first fix, all the time .and no fishing for cables

 

[sparks1234]

Ive found that if the wall is skimmed rather than tape and jointed then cutting it with a multi tool stops the chipping, I've had spreads get the hump if you cut the hole first as they reckon it can drag bits of plasterboard in and make a mess of their final smooth finish

 

[SJD]

you mean you's trust a plasterer to cut it within 10ft of where it should be and somewhere near to the right size. blimey.

The builder & plasterers I'm currently working with are pretty good; the builder even knows the electrical regs better than most electricians I know. Probably somewhat the exception, I know.

 

[Luminous]

Yes !! I think you'll find the majority on here prefer the old fashioned way, I'll happily use dry-liners though, best way is to cut them in before skimming if possible then the lip on the box is flush.

Cutting them in before skim is definitely the way to do it but it's just means another trip to the job. Call it a 1nd fix or would it be a 2st fix?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Cutting them in before skim is definitely the way to do it but it's just means another trip to the job. Call it a 1nd fix or would it be a 2st fix?

mid fix

 

[telectrix]

mid fix

is that the 1200mm height?

 

[westward10]

Not my sort of thing this but has anyone used the metal fast fix boxes. Saw some the other day in the Lec Centre. Looked really good solid screw lugs, earth terminal and flame retardant but chap in there said they were a flop, I was quite surprised.

 

[Des 56]

I've always put a noggin in but am finding more and more that plasterers seem to measure the height of the socket then decide to cut the board half an inch higher.

Thoughts?

Carry on the good work

Try fixing the metal boxes at plasterboard depth,it will make life easier for you and the plasterer
Tuck the cables into the box and get the boarder/plasterer to make a hole in the box centre(they should be capable of that accuracy) then cut out neatly with your pad saw prior to it being skimmed

No butchery cutting the plasterboard,
No patching
Easier for boarding
No ruining the plaster finish
100 times better job than the "convenience only" dry lining boxes,they are fine for switches but when used for sockets they rely on small bits of plastic to prevent them being ripped off the wall,not nice

 

[The Ghost]

I am happy to use drylining boxes. However I was called to a conference room to renew one as obviously someone had tripped on a plugged in something, and the box came right out of the wall. Cables exposed and so on. Also as far as I understand these boxes are supposed to be lined now with fireprooof material, bought in packs. Anyone know about that ?

 

[westward10]

I am happy to use drylining boxes. However I was called to a conference room to renew one as obviously someone had tripped on a plugged in something, and the box came right out of the wall. Cables exposed and so on. Also as far as I understand these boxes are supposed to be lined now with fireprooof material, bought in packs. Anyone know about that ?

See #12, I saw some really good metal ones in the wholesalers but they were flogging them off because no one was interested in them.

 

[The Ghost]

See #12

Yeh I saw that, and would have bought them up I haven't seen them in my neck of the woods though but will look for them.

 

[westward10]

Yeh I saw that, and would have bought them up I haven't seen them in my neck of the woods though but will look for them.

Must admit they looked much better than those nasty plastic ones and had earth terminals.

 

[David M]

Carry on the good work

Try fixing the metal boxes at plasterboard depth,it will make life easier for you and the plasterer
Tuck the cables into the box and get the boarder/plasterer to make a hole in the box centre(they should be capable of that accuracy) then cut out neatly with your pad saw prior to it being skimmed

No butchery cutting the plasterboard,
No patching
Easier for boarding
No ruining the plaster finish
100 times better job than the "convenience only" dry lining boxes,they are fine for switches but when used for sockets they rely on small bits of plastic to prevent them being ripped off the wall,not nice

I tend to go with metal box and noggin where possible, but use dry liners if convenience is required.
I do a lot of boarding out myself, so I mount the box to the level of the finished plasterboard surface, with the cables tucked inside. When I come to cut out for the back box I just hold the plasterboard in position placed against the box and gently tap the board so that the box lightly imprints on the back of the board. I then just cut out the imprint and the board fits perfectly around the back box, job done.

 

[Midwest]

I tend to go with metal box and noggin where possible, but use dry liners if convenience is required.
I do a lot of boarding out myself, so I mount the box to the level of the finished plasterboard surface, with the cables tucked inside. When I come to cut out for the back box I just hold the plasterboard in position placed against the box and gently tap the board so that the box lightly imprints on the back of the board. I then just cut out the imprint and the board fits perfectly around the back box, job done.

Some of the dry liners I've seen, would just screw the plasterboard to the stud, leaving a nice little bulge, so you new where the back box is

 

[telectrix]

Some of the dry liners I've seen, would just screw the plasterboard to the stud, leaving a nice little bulge, so you new where the back box is

knew... from the spelling geastapo.