please help...I am stuck!

[Apkesh]

Hi, I bought a home entertainment unit and just completed cutting holes into drywall (2"x 2.5"), 'fishing' the wire through the wall cavity. Unfortunately, I didn't take into account, for the panels to remain well secured to the wall, I must cut the hole right next to the frame. Instead, I just aligned it according to where the sofa is and now I am having a hard time mounting just the plates alone with 2 screws (the drywall is chipping because of the small distance between the hold and where the screw is going in!)

To give you a better idea, here's a pic of the plates I am using:

Now that I've put the holes in the centre of the frame, is there any thing I can do to make sure the plates remain secured to the drywall? Is there any sort of brackets they sell for these kind of jobs? Please help, I am a newby and just trying to learn from my costly mistakes:) apkesh

[rck]

You may want to put an electrical outlet box behind the plate. Go to your local hardware store and ask for a Jiffy box. It slides into the hole, you tighten two screws and it clamps against the drywall from the back. Doesn't have to be near a stud.

Bob

[Tom]

They do make a plate especially for this purpose. Has ears that swing out to hold behind the drywall. Should be able to find them where they sell the coax cable and phone wire at Home Depot. At least that is where they are at Menard's. You can also buy an electrical outlet box that you mount (has the ears) and then run your wires through that and use the plate you bought but you would have to cut a bigger hole in your drywall. Tom.

[Curmudgeon]

Yes, there are such things. Imagine two metal strips...maybe 3/8" wide and

2 inches wider than your plate. In the center is a tapped hole that matches the thread of your top and bottom screws. One strip is attached to each screw, and and slipped into the hole you've cut so it is on the back side of the drywall. As you tighten the screws, they pull the strips of metal tight against the backside of the drywall and hold your plate securely to the wall. You could make them yourself out of metal or even wood...or you could check at Radio Shack and they should have plates with these kind of brackets. Buy it, keep the metal brackets and use them on your plate...throw the other wallplate away.

[zxcvbob]

This is 110V electrical, or low voltage speaker wires and coax and stuff? Let's assume it is 110V, because you can use the same thing for low voltage. You want some kind of "old work" outlet box. My favorite is to use a metal gang box with plaster ears, and clip it in place with metal clips that look something like this:

| |---- |--- | |

You put one of the clips on each side of the box, behind the plaster, and bend the tabs in to hold the box in place. The plaster ears keep the box from falling back into the wall, and the clips keep the box from falling out forwards -- together, they hold it pretty tight, but it's easy to remove later if you ever want to.

Go back to HD and ask them to show you the "old work boxes" and old work clips, and use whatever kind looks the best to you.

Best regards, Bob

[Don Young]

Home Depot (and others) have electrical outlet boxes designed to be fastened into drywall with clips on the sides. You would have to enlarge the hole for the box. The plate you show would not atttach directly to the box but there are plates available which will. Another possibility is to get the outlet that plate fits and remove the metal strap from it. The strap could then go behind the drywall with long screws securing it and the plate together. Tape the strap behind the drywall if necessary to get the screws installed. Hope this helps. Don Young

[zxcvbob]

Is this gonna just be an wall plate with no box behind it? Get 2 identical wall plates and put one on each side of the hole. Put about a

1.5 inch flat-head machine screw through the screw holes and put a nut on the back. You can get the nut on the back through the 1.25" hole in the center. Don't tighten too tight or it will crack the plastic plates. If won't tighten enough to hold tight, put a little bead of construction adhesive on the back side of front plate.

Best regards, Bob

D> Home Depot (and others) have electrical outlet boxes designed to be fastened

[RB]

There are numerous types of brackets available for just what you are trying to do. One is shown in the link below. There are tabs (black in this case) at the top and bottom that swing out as it is tightened which clamp the device to to drywall.

Note that this is only to be used for low voltage wiring. If you are running 120 volts it must be in an enclosed box. The same type of device is available at Home Depot or the like in an enclosed (box) configuration.

Below is another bracket, also available at HD if they can find them ;-). Here the metal bracket is place on the room side of the drywall and the tabs are bent behind the drywall to hold it in place. Same caveats w/r 120 volts.

RB

Apkesh wrote:

[Apkesh]

Thank you guys all for your help on this matter. I thought there was no fix for this 'mess' I thoght I had created, but I am glad there is one (or many)! I was about to be put on probation by Mrs not to work on the house any more, but you guys saved me :)