Dry Lining - Electrical pattress box

[Anonymous]

Hi there. Just a quick question about fitting a box into a dry lined wall, so I can fit a TV socket faceplate to it.

How do these plastic backboxes actually secure. It looks like you just saw a square hole in the dry lined wall and put the box into that, then mount the faceplate. Surely there is more to it than that? Wouldn't they pull out easily?

Thanks in advance.

[Set Square]

They lock into the plastboard. The the bit each side - with the thread in for attaching the faceplate - is spring-loaded, and has a little plastic bracket at the bottom which goes *behind* the board, and is pulled against the back of the board by the screw. The front of the box has a flange which goes in front of the board - unlike metal boxes with un-flanged sides. So when the side bits are snapped into position, and the screws inserted and tightened, you get a good solid fixing.

If you follow this link:

and then click on 'Enlarged image', you should see what I mean.

[I think that the # is part of the link - if it doesn't come up, add it manually - or use ].

[john]

The dry line boxes have tabs that are attached to the faceplate screw fixings so that as you tighten the faceplate the box clamps to the plasterboard. The tabs retract to allow it to be fitted into the hole. Are you sure you have seen the right type?

[Grumpy owd man]

Is nobody going to mention fire rated boxes for use in fire rated walls?

Ok then, I will! If the wall is fire rated then you should use a fire rated box c/w intumescent seals. [Building regs etc etc etc]