Old Work electrical box in concrete wall

Sep 05, 2006 2 Replies

Hello All,



I am trying to install a recessed electrical box (socket) in a concrete wall. Before I start messing about with the wall, I was wondering if anyone here can give me a few tips about how I go about making a rectangular recess in a solid concrete wall which has a tendency to crumble. The box I want to install is identical to the one here:

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only the above URL was about concrete walls this post would not be needed.



Thanks.



KB


If it's solid concrete I wouldn't use a plastic box, especially one with wings. I'd use a standard metal Gem box, in a shallow version. Mark the outline of the box on the wall, then with a 3/16 carbide bit and hammer drill, drill holes slightly deeper than the box depth along the box outline, aprox every 1/4 inch. Then with a slightly larger carbide bit, drill as many holes in the center of the outline as you can, and then with a 3/4 inch cold chisel, chop out the cement

I suspect that most just surface mount any boxes on a concrete wall, espically if in the basement or outside.

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