The drywall guy is going to put 5/8" rock on my shop ceiling. This was different than what he said earlier, not that it matters, but I put the ceiling boxes in spaced for 1/2". I've used the box extensions for stuff such as ceramic tile and so on, and really didn't like them. But for my ceiling, could I just use a stack of #6 or #8 washers along with the shims that are on the outlets to get them out on the  thicker drywall? Seems like 1/8" difference would be a lot easier to deal with than the 1/4"+ from tile and other stuff. I could probably bust my hump and try t get the boxes re-located before the hanger shows up, but it's a PITA to do so.

 

Edited August 31, 20178 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

IMO, your best course of action would be to bite the bullet and reposition them while they are accessable.  How many are there?  Are they all outlet boxes, or light boxes and such?

Cal

There are 16 of them, all single gang outlet boxes. I'm using plug in LED lighting and that accounts for  10 of those boxes. The hard part of repositioning them is that the wires into and out of the boxes are all stapled close to the box, so it's not only pulling the box itself but several staples on each side. I honestly think I would use extensions before doing that, but I'll take a look in a little bit.

I'm no electrician but look at how the lights attach to the box.  Are the supplied bolts long enough?  If not, just purchase longer bolts.  Danl

you didn't say what style boxes you used...

install plaster/mud rings now...

Edited August 31, 20178 yr by Stick486

That is why in my shop I used those adjustable boxes. They have a screw adjustment so the box can be moved in or out to match whatever thickness you have. A little more expensive, but well worth it to me to have the flexibility.

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CARLON-1-Gang-Blue-Plastic-Interior-New-Work-Standard-Adjustable-Wall-Electrical-Box/3497486

Edited August 31, 20178 yr by Chips N Dust

1/8"? Does it really matter? I've seen worse.

John

My house has plastered walls.  The boxes were set pre-plaster and have varying depths not always even with the plaster and nothing has gone wrong in the last 63 years.

 Those little break off ears on the ends of switches and receptacles  are plaster ears,  they hold the device flush and tight with the surface. so  the cover plate is tight.   For 1/8"  they will work just fine as long as the drywall is cut close.  Roly

2 hours ago, HARO50 said:

1/8"? Does it really matter? I've seen worse.

John

 

matters come device and plate types...

Well, thanks for the replies. I spent the afternoon moving about 1/2 of them, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. These are the blue heavy duty large non metallic boxes. Kelly, I had never paid any attention to the adjustable type or I would have got them.  It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I'll finish them up then. Most of these will just have 120V duplex outlets in them, but 2 are 240V...one 30 amp, one 20 amp.

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

I spent the afternoon moving about 1/2 of them

You'll be glad you did. 

Fred, in the end if you still need spacers just wrap a piece of scrap wire around a small phillips screwdriver and form a spring. You can cut off a ring & save the washers.

Well, it's done now...as it turns out the second 1/2 of them was the nightmare I expected, but it's over with. Now 'm just waiting for the workers to show up.

I know what you are going to be doing this weekend.

Herb

21 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Well, it's done now...as it turns out the second 1/2 of them was the nightmare I expected, but it's over with. Now 'm just waiting for the workers to show up.

It doesn't help you now , but I noticed that the electricians leave a loop of wire outside the box between the box and the staple, never knew why. But if the box had to be shifted ,it could be moved with out removing the staple.

 

Herb

Shows what I know, I didn't do that and it would have made life a little easier.

1 hour ago, Dadio said:

It doesn't help you now , but I noticed that the electricians leave a loop of wire outside the box between the box and the staple, never knew why. But if the box had to be shifted ,it could be moved with out removing the staple.

 

Herb

 

Be nice to have when baked wires are found while replacing a ceiling light.

On 9/2/2017 at 2:23 PM, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Shows what I know, I didn't do that and it would have made life a little easier.

Live and learn!

John

 

 

10 hours ago, HARO50 said:

Live and learn!

John

 

 

Every day of my life so far...I hope it continues.