Below is a video on how to install an old work box / “cut in” electrical box.
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Today we will be showing you how to install an old work box or some people call it a cut in electrical box. To start you will need to pick out the location of where you want to install your new switch, outlet, cable TV jack or Ethernet port. We are going to install a cable TV jack in the box we are installing. So the first thing we are going to do is take a tape measure and measure from the floor up to the bottom of the outlet next to where we are install the box so we can make them the same height so when we are done they will be the same height and it will look like the new box has always been there.
Once we have our measurement we can take a pencil and put a mark on the wall at that height. Once we have our height marked out on the wall we can take the old work box and place the bottom of the box on the mark we just made. Once we have the bottom of the box lined up we can take a pencil and trace the flat parts of the box onto the wall.
Once we have the outline of the box traced onto the wall we can take a jab saw / key hole saw or a utility knife and cut on the lines to cut the square out. Once you have your hole cut you will need to run the electrical wire or cable TV wire over to the bay or between the two studs where you plan to install your new box.
Once you have your wire run over to that bay you will need to take a drill and a spade bit and drill the top or bottom plate to get the wire in the wall. Once you have the plate drilled we can drop the wire down into the wall. When dropping the wire into the wall sometimes it is easier to have someone watch the hole and grab the wire when it goes past. If not you will have to reach into the wall and grab the wire and pull it out.
Next well grab a flat screw driver and the old work box and knock out one of the knock outs for the wire to go into by pressing it in. Once we have it pressed in we can slide the wire into the box. With the wire in the box we can now slide the box into the wall. Making sure the tabs are flat against the box.
With the box slide into the wall you can now take a impact driver or a Phillips screw driver and tighten the two screws that will pull those tabs to the sheet rock and hold the box in place. With the box securely mounted you can now strip the wire and install your outlet if that’s what you are doing. Since we are installing a cable TV jack we will grab our cover plate and connect our wire to it and then tighten it with a pair of pliers.
With the wire connected we can take and attach the cover plate by screwing the two screws though the cover plate into the box. Once the screws are started by hand we can take a flat screw driver and snug them down.
With your cover plate tightened down that’s it you have just finished installing an old work box to install a new outlet, switch or cable TV jack in a wall that has sheet rock already on it.
