PROJECTS ONLINE: CHOOSING A NONMETALLIC ELECTRICAL BOX
Project Difficulty:
Moderate
Electrical boxes come in more styles and designs than one can imagine (Figs. 1 and 2). Don't panic, choosing one may not be as hard as you think. The first question you need to answer is: "Do I need a metallic box or a nonmetallic box?" Nonmetallic boxes are commonly called plastic boxes, but this is not actually true. In addition to plastic boxes they have fiberglass and phenolic ones. However, go ahead and say plastic--everybody does.
1.
When to Choose a Nonmetallic Electrical Box
You may want to choose a nonmetallic box for your project if:
a) Cost is an issue. Nonmetallic is less expensive. If a metallic box costs $2 more, for example, by the time you bought 100 boxes you just spent an extra $200.
b) You need nail-on boxes with large volume. Most of the largest volume nail-on boxes are nonmetallic.
c) You need to save time. Nonmetallic boxes don't need to be grounded--all metallic boxes do. For metallic boxes, this means an extra wire has to be run, which not only adds expense but adds a step in the process for you to do the grounding.
d) Convenience is an issue. Nonmetallic boxes are for sale everywhere--not everyone stocks a large variety of metallic boxes.
e) Corrosion is an issue both inside and outside the house. Nonmetallic boxes don't rust, but some metallic boxes do.
f) You'd like to change the depth of the box after installation. A special plastic box is now on the market that can adjust its depth to the finish wall after it is installed. It comes in a nail-on single gang or double gang. Look for a pure white box amid the multitude of boxes.
