Rules for installing outlets in drywall

The use of such a building material as drywall and its popularity is quite obvious. It has many advantages, including environmental friendliness, good fire safety and ease of installation. Plasterboard walls make it possible to quickly and conveniently plan a house or apartment if you are buying a new apartment with the possibility of arranging the layout. Therefore, the important issue is the installation of outlets in drywall and the laying of electrical networks. This is exactly what will be discussed in our article, since there are nuances here.

The subtleties of installing outlets in drywall

The material itself - drywall, has its drawbacks, it crumbles. Therefore, it is impossible to work on it with an impact tool, only drilling or cutting work. The same applies to laying the wire in the wall. On the other hand, it is easy to work on, so you can easily install the sockets in drywall in a place convenient for you.

If we talk about when in time to do the installation of electrical outlets in this material, then here you can also highlight the versatility of drywall. By itself, the installation of the outlet and communications in this case can be done:

• at the stage of building walls;
• at the stage of facing.

Let's look at what is needed for this, and how to properly prepare for these works.

What do you need for installation?

Separately, before starting the installation of the network and the outlets themselves, you need to make a project for your power supply. If it is available in the form of design documentation, then this is good, but at household voltage, you can lay a power supply point yourself, adhering to the rules established by the PUE. Just think it over carefully on a piece of paper before starting work.

Also convince in advance that you have all the necessary tools and materials. We will talk about the tools required to install the sockets below, and now we focus on the method of installing them. We recommend that you use a plastic socket.

Here, the installation of a plastic socket is not a problem if you choose a good product that uses self-extinguishing durable plastic. Sockets, too, must be taken reliable, capable of working under load and of good production.

Make the choice of outlets in favor of a reliable well-known brand. If these are Western products and you are willing to overpay, then that's okay. Well, if you are looking for one of the best combinations of quality and price on our market, then we recommend you our Russian products of the well-known company LK Studio.

Wiring series LK60 of this company has a quality that is not inferior to the best manufacturers. At the same time, the design possibilities can pleasantly surprise you. It is noteworthy that all this is at our domestic prices.

Instrument preparation

Before installing the socket in drywall, you must first mark the installation location and the future hole. In this case, you will need the following tools:

• an electric drill with a special attachment called a crown;
• building level, even the most ordinary one is suitable here, it is especially needed for situations when the installation of sockets is done several in a row;
• regular long ruler or tape measure;
• pencil or marker;
• Phillips screwdriver to secure the socket mechanism;
• drill bits and a jigsaw (jigsaw), for situations when you do not have a special crown available.

In a situation where you do not have a crown, and it is necessary to install plasterboard sockets, you can use another technology. We will talk about this a little below.

Dimensions of plasterboard socket

Installation of sockets and switches in drywall is done using standard socket outlets. Moreover, they have the following characteristics:

• outer diameter - 71 mm .;
• inner diameter, into which the socket mechanism will be mounted - 60 mm .;
• the installation diameter is 68 mm., the same must be the diameter of the crown in order to correctly install the socket into the plasterboard wall;
• installation depth - 45 mm .;
• internal depth - 40 mm.

At the same time, such socket outlets make it possible to fix the outlet in drywall both on the spacer legs and using screws. We recommend the second option to you, as it is more reliable and does not imply the possibility of backlash in the assembled socket mechanism.

Choosing a location and marking the wall

Now let's talk about the place where you can install the outlet. The number of outlets in the room depends on the convenience of power supply for those household appliances that are planned to be used. Plus, be sure to install several additional power points.

However, it is not always possible to put sockets in the wall, you must adhere to certain rules, namely, the distance of the outlet from:

• the floor must be at least 30 cm;
• countertops or kitchen surfaces, for example, a table, not less than 20cm;
• plates for power supply of the hood about 110 cm;
• floor for power supply of a dishwasher or washing machine, about 100 cm;
• a tap water source of at least 30 cm;
• gas pipes are more than 40 cm, the same applies to cable laying;
• from entrance openings or window openings at least 10 cm.

If there is a possibility that the installation of the outlet may be unsafe, or excessive moisture or dust will get on it, then this point should also be abandoned.

Installation procedure

When installing the socket, the procedure will be as follows:

• a marker or pencil marks the future location of the outlet;
• if several points are set, then all this is checked by the level;
• a hole is drilled in the drywall with a crown and a drill;
• using plastic pipes, a wire with a cross section of at least 2.5 sq.mm is laid in the wall;
• cables are led out into the prepared holes;
• the socket is installed, while it is fixed in drywall with the help of a solution and on the legs with a screw clamp;
• the cable contacts are mounted in the clamps of the socket mechanism (this action should be done after the finishing work has already been done);
• the mechanism itself is installed on the screw connections to the socket;
• the frame and the front panel are installed on top, the installation of which is carried out using a screw to the mechanism.

This sequence of actions will be fair if you are setting one point or several in the module.

Preparing the hole for the socket

A hole in drywall is best done with a crown and a drill. The size of the crown should be taken in diameter equal to 68 mm. If you do not have a crown, then you can use the following recipe:

• around the circumference in drywall, drill several holes with a drill and drill;
• then cut off the remains of drywall with a jigsaw;
• the unevenness of the resulting edges do not bother you, during the installation of the socket, they can be repaired with a solution.

As mentioned earlier, avoid using percussion instruments.

Installation of socket boxes

Here, the socket boxes themselves are attached with mortar. However, many models have locking tabs. They will not be enough for rigid fixation, but they simplify the work process. Before the final installation of the socket, the power cables should be inserted into it.

If the network is grounded, then there will be 3 such cables. For a conventional network, 2 wires are phase and zero.

Electric installation work

The cable is laid in the plasterboard wall using a pipe. This is a safe way to operate power grids. When connecting the contacts of the cable in the clamps of the contact group of the socket mechanism, be sure to ensure that these contacts are rigidly fixed. A loose connection is not allowed because this will create a spark, which is not safe and may lead to a short circuit. This also significantly shortens the life of the outlet itself.

Fixing the socket

The installation of the socket itself, or rather its mechanism, can be carried out in two ways:

• on the spacer legs;
• using a screw connection.

We recommend that you stay on the second option. If you have securely fixed the socket in the wall, then with the help of screws the mechanism itself can be firmly fixed. If you install the socket on the spacer legs, then this type belongs to the old standard, which is also considered quite reliable. If it is convenient for you, then you can use it.

Features of mounting a double socket

If you want to use a double socket outlet, then it becomes necessary to maintain a distance of 71 mm between the centers. If the socket is designed for a double socket, then the dimensions of the hole in the wall must correspond to its installation dimensions.

The installation features here will be the same:

• in the box, remove the plugs at the exit of the cable;
• the cable exit should be equal to 10-15 cm;
• the flush mount is attached to the surface;
• fastening is carried out on screws on the legs, and then everything is sealed with mortar, especially if there are formed distances.

After the finishing work has been completed, it will be possible to mount the socket mechanism itself.

Possible difficulties

The advantage of installing an outlet in drywall on hidden wiring is that it can be done completely independently, I don't even have special skills. Therefore, if you follow the correct sequence of actions, you should not have any difficulties.

Difficulties may arise when operating the installed power point. If you made a mistake when fixing the wire contacts, or made a mistake with the place of choice, then over time, such shortcomings can make themselves felt.

Also, for greater safety, you can place a number of switches and sockets on a separate cable and protect them with a circuit breaker.