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Fig: Fitting a box in a hollow wall: (a) Tie the string to a small batten. (b)

Pull the batten into place. (c) Screw the box to the batten

On a brick or stone wall, the screws should be driven into wall Plugs. Such a fixing might be suspect in breeze block, however, because the outlets need to withstand some force when plugs are withdrawn. It is better to cement or glue to the wall a thin piece of wood slightly smaller all round than the box, then make the fixing with woodscrews driven into this timber.

On a hollow wall, aim wherever possible to position the box so that you can drive its fixing screws into the timber framework behind the plaster. If you must have the box between pieces of the framework, fit a deadman — a thin batten inserted behind the plaster (Fig). Drill a small hole at one end of the batten and thread a length of string through it. Hold the string in place with a knot tied at the back. Make an incision in the plaster, slip the batten through, and use the string to pull it to the correct spot. Drive screws through the surface of the lath and plaster or plasterboard to fix the deadman in place. Fixing screws for the box can then be driven through the plaster and into this timber. The box can be positioned to hide the incision. Otherwise make good with filler.

Flush-mounted boxes

On solid walls, make this job as easy as you can for yourself by choosing as shallow a box as you can get away with. Should a deep box be necessary, make sure the wall is thick enough to take it. Place the box on the surface of the wall and draw round its outline in pencil. Run a sharp knife along these lines, using a straight edge. If there is wallpaper, peel off the waste. Using a cold or bolster chisel and a hammer, carefully chop out the plaster to the masonry below. Check whether the hole is deep enough for your box. If it is not, cut into the masonry. Aim to make the bottom of the hole flat. Should this prove too difficult, chop out a hole that is too deep, cover its base with cement, then press the box into place to level off the cement. Remove the box, wipe off excess cement that has seeped through the holes, and let the cement set before drilling holes for the wall plugs.

Hollow walls constructed from plasterboard should pose no problem. In fact, on these walls it pays you to choose a site between frame members, for the fixing is then easier. You can buy special lugs that clamp on the side of a metal box, and are then fixed to the plasterboard. Should you want to site the box directly above a frame member, then you merely cut a hole in the board equal in area to that of the box. Where that does not give you sufficient depth, cut out a notch, making sure it is absolutely flat, in the frame member, and fix to the timber.

Lath and plaster walls present a problem. It is not too bad when you are fitting a shallow box to a stud or nogging, or when you have deep plaster. But if you have to cut into the laths, then the end of one or more will be left flapping free. The only way to remedy this is to push a thin piece of wood behind one or more laths and smear glue on the meeting surfaces to provide support.

Do not attempt to fix between frame members on a lath and plaster wall. There is no way of making the fixing firm enough to withstand use.

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