# Boxing around outlets and lights.



## A smooth finish (Mar 19, 2012)

How do you guys box when you have a outlet or a light in the middle of a joint. 

I am having a hard time getting mine to look good. 

I do alot of remodels where they have the outlets in and lights in. 

Thanks.


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

If they are in the middle I go right over the box/outlet:thumbsup:


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## A smooth finish (Mar 19, 2012)

chris said:


> If they are in the middle I go right over the box/outlet:thumbsup:


I do that when I can but alot of the time where i am working they all ready have outlets in them.


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## Mudslinger (Mar 16, 2008)

If the outlets in I just pull away from the outlet, and touch up the bare spot over the outlet when I'm troweling later.


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

If an electrician is setting finish prior to the taping process this is considered out of sequence work, and an extra work order should be written for the additional finish cost. If this was known prior to commencement of work then you take whatever steps required to provide proper finish. Sometimes general contractors will allow subcontractors to go out of sequence thinking it pushes other subs. Please push back when this happens, because more than likely it was the general that created the backlog in schedule to begin with.


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## Toontowntaper (Dec 16, 2012)

Mr willy it's a remodel not new construction

Take your box and start at the electrical box and run it away from the electrical box. And do that again on the other side of the electrical box. Come back and pull tops and bottom tight with knife or trowel and you're good


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

I don't mind working around switches [on reno work] But If There's a receptacle near my butt joint or bead ...It's coming out !:yes:


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

I like to use my 6'' roll of ff...each ganger in my way I fuse it and box over it and cut it out on my 3rd coat...I like a clean box:yes:
here is an old post but my photos are gone....http://drywalltalk.com/showthread.php?t=3455


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## chris (Apr 13, 2011)

A smooth finish said:


> I do that when I can but alot of the time where i am working they all ready have outlets in them.


 Then you would be better off hand coating those areas. If the job is sizable enough to warrant using a box then there should be no outlets or switches in already. Maybe one or two. Its dangerous with all that live wire and open boxes.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

On new construction there should be only temporaries in for power sources and as far as lights some pigtail lights (which I would rather see then none at all). When we box we box away from the outlets depending how they are set in the seam, ceiling electrical box away from them and go back and knife around them. There is always going to be some type of obstacles to deal with it is all part of the job, but if the electrician or homeowner gets ahead of you and starts mounting hanging lights or putting in their finished wall outlets it's time to tell them to take them out. Electricians know better unless they are so arrogant they don't care. Electricians around here are good about putting in construction outlets that they switch out after the job is painted. As far as butt seams split them then finish by hand works great.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

Another small trick is when you are taping coat around these areas that way when you box the mud dries fast where you coated making it easier to circle the outlets and ceiling boxes.


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

Toontowntaper said:


> Mr willy it's a remodel not new construction
> 
> Take your box and start at the electrical box and run it away from the electrical box. And do that again on the other side of the electrical box. Come back and pull tops and bottom tight with knife or trowel and you're good


I second this. Start at the box an move away. Come back the other way and leave a lap mark. I always run a 12" blade over my fresh box work to eliminate lap marks, So they are of little concern. I work with a lot of slobs who run right over ceiling cans and wall boxes. Always drop mud on the floor, on themselves, or leave it sagging on the wall. I clean out all penetrations when I am done. So less mud in them is less to clean out later.


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

endo_alley said:


> I second this. Start at the box an move away. Come back the other way and leave a lap mark. I always run a 12" blade over my fresh box work to eliminate lap marks, So they are of little concern. I work with a lot of slobs who run right over ceiling cans and wall boxes. Always drop mud on the floor, on themselves, or leave it sagging on the wall. I clean out all penetrations when I am done. So less mud in them is less to clean out later.


that's fine but in the kitchen where there is sometime 12 of them on one wall and other spots like in a corner I will fuse them and zoom the box or my flusher over them ...I will not do all one side and then go back and do the other side and them take my 10'' knife and play ring around the rosie ...
and run my corner flusher then stop and go back the other way ...and use my 6'' to fix it later?


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

"I will not do all one side and then go back and do the other side " That's fine. I work with guys who feel the same way. I will do all one side, and then the other side. Just like boxing to inside angles. But as I said, I never leave box work that has not been freshly bladed with a 12" knife. So lap marks and touchup are not a problem.


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## eazyrizla (Jul 29, 2010)

I just make circles. take your 6 inch make a circle


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