Baseboards are installed at the same level as many electrical outlets.
There's not always a convenient place where electrical outlets can be installed. Older homes that are not up to modern code often have very low placed outlets. Baseboards can often cover wiring locations that are available for electrical outlet connections. Therefore, you will have to work through the baseboard to make the connection. The actual installation of the electrical outlet is the same as it would be without the existence of baseboard. However, you will have to do some additional work with the baseboard there. This is something that almost anybody with some basic electrical and woodworking knowledge can complete. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Cut power to the outlet on which you will be working. Turn off the power at the circuit breaker and at the switch connected to the outlet if one exists.
2. Remove the baseboard from the wall. Pull out any nails from the baseboard with the backside of the hammer. Pull the baseboard away from the wall with your hands.
3. Lay the baseboard face up on a flat surface, such as the floor.
4. Place the electrical outlet on the baseboard, face up, on the location in which the outlet is to be installed.
5. Trace the perimeter of the outlet on to the baseboard with a pencil. Remove the outlet from the baseboard when you have completed tracing the outlet.
6. Cut the baseboard with a jigsaw following the line you drew in the previous step.
7. Twist together the wires extending from the wall to the wires on the back of the outlet. Match the wires with the colors of the terminals. Typically, there will be a red, white and black terminal on the back of the outlet and matching colored wires stemming from the wall.
8. Wrap electrical tape around each of the ends of the wire and terminal connections.
9. Wrap the ground wire of the electrical outlet around the screw in the outlet casing of the wall. The ground wire will either be bare copper metal or have a green rubber coating.
10. Secure the outlet to the wall by inserting and tightening screws through the holes of the outlet and the outlet casing in the wall with a screwdriver.
11. Replace the baseboard in the location from which it was removed.
12. Secure the baseboard to the wall by tapping nails through the baseboard and wall with a hammer.
13. Install the faceplate over the opening in the baseboard and the electrical outlet. Secure it to the baseboard by inserting and tightening screws through the holes of the faceplate and the baseboard with a power drill and a screwdriver bit.
14. Restore power to the outlet on which you have completed work. Turn the power back on at the circuit breaker and also at the switch connected to the outlet if one exists.
Tags: electrical outlet, baseboard with, from wall, outlet baseboard, wall with