Cut In Boxes In Fire Rated Walls

That s about as untrue as can be.

Cut in boxes in fire rated walls.

Ceiling boxes and single gang outlet switch boxes may be used in a 2 hour or less fire rated floor ceiling assembly. Cut opening in wall with care to ensure neat fi t of the wall box 4. Generally the spacing between boxes cannot be less than 24 inches but closer spacing is permitted where wall opening protective materials are installed according to the requirements of their classification. If required remove knockout from wall box for suitable cable entry 5.

Clearance between boxes and cut outs in wall shall not exceed 1 8 in. There are several compliant fire rated boxes that can be secured to the stud that don t require you to cut anything open. This means that on 24 oc studs outlets must be placed at least one stud cavity away both sides of wall. Metallic outlet boxes qcit for use in fire resistant rated assemblies all ul listed single and double gang metallic outlet and switch boxes with metallic or nonmetallic cover plates may be installed in bearing and nonbearing wood stud and steel stud walls with fire rating not exceeding 2 hours.

Boxes are suitable for installation in staggered stud wall configuration. These materials are found under cliv in the fire resistance directory published by ul. Per 100 sq ft of wall or partition area with no opening exceeding 22 0 sq in. Fire rated one and two hours 1.

Use the actual wall box as a cut out template whilst referring to the table above for recommended cut out dimensions 3. In within a rated wall assembly as long as the sum total area of openings wall cutouts for those boxes does not exceed 100 square inches for any 100 sq. Used in both 2 and 1 hour fire rated wall assemblies. Outlet and switch boxes on opposite sides of a wall or partition within the same stud cavity shall be separated by a horizontal distance of not less than 3 in.

See carlon s ner 140 report or the ul fire resistance directory which describes in detail the use of zip boxes in these assemblies. At that point put on the fire pad then have the wall closed up. All boxes must also have more than 24 inches of horizontal spacing between outlets on either side of the fire rated wall.