Hit a joist box hidden behind old plaster last month out in Tacoma

Punched straight through into a metal junction box that was buried under three layers of lathe and mud on a remodel job. Blew up my brand new 6-inch bit and sparked like crazy - has anyone else run into random electrical boxes behind old walls?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo_campbell5d ago

Ran into the same crap in a 1920s house in Portland last year. Old plaster and lathe will hide anything. What worked for me was using a cheap non-contact voltage tester before I even touch the wall with a drill. I slowly push a stiff wire through the plaster first to feel for any metal or obstructions. If I get a hit, I switch to a small hole saw and open up the plaster carefully around the area. Saves blowing up bits and getting zapped. Those old boxes are often buried because someone just plastered right over them instead of moving them.

david8215d ago

Old plaster and lathe will hide anything" is basically the motto for half the projects I've ever touched. It's crazy how often we find some kludge from 50 years ago that someone just covered up instead of fixing. Feels like that mindset of "just bury it and forget it" is everywhere, not just in old houses but in software updates and car repairs too.