[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Jazznjam

As you suggest, never hang a TV or other heavy item with just drywall anchors - always tie into one or more studs. A child was recently killed here in Florida when a TV mounted on the wall fell on him. Also, if your shelving goes down close to the floor, a child can try to climb (or even hang from) it to reach something - their leveraged weight on the edge of the shelf may bring it all down - always tie shelving units (and other furniture that can present an opporutnity) to a stud as well. As for the modular shelf brackets you mount to the wall - the drywall anchors can hold a good amount of static weight, but always evaluate the situation and if a child can add 50 lbs of active leveraged weight on the edge are you covered.

I would just add that many shelf systems only include vertical brackets, with no horizontal members. In that case, the top anchor needs to support almost all of the weight. The Container Store system uses a very heavy duty horizontal bracket that is secured to the wall with drywall anchors installed every 8 inches along the horizontal bracket. Therefore, the bracket and the anchors form a unified structural system with the wall whereby a single anchor does not need to support all of the weight. The weight is evenly distributed along all of the drywall anchors. So, when installing a wall-mounted shelf system, use a horizontal bracket at the top. Also, it is imperative that the drywall anchors need to have an expanded part behind the drywall to ensure that the anchor cannot pull through the drywall. The round, plastic drywall anchors that only grip the drywall with small plastic fins are virtually useless for carrying any weight.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

I thought all the homes in Eastport, were built with pre-cast concrete? Which would mean there are no load-bearing interior walls. Walls that "carry cabinets" are not load-bearing walls. Using wood studs for those walls is cheaper and makes it easier for minimally trained cabinet installers and carpenters.

They used wood in the center of my 2018 designer with prior to setting the trusses.

Many of the other interior walls after were steel for vertical support capped by wood.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Unruly

I am sitting here totally baffled by the construction in our master bath. My wife and I had the master shower retiled. I am doing all the fixtures, lights and cabinets myself. So today I take down the two light fixtures over the twin sinks and there is no work box! The wire just comes through a hole in the drywall. Any type of electrical wiring must terminate in a work box. So, I get that mess straightened out and now I am going to hang surface mount medicine cabinets above each sink. Get out the old trusty stud finder aaaand... The wall studs in the master bath are 24 inches on center behind the sink!! No way of mounting the cabinets without tearing the wall apart and putting addition studs in. As far as I know the standard for wall studs have always been 16 inches on center! To me this is just really cheap shortcuts being taken with the construction of our homes. Enough said.....

Welcome to reality-a bit of a shock. I moved with pipe wrenches, tubing cutters, tubing benders, faucet washers, o rigs etc. Not mine but they are listed on ebay as antiques.
We had an older home. Construction lumber huh? A 2x4 is smaller and grown on a tree farm-huh

[gobuck827]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

I thought all the homes in Eastport, were built with pre-cast concrete? Which would mean there are no load-bearing interior walls. Walls that "carry cabinets" are not load-bearing walls. Using wood studs for those walls is cheaper and makes it easier for minimally trained cabinet installers and carpenters.

You thought wrong. Plenty of wood frame homes in the Eastport area.

[Ken D.]

Originally Posted by jimhoward

I live in 1year-old house in Waters Edge. My bathroom studs are on 16" centers.

Wood, or steel?

[KCornman]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Both of the construction techniques you described may very well comply with the building code. Studs that are 24-inches on center, especially for interior, non-load bearing walls, have been allowed for at least 30 years or longer. And, wall-mounted light fixtures that have a metal or other approved enclosure for the wiring, do not need a junction box installed behind the drywall. Actually, I would prefer that the wiring be installed through a hole in the drywall, rather than terminated inside a junction box behind the drywall. To me, it is a safer installation and easier to access. And, there are fewer wire terminations.

It's a major code violation to bury an electrical junction box in a wall, has to be accessible. Light fixtures are designed and comply with code rules.
NEC Article 314.29

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by KCornman

It's a major code violation to bury an electrical junction box in a wall, has to be accessible. Light fixtures are designed and comply with code rules.
NEC Article 314.29

True, but you don't need a junction box if you run the wire directly through the wall where the light fixture is to be installed. There is no in-wall junction box because you don't splice the wires inside the wall. The wall-mounted light fixture has an NEC (National Electrical Code) certified enclosure where all of the wire terminations occur. The fixture enclosure serves the same purpose as a junction box and it is approved for that purpose by the NEC. There are no code violations. This is an easier and safer way to install a wall-mounted light fixture.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

True, but you don't need a junction box if you run the wire directly through the wall where the light fixture is to be installed. There is no in-wall junction box because you don't splice the wires inside the wall. The wall-mounted light fixture has an NEC (National Electrical Code) certified enclosure where all of the wire terminations occur. The fixture enclosure serves the same purpose as a junction box and it is approved for that purpose by the NEC. There are no code violations. This is an easier and safer way to install a wall-mounted light fixture.

There's the professional way and there's the amateur (cheap) way.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

There's the professional way and there's the amateur (cheap) way.

Correct. The professional way is to reduce the number of junction boxes to as few as needed.

[KCornman]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

True, but you don't need a junction box if you run the wire directly through the wall where the light fixture is to be installed. There is no in-wall junction box because you don't splice the wires inside the wall. The wall-mounted light fixture has an NEC (National Electrical Code) certified enclosure where all of the wire terminations occur. The fixture enclosure serves the same purpose as a junction box and it is approved for that purpose by the NEC. There are no code violations. This is an easier and safer way to install a wall-mounted light fixture.

Pretty much what I pointed out. " Light fixtures are designed and comply with code rules."

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

There's the professional way and there's the amateur (cheap) way.

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Correct. The professional way is to reduce the number of junction boxes to as few as needed.

Only a hacker electrician leaves a "whip" ... the pros leave a properly wired box.

Reducing the number of "boxes" is like the plumber who tries to figure out how he can avoid adding a shut off, to save $25.

Professionals vs amateurs.

Sometimes on here (TOTV), I wonder if people understand what a Building Code or Electrical Code is? It is the BARE MINIMUM standard required. It is not "Best Practices", nor what a quality builder expects. It's "how can we build this as cheaply as possible, yet meet the minimum standards required."

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Only a hacker electrician leaves a "whip" ... the pros leave a properly wired box.

Reducing the number of "boxes" is like the plumber who tries to figure out how he can avoid adding a shut off, to save $25.

Professionals vs amateurs.

Sometimes on here (TOTV), I wonder if people understand what a Building Code or Electrical Code is? It is the BARE MINIMUM standard required. It is not "Best Practices", nor what a quality builder expects. It's "how can we build this as cheaply as possible, yet meet the minimum standards required."

The electrician left a properly installed light fixture. That is why they have building codes.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

There's the professional way and there's the amateur (cheap) way.

Originally Posted by BrianL99

Only a hacker electrician leaves a "whip" ... the pros leave a properly wired box.

Reducing the number of "boxes" is like the plumber who tries to figure out how he can avoid adding a shut off, to save $25.

Professionals vs amateurs.

Sometimes on here (TOTV), I wonder if people understand what a Building Code or Electrical Code is? It is the BARE MINIMUM standard required. It is not "Best Practices", nor what a quality builder expects. It's "how can we build this as cheaply as possible, yet meet the minimum standards required."

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

The electrician left a properly installed light fixture. That is why they have building codes.

Correct. To insure a bare minimum standard is upheld.

It's like buying a Hyundai/KIA or a Mercedes/Lexus. You can buy the bare minimum quality or opt for something built to a higher standard.