In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

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"desgnr" wrote in message
...
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

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Every wall space 2' or larger requires an outlet. There can't be more than
six feet from any point along a wall to an outlet. Loosely interpreted, you
need an outlet every 12 feet

On 02/07/10 09:02 am, RBM wrote:

In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Every wall space 2' or larger requires an outlet. There can't be more than
six feet from any point along a wall to an outlet. Loosely interpreted, you
need an outlet every 12 feet

What do you (or the Code) mean by "finishing?"

I lined our previously unlined furnace/utility room. One long wall is
almost all floor-to-ceiling shelving; so no place to put an outlet. One
short wall has the water heater so close to it that there's no point in
having an outlet there.

I put six outlets above the workbench. That's four more outlets than
there ever were before.

BTW, I recall that when our old farmhouse in UK was wired for 240V AC
(we'd had 32V DC previously), the electrician's original plan was to put
one outlet on a landing to serve three bedrooms! I eventually persuaded
him (and my parents) to put one in each bedroom.

Perce

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
On 02/07/10 09:02 am, RBM wrote:

In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Every wall space 2' or larger requires an outlet. There can't be more
than
six feet from any point along a wall to an outlet. Loosely interpreted,
you
need an outlet every 12 feet

What do you (or the Code) mean by "finishing?"

I lined our previously unlined furnace/utility room. One long wall is
almost all floor-to-ceiling shelving; so no place to put an outlet. One
short wall has the water heater so close to it that there's no point in
having an outlet there.

I put six outlets above the workbench. That's four more outlets than there
ever were before.

BTW, I recall that when our old farmhouse in UK was wired for 240V AC
(we'd had 32V DC previously), the electrician's original plan was to put
one outlet on a landing to serve three bedrooms! I eventually persuaded
him (and my parents) to put one in each bedroom.

Perce

A room is considered finished, by the way it is used more than by it's
construction. A finished "habitable" room must be wired by different specs
than an unfinished room according to the NEC

On 02/07/10 01:52 pm, RBM wrote:

Every wall space 2' or larger requires an outlet. There can't be more
than
six feet from any point along a wall to an outlet. Loosely interpreted,
you
need an outlet every 12 feet

What do you (or the Code) mean by "finishing?"

I lined our previously unlined furnace/utility room. One long wall is
almost all floor-to-ceiling shelving; so no place to put an outlet. One
short wall has the water heater so close to it that there's no point in
having an outlet there.

I put six outlets above the workbench. That's four more outlets than there
ever were before.

snip

A room is considered finished, by the way it is used more than by it's
construction. A finished "habitable" room must be wired by different specs
than an unfinished room according to the NEC

So is a utility room/workshop considered to be "habitable?"

Perce

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
On 02/07/10 01:52 pm, RBM wrote:

Every wall space 2' or larger requires an outlet. There can't be more
than
six feet from any point along a wall to an outlet. Loosely interpreted,
you
need an outlet every 12 feet

What do you (or the Code) mean by "finishing?"

I lined our previously unlined furnace/utility room. One long wall is
almost all floor-to-ceiling shelving; so no place to put an outlet. One
short wall has the water heater so close to it that there's no point in
having an outlet there.

I put six outlets above the workbench. That's four more outlets than
there
ever were before.

snip

A room is considered finished, by the way it is used more than by it's
construction. A finished "habitable" room must be wired by different
specs
than an unfinished room according to the NEC

So is a utility room/workshop considered to be "habitable?"

Perce

No, it would be considered unfinished, so the current nec would only require
one gfci protected outlet in it. If you called the same room, a play room,
it would be considered by nec to be habitable, and require outlets to be
installed by the six foot rule, but not necessarily gfci protected, and
possibly afci protected

In article , "desgnr" wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

The minimum requirement of the National Electrical Code is "such that no point
measured horizontally along the floor line in any wall space is more than 6
feet from a receptacle outlet".

On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

Bill Gill wrote:
On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

Agreed. Outlets and wire are cheap, and while the walls are open, it is
silly to not put in as many as you think you ever might possibly need.
Don't forget the high-placement outlets near where workbench or desk
will be, and consider doing double-gang outlet boxes anyplace there will
be a lot of things plugged in, like computer or entertainment
center/game console area. If the room is big and walls will be crowded,
a few ceiling outlets here and there are nice, for plugging in drop
lights and vacuum cleaners and such.

--
aem sends...

On Feb 7, 7:14*am, aemeijers wrote:
Bill Gill wrote:
On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. *That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. *And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

Agreed. Outlets and wire are cheap, and while the walls are open, it is
silly to not put in as many as you think you ever might possibly need.
Don't forget the high-placement outlets near where workbench or desk
will be, and consider doing double-gang outlet boxes anyplace there will
be a lot of things plugged in, like computer or entertainment
center/game console area. If the room is big and walls will be crowded,
a few ceiling outlets here and there are nice, for plugging in drop
lights and vacuum cleaners and such.

--
aem sends...

I followed the '6 ft' rule when I built and addition and rehabbed the
entire house. Nowhere near enough. Another mistake I made was
putting them near the floor. Every outlet in the house except a few
is now behind something and some are even inaccessable at all due to
large furniture.

Make them fit the rule and then greatly increase it.

Harry K

Harry K wrote:

-snip-
I followed the '6 ft' rule when I built and addition and rehabbed the
entire house. Nowhere near enough.

I misunderstood the 6' rule and did my first house with outlets no
more than 6' apart. Best misunderstanding I ever had.

I have never heard anyone comment; "Too many outlets in that house."

Jim

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote in message
...
Harry K wrote:

-snip-
I followed the '6 ft' rule when I built and addition and rehabbed the
entire house. Nowhere near enough.

I misunderstood the 6' rule and did my first house with outlets no
more than 6' apart. Best misunderstanding I ever had.

Jim

When we had to rebuild a house a few years back I swear the inspector was
looking for them every six feet.

I know for a fact the electrician had to come back and add one to satisfy
the inspector. The 14 x 14 rooms have 2 on each wall.

I would not want any less. If I build again that will be my specs whether
it is code or not.

Colbyt

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
Harry K wrote:

-snip-
I followed the '6 ft' rule when I built and addition and rehabbed the
entire house. Nowhere near enough.

I misunderstood the 6' rule and did my first house with outlets no
more than 6' apart. Best misunderstanding I ever had.

I have never heard anyone comment; "Too many outlets in that house."


;-) Good misunderstanding indeed.

On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:24:02 -0600, Bill Gill
wrote:

On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

My mother used to plug an extension cord in before she put something
big against the wall. The other end was where she could get at it.

But she bought houses with wiring in already. If she were putting in
outlets, the more the better.

mm wrote:
On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:24:02 -0600, Bill Gill
wrote:

On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

My mother used to plug an extension cord in before she put something
big against the wall. The other end was where she could get at it.

But she bought houses with wiring in already. If she were putting in
outlets, the more the better.

(Nods knowingly) Yeah, when I moved into this place, I saw how badly the
outlets were placed, and bought some of those 90-degree plug extension
cords, and even a split cord for the bed wall. Of course, when I went to
bring in the furniture a piece at a time, I couldn't find most of them.
Ran across the pile of cords the other day- I should probably drape them
over the furniture in question, so next time I bother to clean those
rooms, I can plug the cords in. Not gonna move those full bookcases, though.

--
aem sends...

On Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:48:23 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

mm wrote:
On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:24:02 -0600, Bill Gill
wrote:

On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

My mother used to plug an extension cord in before she put something
big against the wall. The other end was where she could get at it.

But she bought houses with wiring in already. If she were putting in
outlets, the more the better.

(Nods knowingly) Yeah, when I moved into this place, I saw how badly the
outlets were placed, and bought some of those 90-degree plug extension
cords, and even a split cord for the bed wall. Of course, when I went to
bring in the furniture a piece at a time, I couldn't find most of them.

LOL. I have yet to decide if it's better to have extension cords, or
computer cords, or cube-taps, or AC plugs all over the place in a
terribley disorganized manner, but at least there is always one aroudn
when I need it, or to have them all in one box, so I can't find a the
box or a single one of them.

Ran across the pile of cords the other day- I should probably drape them
over the furniture in question, so next time I bother to clean those
rooms, I can plug the cords in. Not gonna move those full bookcases, though.

Not about outlets, but when I girl I knew was moving, she gave me her
ex-husband's bookshelf, 4'x8 foot in back (and I have 8 foot
ceilings), with adjustable brackets, and about 16 inches deep.
Sixteen. Room enough for two rows of books if they are small. It
was in pieces at my old apartment, and when I moved into my new house,
I had to assemble it in place, without scratching the ceiling. Well
I did a pretty good job and it's been there carrying many books for 27
years, but 10 or 20 years ago, A) I noticed it leaning forward, on the
carpeting. Now the top is almost 2 inches in front of the bottom. In
another quarter inch, one side will be resting on the door molding, so
maybe it will stop moving then. (It has barely moved in 10 or 15
years, but you never know)

B) It's assembled with screws, but I also should have screwed the
sides together half-way up, by screwing each side into a shelf. Now
it would be easy to do that now from the side that faces the room, but
impossible to do it to the side that is right up against the wall.
And the vertical boards are indeed spreading at the middle, but not
that much. A half inch in 27 years, maybe. But someday they may
spread so much that some shelves won't sit on the brackets, which
stick out about 3/4 inch. When that happens, it may all fall down.
(It's only 6 feet away but I'm too lazy to get up and measure.)

mm wrote:
On Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:48:23 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

mm wrote:
On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:24:02 -0600, Bill Gill
wrote:

On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill
My mother used to plug an extension cord in before she put something
big against the wall. The other end was where she could get at it.

But she bought houses with wiring in already. If she were putting in
outlets, the more the better.

(Nods knowingly) Yeah, when I moved into this place, I saw how badly the
outlets were placed, and bought some of those 90-degree plug extension
cords, and even a split cord for the bed wall. Of course, when I went to
bring in the furniture a piece at a time, I couldn't find most of them.

LOL. I have yet to decide if it's better to have extension cords, or
computer cords, or cube-taps, or AC plugs all over the place in a
terribley disorganized manner, but at least there is always one aroudn
when I need it, or to have them all in one box, so I can't find a the
box or a single one of them.

Ran across the pile of cords the other day- I should probably drape them
over the furniture in question, so next time I bother to clean those
rooms, I can plug the cords in. Not gonna move those full bookcases, though.

Not about outlets, but when I girl I knew was moving, she gave me her
ex-husband's bookshelf, 4'x8 foot in back (and I have 8 foot
ceilings), with adjustable brackets, and about 16 inches deep.
Sixteen. Room enough for two rows of books if they are small. It
was in pieces at my old apartment, and when I moved into my new house,
I had to assemble it in place, without scratching the ceiling. Well
I did a pretty good job and it's been there carrying many books for 27
years, but 10 or 20 years ago, A) I noticed it leaning forward, on the
carpeting. Now the top is almost 2 inches in front of the bottom. In
another quarter inch, one side will be resting on the door molding, so
maybe it will stop moving then. (It has barely moved in 10 or 15
years, but you never know)

B) It's assembled with screws, but I also should have screwed the
sides together half-way up, by screwing each side into a shelf. Now
it would be easy to do that now from the side that faces the room, but
impossible to do it to the side that is right up against the wall.
And the vertical boards are indeed spreading at the middle, but not
that much. A half inch in 27 years, maybe. But someday they may
spread so much that some shelves won't sit on the brackets, which
stick out about 3/4 inch. When that happens, it may all fall down.
(It's only 6 feet away but I'm too lazy to get up and measure.)

Uh, will the ceiling actually keep it from falling over, or will the two
tons of books just punch right through it? 2 traditional ways to make
bookcases spill-resistant: 1. shim shingles, with blocks and cardboard
as needed, to create a wide-contact jam fit against ceiling. (good for
rental units) 2. Before you load it, lag it off to the wall.

Now as to the thing spreading on you- you will need to at least
partially unload it, and use pipe clamps or something to square it up,
before you add a couple bucks worth of deck screws at critical points.
You can always add a bar across the front, hooked into a block screwed
into the vertical members. Hardwood blocks, or something out of your
junk box- good chance to be inventive. I've even seen it done with pipe
flanges, iron pipes, and a pipe union in the middle. This was on some
huge deep shelves, about 10 foot tall, in an old classroom building at
college. I thought it was a coat rack that had been converted to shelves
at first, till I looked at it hard one day.

--
aem sends...

On Feb 9, 12:50*am, mm wrote:
On Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:48:23 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:





mm wrote:
On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:24:02 -0600, Bill Gill
wrote:

On 2/7/2010 7:53 AM, desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality.
You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. *That way you will have
an outlet wherever you need one. *And there will be one that isn't
hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

My mother used to plug an extension cord in before she put something
big against the wall. *The other end was where she could get at it.

But she bought houses with wiring in already. *If she were putting in
outlets, the more the better.

(Nods knowingly) Yeah, when I moved into this place, I saw how badly the
outlets were placed, and bought some of those 90-degree plug extension
cords, and even a split cord for the bed wall. Of course, when I went to
bring in the furniture a piece at a time, I couldn't find most of them.

LOL. * I have yet to decide if it's better to have extension cords, or
computer cords, or cube-taps, or AC plugs all over the place in a
terribley disorganized manner, but at least there is always one aroudn
when I need it, or to have them all in one box, so I can't find a the
box or a single one of them.

Ran across the pile of cords the other day- I should probably drape them
over the furniture in question, so next time I bother to clean those
rooms, I can plug the cords in. Not gonna move those full bookcases, though.

Not about outlets, but when I girl I knew was moving, she gave me her
ex-husband's bookshelf, 4'x8 foot in back (and I have 8 foot
ceilings), with adjustable brackets, and about 16 inches deep.
Sixteen. Room enough for two rows of books if they are small. * *It
was in pieces at my old apartment, and when I moved into my new house,
I had to assemble it in place, without scratching the ceiling. * Well
I did a pretty good job and it's been there carrying many books for 27
years, but 10 or 20 years ago, A) I noticed it leaning forward, on the
carpeting. *Now the top is almost 2 inches in front of the bottom. In
another quarter inch, one side will be resting on the door molding, so
maybe it will stop moving then. *(It has barely moved in 10 or 15
years, but you never know)

B) It's assembled with screws, but I also should have screwed the
sides together half-way up, by screwing each side into a shelf. *Now
it would be easy to do that now from the side that faces the room, but
impossible to do it to the side that is right up against the wall.
And the vertical boards are indeed spreading at the middle, but not
that much. *A half inch in 27 years, maybe. *But someday they may
spread so much that some shelves won't sit on the brackets, which
stick out about 3/4 inch. *When that happens, it may all fall down.
(It's only 6 feet away but I'm too lazy to get up and measure.)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"When that happens, it may all fall down."

....and then you can put an outlet behind it! ;-)

"desgnr" wrote in message
...
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

According to local code.

desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )


4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. More realistically, every 96 or 112
inches works well. (and lands on a stud)

steve

Steve Barker wrote in
:

desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )


4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. More realistically, every 96 or 112
inches works well. (and lands on a stud)

steve

Thought I remember reading someplace long ago that the reason it's 12' is
because most devices - lamps, radios, TV's always came with a minimum of a
6' cord.

On Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:48:48 -0600, Red Green
wrote:

Steve Barker wrote in
m:

desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )


4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. More realistically, every 96 or 112
inches works well. (and lands on a stud)

steve

Thought I remember reading someplace long ago that the reason it's 12' is
because most devices - lamps, radios, TV's always came with a minimum of a
6' cord.

And are always permanently mounted on the wall at receptacle height.

On Feb 7, 8:33*am, Steve Barker wrote:
desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. *More realistically, every 96 or 112
inches works well. *(and lands on a stud)

steve

For a basement yes, not enough for livign spaces in today's world.

Harry K

On Feb 8, 12:53*am, Harry K wrote:
On Feb 7, 8:33*am, Steve Barker wrote:

desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. *More realistically, every 96 or 112
inches works well. *(and lands on a stud)

steve

For a basement yes, not enough for livign spaces in today's world.

I find that it does, but for a different reason than you're
thinking... pretty much at every receptacle location there's at least
one piece of electronics plugged in, meaning that I have a power strip/
surge suppressor there, so if 6' isn't quite close enough, simply
shifting the power strip along the baseboard in the appropriate
direction will solve the issue.

Now there are some locations in my house that do not follow the 6 foot
rule, and in those locations, I will eventually be adding
receptacles. (primary holdup right now is weather - can't get to the
supply house to purchase materials, as I've spent more Saturdays
shoveling snow than doing anything else, it seems.)

nate

On Feb 8, 7:24*am, N8N wrote:
On Feb 8, 12:53*am, Harry K wrote:

On Feb 7, 8:33*am, Steve Barker wrote:

desgnr wrote:
In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )

4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. *More realistically, every 96 or 112
inches works well. *(and lands on a stud)

steve

For a basement yes, not enough for livign spaces in today's world.

I find that it does, but for a different reason than you're
thinking... *pretty much at every receptacle location there's at least
one piece of electronics plugged in, meaning that I have a power strip/
surge suppressor there, so if 6' isn't quite close enough, simply
shifting the power strip along the baseboard in the appropriate
direction will solve the issue.

Now there are some locations in my house that do not follow the 6 foot
rule, and in those locations, I will eventually be adding
receptacles. *(primary holdup right now is weather - can't get to the
supply house to purchase materials, as I've spent more Saturdays
shoveling snow than doing anything else, it seems.)

nate

Well...yes, the power strips do solve the problem. That is what I
have at the TV center and the computer center. Ends with a whole rat-
nest behind both things due to not enough outlets.

Harry K

On Sun, 7 Feb 2010 08:53:02 -0500, "desgnr"
wrote:

In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far
apart )


No set rule. A popular saying is "You can't have too many outlets."
Your answer depends on how you will be using the space. I have my 120v
outlets spaced about every 5-6 feet on the wall, one 240v outlet on
every wall. In addition, there are a few outlets on the ceiling for
an array of shop lights. Also, think about if you might ever want
switched outlets--now is the time!