Inlaying an outlet in a hardwood floor

mcmazoway

I want to inlay an electrical outlet into my hardwood floor and thought that I could mill out the correct size opening with my router. Has anyone done this before? Any known problems to be careful of? I know about being careful of the nails. I only have to mill out about 7/64" and should be well clear of them

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Mike

Any electrical outlet you install has to be inside an approved box. Perhaps you can provide a bit more detail on what you want to do?

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Mike

mcmazoway

I was wondering if anyone had any tips, tricks, etc. for milling down the floor so I can install the plate flush with the top of the flooring. I am well aware of the electrical needs and am very familiar with the electrical codes involved.

BobandRick

What kind of router tools do you have?

This is called and inlay. First thing to do is make a pattern that is exactly the size and shape as the electrical cover. To do this we screw the cover on a 1/4" plywood pattern material and using a 7/16" guide and a 1/4" router bit cut out the shape of the electrical cover, now the pattern is 1/4" bigger all around.

With the pattern made place the pattern on the hardwood floor in the correct position and double stick tape in place. Remember you have to be exact in your positioning of the pattern because the two screws that mount the cover in position determine the placement. It might help to mount the cover with the screws and then place the pattern in position leaving equal 1/4" margin all around inside of the pattern.

Change your guide to a 11/16" or the combination of 7/16 plus the router bit 4/16". We are cutting a reverse inlay...the pattern is made with the router bit on the outside of the cover then when we are cutting the flooring we need the router bit on the inside of the pattern. The larger guide gives the margin between the guide and cutting edge of the router bit, which moves the bit inside to cut the pattern. Set the depth to the thickness of the cover and cut the pattern.

Practice, practice, practice is the big tip....might want to practice a few times on a piece of scrap flooring before cutting the real flooring. You will learn how the fit is, how the router reacts in your flooring, and any special techniques.

Be safe and good luck, Rick

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Rick and Bob
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steveo

Rick, Me thinks the pattern is 1/4" + 3/32" , or 11/32" bigger all around. Somebody forgot to sharpen their shop pencil.
steveo

BobandRick

We have to have the whole router bit inside the cut line that will make the shape match the cover. Inlay kits work the same way by adding a collar that is the thickness of the 1/4" router bit.

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Rick and Bob
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reible

Are you sure about this post? Things are not adding up for me, or I'm missing what you are doing........

Anyway I have to go do some shopping but when I return I'm going to do a drawing to see if I can figure out what's up.

Ed

steveo

You are right Ed, it just doesn't add up. If they are using a 7/16" bushing with a 1/4" bit, the "female" template will be 11/32" larger than the electrical plate. Then they will have to change out the 7/16" bushing to a 15/16" bushing to "mill" the hole in the floor exactly the same size as the electrical plate. Of course one will have to hunt high an low for a 15/16" bushing.
steveo

reible

Let me give this a shot. If you use the outlet cover as the edge you run the template against, for now let's say we use a 3/4" bushing and a 1/4" bit. Now when we cut we are cutting 1/4" from the template but the outside of the cutter is cutting a 1/2" away. The "new template" is being made then is 1/2" larger all the way around.

When we have finished the cut we take the "new template" which now has this opening that is 1/2" larger all around and put it on the floor. At this point we want to get back that 1/2" so using the same bit the same guide we would then be to the same size as the orginal template but with the bit width of 1/4" to the wrong side of the hole we want to route. This means we need to move the bit over 1/4" so we route out the hole we need. Since the bushing was 3/4" we need to add the 1/4 + 1/4 making the bushing be 1/2" larger then the 3/4" or 1 1/4".

Recap: use 1/4" bit and 3/4" bushing makes the hole in the "new template" 1/2" larger then the outlet cover. Using the same bit but a 1 1/4" bushing moves the cut over 3/4" and the outlet cover should fit in......

This is a classic case of using a look-up table for an outside cut of 1/2" and then an inside cut of 1/2". Maybe it's time for me to post this again???

I think this is correct or are we missing something?????

Ed

BobandRick

Your right you need to add twice the thickness of the router bit or 1/2" to 7/16" making it a 15/16" guide...sorry for the math.

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Rick and Bob
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