Outlet screwed directly into stud

Question

I was replacing old outlet in my house and came across an outlet that is screwed directly into the studs. Also the stud and the junction box were cut to fit the outlet. The new outlet is too big to fit in this space. I am afraid to put a new outlet in here as it could be a fire risk.

What should I do with this? Should i cap off the wires and put a blank wall plate? Or is there some way I can salvage this and put an outlet in here.

There is a wall (fireplace) to the left and a sliding glass door an inch or so to the right.

Answer 1

It looks like you are up against a corner on the left, which means you can't simply shift the outlet into the box location. In a perfect world you have enough cable to move the box to the other side of that stud. You would then simply repair your drywall. (We've since learned that there's a door to the right, just out of frame, making this impossible.)

Otherwise I would find a shallow box and cut the stud back so that the box can sit partially or completely in front of it. Since you are right near a corner you can safely take a third to a half of the stud out without concern. It may not strictly meet code, but experience tells me it won't be a problem.

A good way to do that is with a nice sharp spade bit of 1 inch or so. Just make a series of straight-in bores in a grid pattern to cut the wood away. Mark your depth on the side of the stud before hand so you know how deep to go.

Answer 2

Use a surface mount electrical box:

Answer 3

To add to this answer, I wouldn't just add a surface mount box, I would

1. Cut open the wall open a bit more to remove the wire from the box (it might be stapled inside the wall)
2. Fully patch and paint the wall
3. Drill a hole in the ceiling directly above
4. Surface mount conduit with the existing wire
5. Mount your surface box

Why so much effort? If they cut this many corners in mounting the outlet, I would want to know there's nothing else hidden in that wall that could come back to bite you (or burn your house down). Surface mount can be aesthetic, but it also affords you peace-of-mind in knowing it's done right.

Answer 4

Okay - that is absolutely not to code and a fire/shock hazard. You show an electrical box that is partially covered over by plaster/drywall.

To fix, just cut the drywall off in front of the outlet 1-gang electrical box (the blue box), pop an extender on it to bring it flush with the surface of the drywall (for example), and install the outlet back normally.

By US Electrical code, any place you are connecting wires, you have to have access to that in the wall (e.g. at least a plate covering it, if you have room for a plate - you have room for an outlet). The connection also has to be contained in the box - so the way it's partially covered by drywall is not to code and a fire hazard.

Answer 5

Thinking a bit outside the box, this is between a corner and a fireplace, so would you be able to add some fixed permanent or built-in shelving in this little corner?

That way you could bring the new socket out and install it permanently in the framing for your new shelf ?

but with the power socket in the white backplate?

Or if that's a bit ambitious, Ikea have kitset corner shelves called LILLÅNGEN which might fit nicely with a bit of finangling. https://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/90211041/
Something short could even float off the floor, meaning it only needs to be secured to the stud (which you've found) and flush with the wall on both sides. Then bring the wire through a convenient hole, and mount your power sockets.

Answer 6

If you are willing to do a little wall repair, this should be easy to correct, at least as far as we can see. Cut the wall in front of the box and patch the wall over the stud.

Depending on what exact butchery is revealed, you might need a new box, you might not. If you do, just put one in, and patch the wall as needed. Planning to might well be the best bet here, just from seeing the visible-now butchery.

Answer 7

I'd be inclined to saw a notch in the stud and install a proper box. Between a doorway and a corner the stud is not apt to be bearing much weight and can stand to have a notch for a shallow box cut out.