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Rickkrus
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 12:26pm
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Can anyone tell me if it will pass code if I place electrical outlets in the floor? I am planning on a log cabin and this seems to be the easiest way to do things.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 12:52pm
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Not in my area and not likely much anywhere else... Power outlet's in floor have a way of getting wet & worse things can & have happened. Per our code, outlet's must be 12" above the floor.
Your options are surface mounting ( with protection) or embedding it into the log walls, which depends on the method your using to building the walls, some being easier than others. All certainly easier than attempting to retrofit a built log building.
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sparky30_06
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 01:04pm
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the NEC states that "receptacles outlets in floor shall not be countrd as part of the required numbers of receptacles outlets unless located within 18 inches of the wall.
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 02:17pm
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I imagine from Sparky's comments, GFI protected circuits for in-floor outlets?
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sparky30_06
Member
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 03:00pm
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GFCI outlets are not required on floor outlets unless they are in the kitchen, bathrooms, outside, or within 6 feet of a sink or bathtub. in a nut shell
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 03:20pm - Edited by: bldginsp
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I think the only place where receptacles are actually prohibited from being on a horizontal surface is the kitchen countertops.
Receptacles in living spaces (any room that is not a kitchen, bath, laundry or porch) must now be on AFCI protection.
Rikkus- if you do put outlets on the floor, I suggest you get the metal ones made for the purpose, since the ordinary plastic ones won't take a trampling. I don't know, but I bet the ordinary wall mount type are prohibited from floor mount for this reason.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 03:38pm
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Quoting: Rickkrus Can anyone tell me if it will pass code if I place electrical outlets in the floor? I am planning on a log cabin and this seems to be the easiest way to do things.
Yes, there is a special floor outlet pkg with box etc available. But instead if in the floor, how about jsut above the floor? With a log home this is what I would do. Just stub up with conduit maybe 6" max and have the outlet mounted on the bottom log. Do this anywhere you need an outlet. Conduit can come up the floor via a small hole just big enough for conduit. This saves lots of headache running wires in the logs. You need crawl space to pull this off though. You can turn outlet box horizontal to keep it even in a lower profile too. If you have a light switch near a door, you can remove door casing, gouge out behind it, run power up through floor inside door case, over to light switch, then up door case and drill behind header to ceiling to lamp. Open beams, run wire on top of beam or route a gouge and set wire inside on top of beam to hide all wiring.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 03:51pm
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Alternatively, instal outlets in a wide baseboard. Hold the baseboard 1/2" from the wall to run wire behind it, then trim it all out with mouldings
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Don_P
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# Posted: 1 May 2016 04:16pm - Edited by: Don_P
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It isn't hard to cut them in the logs and drill through the floor. You'll need switch boxes too. Just part of building with log. I've typically drilled a single 1" hole for a single box and 2 holes for a double gang. From switches they may need to go up to the top log as well. We used a length of 5/8" allthread rod to clear the holes frequently then a length of plastic lumber banding is installed through the hole to assure you made it and to serve as a fish.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 2 May 2016 10:43pm - Edited by: Malamute
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Agree, it isn't that hard to set them in the walls. I do full round logs and set them between logs in the chink joints. I turn the boxes sideways and inlet them so the cover plates flush out with the logs. Trace the outline of the box (plastic box with tabs cut off, drilled in the ends for the wires), drill with spade bit to remove most of the wood and get the depth right (tape on bit for reference), then chisel out the extra wood. Use a couple drywall screws through the back of the box to anchor. I think it took me about an hour per to do them. Run the wire in the chink joint and chink over them. I ran wires up the sides of door frames also, chiseling out a groove, then chinking over them after laying the romex in flatways, or 12-3 in tightly.
Switch boxes set vertically, otherwise similar. Can drill down through walls if needed. Need to plan ahead well for that.
Chain saw grooves in the top of log gables also give clean pathways, using the plastic staples with wire nails to keep them in place while building the roof over them. Be mindful of wire locations when so doing.
I like to use 12-3 wg and switch half of each outlet, the other half hot. Then I can walk in and turn all the lamps on in one shot from the doorway.
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 3 May 2016 12:33pm
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Sounds like a product invention opportunity to me. Receptacles / plates specifically designed for logs and/or curved surfaces. 
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Jebediah
Member
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# Posted: 3 May 2016 01:54pm - Edited by: Jebediah
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KinAlberta;
You're 10 years too late! There is a curved electrical outlet cover plate for log homes.
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Don_P
Member
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# Posted: 3 May 2016 09:32pm
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...and rather than spend that money, on really rustic logs I've mortised in a block of wood flush to the fullest belly, slightly larger than a flat cover plate and cut out for the box in that block. Sounds fussier than it is.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 3 May 2016 10:06pm - Edited by: Malamute
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Ive used wood boxes somewhat similar that a homeowner provided on milled logs. I don't recall where she got them. Had to fine tune the scribe to fit the particular location, the provided fit wasn't great, and the inletting from the log company wasn't that great or consistent. They were more of a trim ring than anything.
Some simply make a flat on a log face and mill in the box recess. I still prefer between on my full round (non-milled) log projects. To finish the exposed edges of the box I just chink them in.
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