Kitchen Cabinet Sockets - Surface or Flush mount?

[wozza]

Our Kitchen is going in this week and we need a few sockets fitting into the cabinets for the dishwasher, Quooker tap, vacuum etc.

 

So do we surface mount them in boxes or flush mount using drywall boxes?

 

Surface mount will mean we only need a small hole for the cable to pass through, flush mount will need a 73mm square hole (all will be 1 gang sockets)

 

In our old kitchen I think they cut a large hole for the plug to fit through, then a small 10 mm hole underneath and joined up the two, the socket box then covered the large hole.

 

Any preferences? any pros or cons? do`s or don'ts?

 

Thanks, Wozza.

 

 

[TonyT]

In this situation I would go for surface boxes, easier to install and when it goes wrong easier to repair.

Surface boxes that are plastic with the 20mm knock outs are preferable to the hard plastic type that may crack when screws are over tightened.

[MikeSharp01]

Surface mount, simpler to Install and you don"t need to wreck the cabinets to fit them. I used metal surface boxes with the cables coming in the back via a grommet at millstone manor.

[ProDave]

Dry lining boxes usually need at least 9mm thick panels, the thin backs of some kitchen units might not be thick enough.  So yes, surface mount boxes.

[wozza]

44 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Dry lining boxes usually need at least 9mm thick panels, the thin backs of some kitchen units might not be thick enough.  So yes, surface mount boxes.

 

Cabinets have 12mm backs, but will go with surface mounted boxes - thanks all

[Ferdinand]

You could consider mounting on he cupboard floor, or a shelf, for a firmer surface.

 

Looking at mine, I have 3 types for the first 3 I looked at (kitchen done by previous self-builder ? )

 

1 - Mounted on back of cupboard.

2 - Mounted on side of cupboard.

3 - Mounted on wall where cupboard is backless.

 

However they are all fine *. And he was obviously a flexible chap.

 

F

 

* Apart from the socket in the island for the wide-boy led plinth lights fed by a lighting cable buried directly in the screed.  

[Roys]

I usually surface mount on the side of the cabinet, because as stated above the backs on a lot of units is thin.

[Bozza]

Surface boxes definitely.  Just bear in mind depth if you are having pull out wire baskets etc.  Try to avoid in sink units if possible put into adjacent cupboards. If in sink units try to keep high up away from potential water leaks.  If putting isolator switches in like we did in they have to be easily accessible per regs.  

[PeterW]

Prefer flush mounted and only use unswitched sockets as have a nice grid of marked up isolators in a walk in larder