ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Panel Backboards

Here on Long Island, on a residential service there is normally a plywood(3/4") backboard secured to the foundation wall. What I have done in the past would be to paint the plywood first with 2 coats of weather proof paint, and then power nail it to the wall. Does any one have another method or style to put a service panel on a foundation wall?

Use TAPCON masonry screws to secure the panel directly to the foundation wall.

Chris

My complements on putting in the extra work to paint the board.

Ditto on the Tapcon suggestion.

There are a lot of unpainted backboards used throughout this 7 country metro area of ~3 Mil souls. Only occasionally do I see a painted one. Ironic. Your thread happens just after I put the first coat on a 4 x 4 sheet that I'll use on a custom job, a job that is paying extra for the quality.

Al

Well, once upon a time, I was told that the backboard had to be "black",. (Fireproof paint) Well it was flat black latex! So he lied.
Now, we use wood stain. Black or dark gray.
For the "cusom" jobs, we have used epoxy paint. We also found a nice "edge guard", to cover the edges. It's a plastic "U" that slips over the edges of 3/4" plywood. Miter cut the corners, and you can do it in 1 piece. Mess up, and you can do it in 2 pieces. Mess up real bad, 4 pcs, and a few ss screws.

Anyone else ever heard of the "fireproof paint???
John

We're supposed to use fire-treated 3/4" plywood(rarely happens). But I usually make one of the GC's laborers at least paint it grey, I thought that was the norm. We use the smash-in anchors now from Hilti to hold it up.

[This message has been edited by CanadianSparky (edited 10-07-2002).]

We use masonary anchors directly to the concrete or block. In this area only the meter is outside. The main is in the panel directly inside (10') of metal conduit is max length between meter and panel.
Why put wood on concrete or block if the rest of that wall is bare? the wood will rot out before the masonary.

[This message has been edited by nesparky (edited 10-08-2002).]

I use pressure treated 2X4's mounted to basement wall with plywood on that. Not much chance of anything rotting out.

NESparky,

In my experience, the fasteners fail before the wood. I'll find 60 year old services on "one bys" that are held in position by the mounting screws of the panel, with, maybe, one or two of the original masonry nails left in service. The masonry gives way. The wood and the box are OK. Panel and sub panels are held in position by the wood, not stressing the panel-conduit-panel bonds as badly as if they were hanging only by their raceways and cables.

Another value of the backboard is as a thermal break to help minimize condensation; and as a moisture barrier to prevent corrosion. Most older dwellings around here have basements, and the below grade masonry will dampen when covered even when the basement is experienced as "dry".

Lastly, if there is enough moisture to take out the wood, it'll take out the panel anyway.

Al

How about mounting panel on 1 5/8 unistrut. Fasten unistrut to wall with tapcons and use spring bolts and 3/8 bolts w/washers to hold panel. That's the way I have done it. Also allows you space behind panel to run conduit if need be.