Hot take: Plastic electrical boxes won me over after years of metal-only work

I used to think metal boxes were the only way to go for any job. Then I worked on a house where plastic boxes cut down on cost and made things easier. Now I get that plastic can be good for certain spots, but some guys still say metal is safer. Have you tried plastic boxes or do you stick with metal?

2 comments

2 Comments

troygreen2h ago

Yeah, I just can't get there with plastic. I've tried them on a few jobs and they always feel flimsy. A metal box just feels solid when you mount it, and the screws don't strip out as easy. I get the cost thing, but to me it's worth it for something that's gonna be in the wall for decades. The grounding with metal is just simpler and more sure in my book too.

wadereed40m ago

Guess you've never had a plastic box crack on you mid-install, @troygreen. That flimsy feeling becomes a real problem real fast.