How to Wire Your Floor Outlet

Many times, an electrical outlet that is installed in a wall is insufficient to meet the power supply needs in a home, and wiring the floor to accommodate electrical outlets is ultimately safer and more convenient to meet your electrical needs. Adding an electrical outlet in the floor enables you to plug appliances, lamps, and any other electronic components in right where they are located. This is convenient if you want a particular lamp just so, or to prevent running hazardous extension cords to an electrical outlet. They are low profile and are many times easier to install than a new wall outlet. Check your local building codes to ensure that you are installing the correct kind of outlet. Any time an outlet is located in a garage, kitchen, bathroom, or other damp area, the outlet should be a GFI (ground-fault interrupter) outlet. This is a very valid safety precaution.

Step 1 - Determine the Location

Determine the location that you need to install the outlet. Mark the location with a permanent marker. An easy way to mark the location is to simply trace around the outlet box on the floor where you want the outlet located. Keep in mind the layout of furniture and appliances that you may eventually want to move.

Step 2 - Cut the Power

Turn off the circuit breaker for the area that you will be working on. Many times, an entire section of the home, or section of a room will be controlled by one specific breaker, but if in doubt, turn off any surrounding breakers as well.

Step 3 - Cut the Opening

Using the jigsaw or reciprocating saw, cut a hole in the floor the size and shape of your tracing. You can create a starter hole, or even drill out four corners to ease the introduction of the saw blade.

Step 4 - Connect the Wiring

Locate the electrical supply that you want to tap into. You will need to cut the plastic sheathing away from the bundled wires that you will be splicing into. Strip away one half to one inch of sheathing from your new wiring, as well as from the source wires. Connect the wires, matching the color of the wires, using the wire nuts. Match black to black, white to white, and the ground to the ground (usually green or green-and-white striped). Make sure that all connections are secure.

Step 5 - Connect the Outlet

Fit the outlet box into the hole that has been created in the floor. Secure the box with nails or screws to surrounding studs or joists. Snake the new wiring into the outlet box and strip one half inch of the plastic coating from the ends. Wrap the black, or hot, wire around the bronze or copper colored screw of the outlet, clockwise, and tighten the screw. Repeat the process for the white wire, but to the silver colored screw, and the ground wire to the green colored screw. Secure the outlet to the box and install the faceplate. Turn the power back on and test the outlet.