Old House, New Wiring - Plugmold or Power Track or ?

9 years ago

We purchased a small old bungalow needing lots of work as a retirement home. The walls are lath & plaster with high baseboards, and the electric is knob & tube. The first thing we did was to get an electrician to come in and upgrade the service to the house, but we did not re-do the wiring since we needed to get a plan in place as to where to put things. The house has an open basement which will make it easier to run the wiring from the new box once we figure out what we want.

Right now, the electrical plugs and and the heating vents are cut into the baseboard, in the areas where there are still baseboards. (Yes, it is a mess).

So: I need to install new baseboards, do not want holes cut into them for new outlets, but also do not want holes in the plaster. (Will trim around the heat registers).

I am considering the following options:
1) Install baseboard. Install hard-wired plugmold/wiremold outlets (or something similar) above the baseboard. Finish off with quarter round.
2) Install baseboard. Install hard-wired power track with "movable" outlets above the baseboard. Finish off with quarter round.

I have found lots of photos on this site of people using plugmold under their kitchen cabinets. Could not find any where people are combining it with the baseboard.

I found photos of option 2 on the internet while googling for option 1. The manufacturers seem to be in Europe (e.g. Dural) & Asia (e.g. Eubiq). I do not know if it is available here or not, but my husband says they installed something similar in the computer room at the place where he works, but not as "nice". So maybe only available for commercial settings?

We both like the idea of option 2 for the additional flexibility it offers. Some of the systems offer USB, etc. in addition to power outlets.

Does any of the above sound feasible?

I tried to get some some guidance from the Oregon electrical code, but could not find it online. (Did find the other codes. I think the electrical code is put out by a different group?)

Any help/suggestions/comments would be sincerely appreciated.

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Comments (6)

jakethewonderdog
9 years ago
You aren't going to like my suggestion, but here it is:

Install the outlets in the walls. It's just not that hard.
I've done it a million times in plaster and lath walls.

The easiest way is using metal boxes with expanding "ears" on the sides that grip the existing wall.

To cut the hole for the outlet, you drill starter holes in all four corners then use a fine tooth hacksaw blade so you don't break out the plaster.

You have full access from the basement - so you won't have to channel any walls.

The end result will look right, it won't look like it was added on after the fact.

Show us a photo of your baseboard / wall.
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
I agree with Jake. Put them in the plaster. I've watched the restoration of a friends house more likely older than yours. He pulled wire up to new boxes in the plaster and patched the holes were the previous baseboard installations were.

I've lived in houses with wood lathe and multiple plaster coats. While it's harder than drywall, it's as Jake points out, doable.
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jakethewonderdog
9 years ago
"I tried to get some some guidance from the Oregon electrical code, but could not find it online"

You are looking for the National Electric Code. You can buy the book, but it's not available online without purchasing it.

There are other books that based on NEC but are more practical guides and cover residential work only. Those would probably be more helpful to you.
btharmy
9 years ago
You are going to spend $30,000+ on plug mold to avoid cutting receptacles into the plaster? I guess I just don't understand the aversion to having convenience receptacles installed in normal, convenient locations.
Ron Natalie
9 years ago
You are looking for the National Electric Code. You can buy the book, but it's not available online without purchasing it.

Actually that's not true.

Here is a link that might be useful: Free NEC access
jakethewonderdog
9 years ago
ronnatalie: Thanks for that link... I wasn't aware of it.