# Mounting wall light on clapboard siding



## Ashful (Jun 18, 2015)

So, I have to mount these gooseneck lights on my barn, above each door:







The mounting wall plate on the light fixture is 4-5/8" diameter, with mounting holes set for a 4" quad box.

I see a few options:

1.  Hole saw a 5" hole in siding, and use same holesaw to cut a 5" slug of trim board to insert in hole.  Then mount 4" quad box in plug.

2.  Make up a surface block (or try to buy one?) to fit siding profile, and mount box in surface block.

3.  Skip idea of mounting box IN wall, and just do a surface (eg. Red-Dot) box.  Challenge will be shimming it plumb, on slope of beveled siding.

Ideas?  Hoping to pick up required material Friday at lunch.


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## Hogwildz (Jun 18, 2015)

Can't mount the box from inside?
The use one of from the link?
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Siding-Mounting-Blocks/Light/N-5yc1vZbye2Z1z0tpsc

I have one laying around here somewhere, that wouldn't work with my shake type siding.
I'll take a look for it this weekend. If I can find it, you can have it.


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## Ashful (Jun 18, 2015)

I don't see high probability in any of those vinyl things working on my cedar siding, but there's always a chance.


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## gzecc (Jun 18, 2015)

3/4 Pressure treated block with a pancake electrical box.


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## Ashful (Jun 18, 2015)

gzecc said:


> 3/4 Pressure treated block with a pancake electrical box.


Let into siding, with hole saw or oscillating tool, or just mounted on surface?


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## ironpony (Jun 19, 2015)

I would go with the hole saw / trim board personally, will be a nice clean line as the base of the light is round. also as stated above the pancake box will only be about 3/4" deep, so it will fi in the trim board depth wise.


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## Ashful (Jun 19, 2015)

Cool.  Sounds like a plan, the only possible exception being whether I can fit the wiring in a pancake box.  The cover plate is flat, so no volume to use there.  Might go with a 1.5" deep box... just because.


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## semipro (Jun 19, 2015)

My first choice is as I described in a previous post with photo; using trim board mounted directly to the sheathing.
If that's overkill you can take a short section of the siding a little longer than the fixture base, flip it upside down, mount it to the siding and use your hole saw to drill through both pieces of siding.  Install your pancake box in that.  This creates a plumb (vertical) surface for mounting.
I really don't like the look or function of fixtures mounted directly to the non-vertical siding.


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## Ashful (Jun 19, 2015)

semipro said:


> My first choice is as I described in a previous post with photo; using trim board mounted directly to the sheathing.
> If that's overkill you can take a short section of the siding a little longer than the fixture base, flip it upside down, mount it to the siding and use your hole saw to drill through both pieces of siding.  Install your pancake box in that.  This creates a plumb (vertical) surface for mounting.
> I really don't like the look or function of fixtures mounted directly to the non-vertical siding.


I actually missed that your trim board was applied on top of the siding, in that prior photo.  I had thought it was let into the siding, and drip-edged on top.

Lots of options...


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## semipro (Jun 19, 2015)

Ashful said:


> I actually missed that your trim board was applied on top of the siding, in that prior photo.  I had thought it was let into the siding, and drip-edged on top.
> 
> Lots of options...


you were right. It was let in and attached to studs.


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## Hogwildz (Jun 19, 2015)

Ashful said:


> I don't see high probability in any of those vinyl things working on my cedar siding, but there's always a chance.


Your cedar is painted, paint the block same color, and done.


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## gzecc (Jun 19, 2015)

Ashful said:


> Let into siding, with hole saw or oscillating tool, or just mounted on surface?


I would sink the pancake box into the 3/4 or 5/4 pressure treated block. Painted the same as the building.


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## Ashful (Jun 20, 2015)

That's what I'm going to try, but with a cedar slug.  Paint doesn't always hold to fresh PT so well.


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## mass_burner (Jun 20, 2015)

Ashful said:


> That's what I'm going to try, but with a cedar slug.  Paint doesn't always hold to fresh PT so well.


I always prime PT with a good alkaloid primer, 2 coats, first. 

I go for the flush mount, just did this on my house, used a 3/4 box, as fixture has only a 1/2 inch base depth.


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## Enzo's Dad (Jun 21, 2015)

6 or 8" pvc trim painted to match your clapboards. Clean look and won't rot


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## jharkin (Jun 21, 2015)

+1 you need to block out a mounting point with a piece of trim board.properly flashed and caulked.


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## gzecc (Jun 21, 2015)

Ashful said:


> That's what I'm going to try, but with a cedar slug.  Paint doesn't always hold to fresh PT so well.


Yes, new PT wood is too wet. Need to give it 6 mos to dry.


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## mass_burner (Jun 22, 2015)

gzecc said:


> Yes, new PT wood is too wet. Need to give it 6 mos to dry.


6 months? I do a month tops. I store in my cool, dry basement to dry. Just wait a few days between primer coats. I use California paints alkaloid primer.


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## jharkin (Jun 22, 2015)

Ive brought home PT from the lumberyard that is so wet its practically dripping.  Id be concerned about peeling, painting it so soon.

Then again I haven't used it in any application where I was painting it in a long time...


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## mass_burner (Jun 22, 2015)

jharkin said:


> Ive brought home PT from the lumberyard that is so wet its practically dripping.  Id be concerned about peeling, painting it so soon.
> 
> Then again I haven't used it in any application where I was painting it in a long time...


Yea, but for me it dried pretty quickly. I don't put it in the sun though, it tends to warp. My lamp post is a 4x6 and still no issues after 3 years.


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## Ashful (Jun 22, 2015)

No worries, guys.  It was all done on Saturday, with with cedar.  I did the overlay with inset pancake box, in the end.  Shown below in primer, they're all caulked and painted in, now.

Three lights, one in gable and other two over the doors.


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