Covering an electrical receptacle

[Rob Bodenschatz]

If this is deemed to be off topic, please feel free to move it.

I'm about to cover a wall in my mudroom with beadboard. There is an electrical receptacle on that wall. It's a small room and there's another receptacle a few feet away so we don't really need it. Would it be okay to remove the receptacle, attach the wires (it's in the middle of a run) and cover it up with the beadboard?

[Kyle Kraft]

Now, I'm no "Sparky", but I don't think that is acceptable. Without actually quoting chapter and verse, I think that all junction boxes have to be accessable. You could cut the hole in the bead board and apply a blank cover plate perhaps.

[Rob Russell]

Nope. Wiring connections must remain accessible. If you want the code section I'll look it up tonight - running for the door right now. You can put in a junction box with cover plate and bury that in the wall as long as there is a removeable section of the beadboard that is obviously removeable or openable to get at the junction box.

If you want to get fancy, you could take a section beadboard and use magnetic catches to mount the section. That way you can easily remove the section but don't have any hardware showing.

[Dennis Peacock]

Nope. Wiring connections must remain accessible.

Agree!!!! All wiring connection must always remain accessible, no matter where they are.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I thought that would be the answer. No need to look up the code, Rob. Since I'm going to have to do extra work anyway, I think I'll go ahead and just keep the receptacle. I'll need to extend it out about an inch past the drywall to get it past the trim work that is going there. Do they make a special box for this?

[Mark Rios]

Not a box but you can get a box extender. You should be able to find it at your local borg.

[Lee DeRaud]

Since I'm going to have to do extra work anyway, I think I'll go ahead and just keep the receptacle.Good answer: otherwise, Murphy's Law guarantees that you won't have an outlet when you need it, probably in the near future.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

Good answer: otherwise, Murphy's Law guarantees that you won't have an outlet when you need it, probably in the near future.

True. Thanks guys.