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Telecommunications

      
   
Testing, Repairing and Installing Home telephone Wiring - Installing Telephone Outlet Boxes

Installing Telephone Outlet Boxes:

In new constructions, many homeowners install outlet boxes in the wall that will be flush with the wall, like an electrical outlet.  Depending on the use of the phone, the outlet boxes will need to be at different heights: 

  1. For desk phones, the standard height is 14 inches from the bottom of the outlet box to the floor.
  2. For wall-mounted telephones, the recommended height is 58 inches from the bottom of the box to the floor.
  3. Where a wall telephone is to be placed over a countertop, the recommended height is 10 inches from the bottom of the box to the counter; however, there must be enough room below and above the outlet box to allow the telephone to be installed.

Before mounting the outlet boxes, determine the amount of protrusion required beyond the stud to assure that the outlet box will be flush with the finished wall surface. The standard wallboard coverings could alter this figure. If you do not know how thick the wall covering will be, check with your contractor. Standard protrusion is 3/8”. However, this will vary with wall surface thickness.