buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
Siding is easy to remove and put back, way easier than drywall, plus, you have to remove some for a box anyways.
I need some advice installing back porch lighting
- Thread starter lzicc
- Start date
TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark
Veteran Member
Agreed. A 48" flexible drill bit (available at Lowes or online) makes this a very simple project. Just cut your holes for the switch (inside) and the light (outside), run the bit up to the top plate, and drill through. It's probably easiest to do this from the outside hole, as that will give you a better angle of attack on the top plate. Once the bit is through, attach a pull wire to it (most such bits have a small hole just back of the drill point for this) and pull the bit back with the pull wire. Then you can attach the romex to the pull wire and Pull it up into the attic.
This is no big deal, and if you pull off that siding, you will regret it.
buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
Its also very very tough to get to the top sill plate in most attics, especially if they are 4/12 trusses.
/pine
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2009
- Messages
- 15,059
For those with experience with vinyl siding removing/replacing is as simple as it gets...having a slip tool helps to get started... it is simple to remove the nails...Those that are suggesting otherwise must be talking about something other than common vinyl siding...it is very easy to remove and replace without any evidence once replaced...
Removing and replacing the siding is the easiest part of this project...!
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
If it was my house, I would put a porch over those doors. You can already see the rot beginning in the picture, and it's only going to get worse Every exterior door needs a porch. Putting a light on the ceiling of the porch also solves all your other issues about removing siding for a light.
The easy, simple way to do a light is in the soffit. Do you have a soffit?
IF you are going to go for a wall mount light, like a sconce, I would cut an opening in the siding big enough for a junction box and then drill a half inch hole into the top plates. To get the wire through the top plates, tape a thin wire to the end of the drill bit that's sticking above the top plates. Then pull the bit out and tape the small wire to your romex and pull it back up into the attic. I've also used PEX tubing to get Romex through insulation where I wanted it to go. The PEX is stiff enough to get through all the insualtion, and the Romex slides through the inside of the PEX. You just leave the PEX in the wall after the wire is threaded to where you want it.
If you want a light switch, hopefully it's on the inside wall where the exterior light is located so you have a short and simple run. With LED's burning so little energy, going with a dusk to dawn light and not having a light switch is something I've been doing more and more. I think I have seven of them on every night now and haven't noticed an increase in my electric bill.
It's probably not legal, but another way of doing this is to remove the trim around the door and running the wire through that space.
The easy, simple way to do a light is in the soffit. Do you have a soffit?
IF you are going to go for a wall mount light, like a sconce, I would cut an opening in the siding big enough for a junction box and then drill a half inch hole into the top plates. To get the wire through the top plates, tape a thin wire to the end of the drill bit that's sticking above the top plates. Then pull the bit out and tape the small wire to your romex and pull it back up into the attic. I've also used PEX tubing to get Romex through insulation where I wanted it to go. The PEX is stiff enough to get through all the insualtion, and the Romex slides through the inside of the PEX. You just leave the PEX in the wall after the wire is threaded to where you want it.
If you want a light switch, hopefully it's on the inside wall where the exterior light is located so you have a short and simple run. With LED's burning so little energy, going with a dusk to dawn light and not having a light switch is something I've been doing more and more. I think I have seven of them on every night now and haven't noticed an increase in my electric bill.
It's probably not legal, but another way of doing this is to remove the trim around the door and running the wire through that space.