Hi - I will be installing volt lights in concrete steps and like to make sure it's done correctly. What's the best way to go about this? screw the box into the boards before pouring concrete or cut out a foam template and blue/tie it to the board? Any tip is much appreciated. Thanks!
Our brass bunker step lights are rated for concrete pouring applications, so you could very well install to the wood frame and then pour around the lights (while being a bit cautious to either not seal the faceplates shut or prevent the faceplates from being re-attached). Directly pouring seems to be the most common approach in the industry. Using a foam placeholder similar to the size of the fixture is definitely an approach as well - but, this definitely seems a bit more elaborate and seemingly may involve chipping away at dried cement step to remove the foam and hoping it maintains the shape of the light housing (which could be why they don't illustrate the removal of the foam in that video). And, in all honesty, in this project pictured below where the contractor used this approach, the "finished" steps came out looking quite rough IMO; Either way, you should certainly pre-run your wires & conduit regardless of the installation approach you take.
Hi Evan. Another concern I have is the way the faceplate wraps around the casing. I think the cave place must be installed before the concrete is poured and I think that’s what you meant by being careful in your previous comment. Is that correct? How so I protect the faceplate and ensure it can come out later when concrete is dry?
Typically, we don't delve too deep into the complexities of installation and design - we stick to making ideal recommendations. Concrete pour type projects are where contractor experience is pivotal. A recommendation you could consider would be potentially attaching the recessed housing portion of the step light only firmly to the back of the wood frame via screws going through the outward facing side of the step (longer screws that would enter the pre-drilled holes where the faceplate attaches). Then, inserting the bulb & attaching the faceplate w/ the provided screws after removing the longer screws & wood frame when the concrete has dried. Again, this is a recommendation. If this is a DIY project, we'd highly recommend researching further or even consulting with a local contractor for help or feedback. We also do have thin, integrated LED step lights that can be simply surface mounting to steps: Thin LED Step Lights
