Product Perusal: Fire-Rated Back Boxes

Back boxes have long been available for small applications such as loudspeakers, recessed lights or electrical boxes. They provide a fire-rated casing to separate these items from the insulation within a wall. Now you can get a back box big enough for a Plasma, LCD or TV screen. The result is that the front of the display is almost flush with the wall. The screen can then be framed or covered to give the illusion that the display is actually art. The recessed box contains the display mount and the power and signal boxes. The back boxes serve several benefits:

• Simplifies installation
•Supports the flat panel display
•Provides fire proof/moisture proof enclosure for installation in fire-rated walls
•Easier cable management

The back boxes are mounted into the wall and attached to studs and are rough framed much like a window. They can be ordered in advance from various companies as a separate item to allow for the framing and rough–in work. The recessed installation helps protect the unit from accidental bumps with its lower display profile. Cover the screen with a framed piece of your kid’s artwork or a picture of Grandpa Jack and no one knows you are hiding a TV.