The Electric Slide

Years ago when I was stupid and didn't have a clue about old houses I rewired this place. The electrical inspector pointed out that I couldn't put splice boxes under the floors unless they could be accessed readily through a removable floor board. If I planned to install carpet or laminate flooring then I would have to rewire the rooms to eliminate the splice boxes. What did I know? I was only replacing what already existed and been covered over with carpet for 40 years.

I am getting ready to sand the last two floors that require sanding. This means that I have to secure floor boards that have been removed for at least 5 years! Although I plan to paint these floors I don't know if there will be any other type of covering in the future so I have rewired my rooms to eliminate the splice boxes under the floors and used the wall boxes for spicing. While I was at it I installed boxes with three way switches into the brick walls. Here are some pictures of how I do that.




The wires are fed from the attic to the space between the door frame and the brick wall via a short channel cut into the plaster. They run inside the door frame to the boxes via a channel made by removing mortar between some bricks. Although my chiseling skills are quite good after all these years I am no Michelangelo, so the boxes are held in place by wedges of wood. Now I can walk through a door on one side of each room, flick the switch, slide through the room to the door on the opposite side and flick a switch again while singing;

"Don't wanna lose it
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
But you can't choose it
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
But you know it's there,
Yeah here there everywhere

I've got to move,
Come let me take you on a party ride
And I'll teach you, teach you, teach you
I'll teach you the electric slide

Some say it's mystic
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
You can't resist it
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
You can't do without it
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
Jiggle-a-mesa-cara she's a pumpin' like a matic
She's movin' like electric
She sure got the boogie"