The boxes made without metal are pvc or plastic.
Light fixtures that do not require junction box.
Many local building codes require metal junction boxes because they are durable and ensure long lasting performance.
Light fixture wiring if the new light fixture has the wire leads hanging out of the housing and there is no provision for internally containing and.
What i d do in this admittedly awkward scenario is use a surface mounted pancake box screwed to the stud through the drywall and feed the cable into that through a cableclamp and back of box ko then mount the fixture to the pancake box.
How to center a light fixture when the junction box is off center.
People aren t always careful about placing electrical boxes especially when installing fixtures with wide bases.
Scott if the new exterior light fixture has a built in junction box or an enclosure where the wiring connections can be made and protected then you would not need to install a junction box.
Metal boxes are usually made of aluminum steel or cast iron.
It ll stick out slightly but it beats sparky splices lighting your studs up.
Surface mounted boxes are your friend here.
For example if you have a light fixture that doesn t need a box for mounting but the wiring connections are not protected by some kind of cover then you can t use the fixture without a junction box.
Or if a fixture meets all of the criteria of a box but lacks a cable clamp don t use it without a box.