Electricians: How to install electrical box in 2x4 header?

[Yzzim]

So I'm doing some remodeling in the kitchen and have spent all morning trying to figure out this out. How do you get an electrical box for a pendant light in a 2x4 header? I'm trying to frame in a bar area and the wife wants some pendant lights above the bar. Is this even possible in a 2x4 frame?

I could mount a ceiling light electrical box on the 2x4 and then do another frame around that, but the ceiling light box is 3.5" diameter, so I'd have nothing to screw the drywall into around the box (say nothing of the corner bead).

Would it be possible to use a single gang outlet box for a ceiling light? Are the mount holes the same?

Any other ideas?

Picture here:

 

[Red Squirrel]

I hope that's not a load bearing wall, that header should be thicker.

But that aside, what I would do is nail another 2x4 below it, but have it stop where you want the boxes, then screw the boxes to said 2x4. I'm not sure if this is the "right" way to do it though, but it should work. So picture the boxes right below that 2x4, with the rest of the space being pieces of 2x4 so it's flush.

 

[Yzzim]

I hope that's not a load bearing wall, that header should be thicker.

But that aside, what I would do is nail another 2x4 below it, but have it stop where you want the boxes, then screw the boxes to said 2x4. I'm not sure if this is the "right" way to do it though, but it should work. So picture the boxes right below that 2x4, with the rest of the space being pieces of 2x4 so it's flush.

It's not load bearing.

The boxes are 3.5" diameter...same width as a 2x4. What would I attach the drywall and corner bead to?

 

[vi edit]

You could do one of those 12v monorail systems and just hang the rail after you drywall.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Pic for clarity:

If they're the exact same width as the 2x4, you could maybe even just double the 2x4.

Though maybe there's a better method, we'll see what others say.

 

[Yzzim]

You could do one of those 12v monorail systems and just hang the rail after you drywall.

Don't I still need an electrical box?