A surface mount panel is attached directly to the finished wall surface. This means the entire metal box protrudes into the room space, making the full depth of the enclosure visible and accessible. It safely routes power from the utility service into individual circuits throughout the structure. When planning for a new installation or an electrical upgrade, one. A distribution board, commonly referred to as a DB, is an electrical panel that houses circuit breakers, fuses, and other protective devices. Distribution boxes, meanwhile, are enclosures. In my understanding of both mounting types, surface mounted is the case where the junction box is not mounted in the wall.