Metal Back Boxes Protrude to Far! Solution?

How much is showing? You could run a bead of decorators caulk around the gap if it's only a few mm, a bit of a bodge of course but there's little else you can do is there. I say use decorators caulk rather than silicone as it's easier to clean up and does take paint, unlike silicone.

 

Hack it out and put in a shallower box?

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

What is the depth of the current back boxes? If they are 35mm you could go for 25mm ones, but if they are 25mm ones at present then do the above as there won't be enough room. I usually fit 35mm back boxes for all socket outlets.

 

You don't say how many sockets but even if it was 4 or 5 I would just disconect everything and bash out a deeper hole at the back. Sound like you only need to take it back a few mils off the brickwork so long as your mega careful with your cold chisel how much work is that? A couple of hours? three at most? Drill out the screw holes a bit deeper and bung in some new rawl plugs. Any chips etc, make good with a bit of filler.

 

Have you actually tried fitting a socket over the box? If the box is only sticking out 2 or 3 mm, then I think you'll find the socket has a lip around it that'll fit over this and the edges of the socket will sit nicely against the wall.
Failing that, take an angle-grinder to the b...

 

I was thinking using an angle grinder, but because they boxes are galvanised the cut edges could go rusty, unless they are treated. 2 -3 mm won't make a different unless they are flat plate sockets (flush).

 

To be honest the best solution is to remove the box and chop it in some more. I had this recently and that's what I did. Bloody builders coc k up. If the builder had done his dot and dab correctly it would have been flush with your 25mm box. Leaving it 7mm proud is quite frankley a bodge. He should be made to skim it to the right depth in my opinion but we all know that aint gonna happen.

 

I saw rhe picture of the wiring, why so many sockets?

The. Surrounds lokok cheap, the best way is to re sink the back boxes, this needs to be done carefully otherwise you risk damaging the cables.

Maybe yoy could carefully cut away a little plaster just above the box, where cables enter so the cable can be out the way. Was gonna reccomnd to use the armeg box sinker but I have never used this so dont know how good it is.

 

When the plasterboard was fitted, they could have been skimmed to accomodate the boxes?

 

Now I know why they call you 'Stitch-up'...

Is your plasterer in any way shame-faced by his complete misjudgement? Does he realise the hassle of redoing this leccy job?

If you had paid for a sparky to fit these boxes on the plasterer's say of "no need to sink, guv'", I'd be deducting the extra amount the sparky would charge for now sinking the boxes from the plasterer's bill...

Anyways, how to sort. 7mm is a lot. I can only see two realistic solutions; the first is your own idea, and by far the easiest one (if you can find these plates and they are a decent 5mm thick). The second is to sink the boxes, I'm afraid - but that's the 'proper' solution.

Trimming them ain't an option; the darned things are already shallow at 25mm, and you'll really struggle to get the wiring inside them as it is - I'm guessing there's at least 2 of 2.5T&E cables in each one?! Take 5mm off that (even if you could without damaging the screw lugs) would make fitting an impossibility.

So, keep searching for back plates...

(If you do have to go the sinking route, do yourself a massive favour and sink them down to at least 30+mm to provide extra space for wiring. Even deeper if it's no hassle - just use extra-long socket screws. Seriously, 25mm back box for a power socket... sheeeesh.)

 

See these trims you've found? If they are less than 5mm thick and the only ones you can find, then you can still use them by fitting them with a few little spacers underneath and then fill in the surrounding gap with a neat bead smoothed flush using a strong adhesive like white StixAll. That will effectively make them part of the wall...

 

I cant work out how the plasterers left boxes sticking out what some 7mm - how on earth does this sort of thing happen because as you are laying on the hardwall plaster you can see stuff sticking out and lay and flat more on..or maybe you are limited in plaster depth by door lining/s, so the boxes in this case should have been put in deeper.

Don't understand tbqh. I would ask to have the job done properly as, as is, its not done properly.

 

Where's the pics?

 

That's what I've been waiting for too Lec!

 

These will prolly do the job...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2G-10mm-S...al_Electrical_Fittings_MJ&hash=item4ad7e3bdb0

Maybe your "plasterer" has a fleabay account?

 

They look very useful Ray, not just for the op's problem but anywhere where a bit more depth is needed, eg adding a spur cable to a ring circuit when there's only a 25mm back box for example.

 

Aye, I see your point Sen... They'd prolly need a bit of butchering & botch'ulism to span the metal back box's