Metal Back Boxes Protrude to Far! Solution?

thats a good idea Ray.

am i missing something - they should be a neat answer to this problem, not sure why they would need to be butchered? just need slightly longer screws which Screwfix sell

 

Some face plates (especially some of the 'posh' metal ones) are a little bit bigger than the white plastic ones and would miss the rim of the back box altogether when fitted to the wall. I know it's a massive long shot as you aren't going to know which ones (if any) are actually larger but I bought two metal light switches made by Schneider recently and they were larger and fitted snugly against the wall. This might not work for you as you're working with sockets and not light switches and the 'internals' of the socket could still press against the inside of the back box if it's too shallow. Just a thought. Try it and take them back for a refund if they're not suitable.

 

If you look at stitch ups other posts,he has listed loadsof pictures on photobucket.

 

@frogger
It doesn't help much mate using metal plates. They are slightly larger in width and depth but not enough to overcome the protruding back boxes. Thats what I was using and I ended up chopping out behind. one of the more awkward aspects of removing back boxes to sink them in deeper is negotiating the cables entering the box. Very awkward to pull the box out without bringing half the plasterboard out with it. Rotation is required .

 

I had a feeling it looked something like this.

I have one word. DADO.

Could even be fitted now to cover the feckups.

This is commercial yes? I would of planned to dado it from the start.

 

I'm not sure that these plaster spacer plates will help you either

I've got a single gang one which came with a dimmer switch but didn't need it. Just offered it up to a single gang metal box and it doesn't fit over it but sits on the perimeter of the box

Fine when the box is flush with the wall but it's not gonna help in this case

Would suggest that you check the measurements before ordering as it needs to be fractionally bigger than the metal back box

So what's the options then;

Get plasterer to re skim the wall to correct depth
Get builder / sparkie to chop boxes in deeper
Build a "picture frame" around each socket, using either 7mm strips of wood or a suitable upvc trim

Just wondering are the sockets all mounted singularly or in banks

Good luck

 

so you found the pictures. I was thinking along the same lines possibly skirting trunking, at least he could have used it to network the printers and computers, plus it would have been cheaper to run them horizontally.

 

Those 10mm spacers 'probably' won't do, as they 'probably' sit at the front of the boxes. so even they will have the gap.

Wonder if any sort of bath sealing strip could be used, or white [upvc]window wedge/rubber seal/E-gasket ?

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

How about carefully grinding the excess metal down with a Dremel? Sounds a bit far fetched but it must be possible (depending on how much metal is sticking out) and it will be hidden once the plate is in place. If you hit the plaster you can obviously just fill it afterwards.

 

Whack some EMT20 dado over the lot. Cheaper than you may think, and made for the job. Plus ESSB boxes and the lid is extra.

To go even cheaper, some MT 100x50 maxi trunking with TSS03 and TSS04 boxes.

Both have an accompliment of end caps, bend covers etc.

Do the job right

 

How about making the holes a tad larger, and changing the metal boxes for plastic pattress boxes. They can stick out then, and not look odd ?

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

That good be the way to go. Though I would prefer the skirting or dado method, much more flexibility. MT = marshall tufflex

 

Gaan down the Dado way of fixing OP's dilemma gets my vote!

Also gives me a plan for rewiring what'll be me lathes next home... (Prefab Garage). Plus, t'will be a great excuse to enjoy the smell of turning pitch pine church pews into summat eye pleasing and useful!

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas.

Reseating the back boxes may not be to hard as first thiygh,most were fixed on top of plaster, not brick. But still he has over 20 to do

 

With that many to do, I just wouldn't even entertain the idea. One or two perhaps.

They are just slapped on the wall, so chomping back the old plaster would be enough. It's never going to be a neat job though.

 

Sink box's in deeper whilst knocking Fek outa the surrounding plaster work, then get the Plasterer/Bodger back to make good as it's his fault in the first place.

 

Hmmmm as I thought - the door surround limits the plaster depth - the boxes should have been chopped in, maybe on the other wall also if there is a door etc. Also I suppose the cables are going to be directly spammed in with no conduit etc. Cant stand that technique tbqh although its not a reg breach.

 

I wonder if Stitch-Up is still reading this?!

If you are, then you have a number of options...

One - the proper one - is to beat se7en shades of poo out of your plasterer, until he agrees to make good any damage caused by you having to re-sinking these back boxes.

Much easier solutions is to either fit dado trunking as mentioned above ( a very sensible idea, but will make the place look a bit 'industrial' - is that a problem?) or else fit spacers/surrounds as also mentioned by peeps above.

For the latter - easier - solution, the surrounds should be about 10mm thick and will likely require the 'middle' bits trimmed off so's they sit around the 'proud' metal back boxes. Place them over the sticky-out back boxes and fill the gap betwixt them with a good quality adhesive such as StixAll. Then chust fit your sockets on top using longer screws - job's a jobbie.