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I’ve decided to sheetrock over existing 3/4″ shiplap in some rooms and 3/16″ panelling glued over 1/2″ sheetrock in others. Unfortunatelly the electrical boxes when originally installed were made more or less level with the stud faces!! I want to avoid ripping out the surrounding wood or panelling/sheetrock combo when I lay the new sheetrock over.
Is there such a thing as an extender or how would you go about this problem?
I’m probably being lazy but I have enough problems coping with the trim issues!
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Geoff:
Yes, extenders are available. Some of the boxes on my house are mounted with the face at sheetrock level. Then, trim was installed over this (with a cut-out for the box). The electricians installed a metal ring that extends the face of the box out about 3/4". I forget what they called them, I think it was "fire rings". Not sure if that is because they prevent fires or cause fires!!! - but they did pass inspection. I took a quick look in my NEC book but couldn't find any reference.
*There's also a thing shaped more like a shield than a ring. Wraps around the outlet device, fits inside the box, a flange with screw hole fits between the box and the outlet at the screw. Allows for varying depths, say 0" to 3/4". Made of thin sheet metal.
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Geoff,
There are actual extension rings used to expand the cube on boxes when you want to stuff them full of wires, but I think you are after "mud rings." No guarantee that they will give you the right height.
Some ideas from the RACO catalog in their terms:
Device covers for gang boxes raised 3/4"
4-11/16" Device and tile covers, single device
and, of course, two device (one duplex outlet, two duplex outlets - or switches or whatever)
These are for metal boxes. They also have raised covers for plastic. Poke round Home Depot.
ToolBear
*Geoff, I know exactly what you want. I just used about 20 of them on a job. The ones I'm referring to are made of plastic and blue colored like the boxes. They screw to the existing holes on the box and have a sleeve that slides into the box. There are adjustment screws so you simply adjust the extension out to your finished wall surface.I don't know where you live, but I know they are available at Menard's ( about $1.75 ) and I think Lowe's has them. Our major electrical supplies also have them.
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Arlington makes a simple pvc sleeve for this application, part number BE1 for 1-gang, BE2 for 2-gang.
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As far as I know, there are two types of box extenders: (1) Doublers; and (2)Plaster rings or mud rings.
The doublers, which I used daily, double the depth of the box. They are wonderfull for craming wires into with vilolating all sorts of code.
The Plaster rings come in a number of sizes and extend the box 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", and I think I've even seen an inch.
Hope this helps.
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I've decided to sheetrock over existing 3/4" shiplap in some rooms and 3/16" panelling glued over 1/2" sheetrock in others. Unfortunatelly the electrical boxes when originally installed were made more or less level with the stud faces!! I want to avoid ripping out the surrounding wood or panelling/sheetrock combo when I lay the new sheetrock over.
Is there such a thing as an extender or how would you go about this problem?
I'm probably being lazy but I have enough problems coping with the trim issues!
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Plastic extenders...Might be Arlingtons...inexpensive and I buy em boxload at a time.....Code requires flush boxes now.
J