*
We bought a 7 yr old house, contemporary post and beam cape, about 90% finished by the previous owner, a very meticulous amateur who seems to have done everything perfectly or hired someone who can do right. He has electrical boxes, blue plastic variety, everywhere…Plus cable TV and telephone to every room. Nearly 40 boxes on the first floor, 25+ on the second floor. When he nailed them in, he was going to wainscot everywhere. He drywalled the entire place, and then decided not to put up wainscotting. We bought the house at this point and have innumerable boxes sitting about 1/4″ to 1/2″ proud of the wallboard in every room.
Choices for fixing them include:
– cut the wallboard, reset the box, repair the drywall, repaint.
– wainscot at least some of the rooms/walls to use them as is.
– cut a decorative wood trim to fit around the box, leaving it high
While studing the boxes last time at the house (it is a 3 season vacation home at this point in our lives) I realised there was a fourth choice likely….cut the plastic box flush with the wallboard and put the cover back on. Now, I am an amateur DIY’er, but have done carpentry of all sorts since I was 10, working with my dad. I know enough to turn the electric off to each circuit (Every circuit is clearly marked, and I have complete diagrams of every wire in the house) and to pull the various plugs and switches out of the way before gently cutting the box down. Once cut, I can reinstall the plug or switch, fit the cover and I am done….simple and easy. I understand there is a requirement for a certain volume in the box for a given number of cables. Is cutting 1/4″ to 1/2″ off each box likely to reduce the volume to a dangerous level? BTW, each wire is carefully wrapped around a screw on the plugs, not just pushed into the little hole to make it’s connection, so I have no fear that anything is likely to come loose later.
Any thoughts from you guys who have seen everything and done it all is appreciated!
Replies
*
On seeing the nature of your question, my first thought was like you said "cut a decorative wood trim to fit around the box, leaving it high". My second thought was to trim it flush just as your fourth idea stated.
That would work more or less. However you would violate the UL listing in a medium way. Depending on the current wire fill, this might or might not be an issue. Probably not much. The main concern is the screw attachment holes on the blue boxesmay may only extend from the front of the box a 1/2" deep and if you cut off 1/4" off the front of the box, you would diminish the depth of the screw holes by 50%. Your inch-age may vary. But it should still more or less work.
Consider that with the switches sticking out 1/4" or so, you don't have to reach out so far to manipulate them. This saves time and effort.
-Peter
*I think I'd get out the dremel and find some little wheel that would cut the boxes back.
*Been there, done that. But you have to be careful because the blue boxes (Carlon) have only 3/8" to play with before you run out of thread holding material.
*Nasty job! Cutting the face back won't work because you won't have any material to hold the screw as Ralph said. I would drive a thin chisel between the box and the stud to loosen it up slightly and then cut the nails with a sawzall. Shove the box back and drive two screws through the side of the box and into the stud.
*I've noticed that now they make an oversize cover thats not as big, just a touch larger than standard. That should help.
*Thanks guys, and particularly to Ralph for privately going thru how to reset the boxes without taking a hammer and wrecking bar to the plasterboard!! I will post a followup in a couple of weeks on resetting the boxes and how easy it should be.....Thanks again for your time and help! Vic H
*Followup to several suggestions, and thanks to G. LaLonde and Ralph for their ideas, here is what I finally did last week.Killed the circuits, pulled out the switch or duplex plug, pre-drilled a couple of holes in the sides of the box for screws, cut the nails with my recip saw, reset the box depth, and screwed it into place with a couple of drywall screws, then replaced the plugg and cover and move to the next one. Pretty quick and easy except for my knees that can't take much kneeling, even with pads. Lessons learned:Someone always has a better answer!a recip.saw cuts drywall a LOT quicker than the nail, so you will cut wallboard when the nail is cut thru on occasion!Drywall is easily patched when you screw it up.Thanks again guys!
*
We bought a 7 yr old house, contemporary post and beam cape, about 90% finished by the previous owner, a very meticulous amateur who seems to have done everything perfectly or hired someone who can do right. He has electrical boxes, blue plastic variety, everywhere...Plus cable TV and telephone to every room. Nearly 40 boxes on the first floor, 25+ on the second floor. When he nailed them in, he was going to wainscot everywhere. He drywalled the entire place, and then decided not to put up wainscotting. We bought the house at this point and have innumerable boxes sitting about 1/4" to 1/2" proud of the wallboard in every room.
Choices for fixing them include:
- cut the wallboard, reset the box, repair the drywall, repaint.
- wainscot at least some of the rooms/walls to use them as is.
- cut a decorative wood trim to fit around the box, leaving it high
While studing the boxes last time at the house (it is a 3 season vacation home at this point in our lives) I realised there was a fourth choice likely....cut the plastic box flush with the wallboard and put the cover back on. Now, I am an amateur DIY'er, but have done carpentry of all sorts since I was 10, working with my dad. I know enough to turn the electric off to each circuit (Every circuit is clearly marked, and I have complete diagrams of every wire in the house) and to pull the various plugs and switches out of the way before gently cutting the box down. Once cut, I can reinstall the plug or switch, fit the cover and I am done....simple and easy. I understand there is a requirement for a certain volume in the box for a given number of cables. Is cutting 1/4" to 1/2" off each box likely to reduce the volume to a dangerous level? BTW, each wire is carefully wrapped around a screw on the plugs, not just pushed into the little hole to make it's connection, so I have no fear that anything is likely to come loose later.
Any thoughts from you guys who have seen everything and done it all is appreciated!