started to finish the basement. originally my wife wanted to put wainscotting all around the lower walls under a chair rail. I put all the electric boxes in with and extra 1/4″ sticking out for the thickness of the wainscotting. after getting all the wiring done and working she now doesn’t want the wainscotting, just the existing drywall which is already painted. Now I have 16 outlets that stick out 1/4″ past the drywall and have no way of putting covers on them. any ideas or suggestions? this is the only thing that stand in the way of being done. Next time, I am not letting her change her mind.
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Next time, I am not letting her change her mind.
Yer funny!
How bout 1/4" luan. Make a template using the cover plates....cut the rectangles a tad larger than the plates (1/4" all around)...give the edges a little bevel with a hand plane....cut out the center for the boxes themselves....paint to match either the walls or cover plates and install behind plates/around boxes.
Accentuating a negative often gives a positive appearance.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Yep, know exactly what your up against it happens to us electricians all the time, what type of boxes?? With plastic boxes we slide a screwdriver between the box and stud, pry it out a little and slip a hacksaw blade thru to cut the nails. Then we move the box back and secure it with screws thru the side of the box. Sometimes if the box sticks out just a little, we use a block of 2x4 and tap it back with a hammer. If the box is metal, unfortunately you need to do the same kind of prying and cutting, but with a Sawzall, removing the box and replacing it with a plastic box and screws thru the side. Oh yeah keep some spackle handy!! Good Luck
Next time, I am not letting her change her mind.
Oh, sure!!
Dremel, how about the Fein tool thing?? Hot knife.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
Thanks for the help with fixin the outlet boxes. They are plastic by the way. However, you guys aren't helpin my self confidence with the wife. You just wait and see, one day when she is sleepin in, I'm gonna put the pants on and show her who is really in charge, (before she wakes up of course). Even if it is only for a few minutes. thanks again for the help. Pat.....
call a drywall guy and hand him a rotozip ...
they're experts at cutting thru plastic boxes ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
"I'm gonna put the pants on and show her who is really in charge"
Reminds me of the story of husband and wife arguing over who is the boss.
Husband hands his wife a pair of his pants and says "Here, put these on - if you want to wear the pants in the family!"
Wife says "OK", and hands him a pair of her pants, and says "Here, then you put these on."
Husband says "Honey, you know I can't get in your pants."
Wife says "You're catching on!"
My suggestion: Go with the wainscot, paint it to match the walls. I've seen guys belt sand boxes that stood proud of the rock. 1/4" is a bit much, but I bet it could be done pretty quick.
Great idea Huck.
Or an angle grinder with 80 grit would make short work of that job!!
Good mind.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
sounds like a $300 change order to me...
Before you go grinding/prying, try a box or two just pounding it in. Place a piece of 2x4 over the nailed edge of the box and wail away. Depending on the style and how tightly they're nailed, they'll likely move 1/4" without much trouble.
I had a similar issue, not really a problem per se; I allowed for 3/4" thickness of backsplash when I needed to allow for just 1/2" thick material (Silestone on an island). The backsplash was in place and I had 1/4" protruding of two boxes. The Silestone installer said just use a utility knife to cut the excess; yeah right.
What I did was use a Dremel tool (I already had one) with fiber re-inforced, larger diameter cutting discs. Fired her up and placed it on the inside of the box going all the way around and cut off the 1/4" excess. It worked perfectly. Be a little careful though as the plastic boxes will heat up; gotta work a little slow and not at major, major rpm's.
The regular cutting discs just didn't "cut it;" breakage, and burning up in the center where they just fall off the Dremel tool.
That definitely sounds like a great solution. Those Dremel tools sure can come in handy. In fact, I'll be using one tomorrow on a project.
Just for reference they make an adjustable box.I would not use them in most places, but they are perfect in backsplash applications.
Bill, thanks for the reminder. I have seen those, and I may have even used one or two. Don't you have to attach them on the front, as opposed to the side of the stud? That didn't work well for me, plus the sheetrock (more importantly the taper, and no, not the same guy) guy(s) are going to have deal with bulge in front. I didn't consider using for my backspash as I thought I had it dialed for thickness of the latter. ;-)
Yeah steve, Dremel tools are great, and I probably don't use mine as much as I should/could.
I still shudder at the idea of going through the whole ordeal of prying an electrical box, cutting the nails (and with a hacksaw blade!), and then screwing in the box again! The Dremel use is so slick and clean, and no, there isn't a great loss of hole capacity for the screws. That depth is like an inch, and I bet cutting half of that is more than enough to take the screw to secure an outlet or switch. I have on occassion screwed in from the side electrical boxes and they invariably end up being tweaked to one side or the other, then I'm shimming the dang things to get them square and flush.
I don't know, I make a habit of using the heavier plastic, deep boxes at marginally extra costs. The idea of "tapping" the boxes back is weak too; then they become loose and flop around a bit.
Okay again, many many years of doing this. If you try to pound it in a 1/4 inch you will break the box. If you grind it, on most boxes you loose the threaded part or screw clip, don't be a hack do it the right way or hire someone who can ;-)
53144.3 is the correct answer!
And you have no chance of stopping the wife from changing her mind after the fact. Experience tells