filling around proud mounting box

[wrathkeg]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is an electrics question, plastering & rendering, or painting and decorating! But here goes....

We have a mounting box which is securely fitted, but the front of it sits about 10mm proud of the wall. We are currently decorating, so now seems a good time to sort it out. Any suggestions how to cover the proud bit of the mounting box? Just use filler?

Plastering up to it isn't really an option (would make the wall bulge), and I really want to avoid things which involve the electric like replacing the mounting box with something more shallow (dunno how deep the current box is, but not keen on changing it anyway), or having a surface mounted socket.

Ta,

wrathkeg

 

[sparkwright]

I assume we are talking about a metal 'flush' back box.

You or someone needs to remove the box and chase it into the wall deeper.

Or if this really isn't an option and you want a quick bodge, wooden plinths are/were available to fit between the wall and the socket, or make your own.

Filling round a metal box that's 10 mm proud isn't the way.

Or of course you may be talking about a plastic pattress that's been semi recessed into the wall - not totally sure from your description.

 

[wrathkeg]

thanks. it was a metal flush (or not flush, in my case) back box I meant. I'm reluctant to get the person back who did it wrong in the first place (after all, he knew fine well it was wrong), but I'll see if I can find someone else to redo it.

 

[sparkwright]

Usually a socket or a switch needs a box 25 mm deep minimum, sometimes deeper if there's a lot of wiring or the accessory is a bit 'chunky' at the back.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Could be whoever installed it sunk for 25mm and installed 35mm or a variation of that theme or just a bodge up
Take it out and re-sink it.

 

[Chri5]

I bet the guy didn't break in to the brickwork, so the back box is fitted the same depth as the plaster coat.

Get someone in to cheese hole the brick work behind the box, marking a drill 10mm+ beyond the tip.

Depending on the drill size the idea is to have 30% or so of the surface with holes, then a gentle play with a small bolster and hammer takes the rest of the brick face out to the depth of the holes.

The key being that you don't want a huge mess and loads of remedial work to the plaster around. More holes, less bolster effort, less chance of lowing plaster and brick.

Any decent trader with a sds chisel bit on an sds drill with rotary stop would have the old box out, new one in and sorted quicker than the time it takes to cook and eat a full breakfast.

 

[wrathkeg]

well, he certainly doesn't seem to have applied himself to fitting it properly. I do know that when doing it he discovered that they weren't solid bricks but honeycomb ones. my wife, who was around when he did the work, says he said he was concerned that had he gone any further, there wouldn't have been any brick left and therefore nothing for the box to be fastened to. though i would have expected he would have been prepared for working with that type of brick.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

"Solid brick/honeycombed" contridiction in it's self.
They are bugger though, but normally have enough depth to fix 25mm BBs to.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Get someone in to cheese hole the brick work behind the box, marking a drill 10mm+ beyond the tip.

Useful Tool Tip:

Whenever you get a bottle of wine which has a plastic "cork", keep it.

They make excellent depth stops for drills.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

though i would have expected he would have been prepared for working with that type of brick.

Sadly these days it's possible to become a registered "electrician" with no real practical experience whatsoever.

Seriously - yours could have been the first job he had ever done apart from a few noddy ones in his own house and that of a friend/family member, and he may never in his entire life have taken a chisel to any sort of wall before.

 

[wrathkeg]

he may never in his entire life have taken a chisel to any sort of wall before.

well he'll not be taking one to mine again! got in touch with an electrician who worked on our new central heating a few years ago who definitely knows his onions, so hopefully all sorted properly soon.