Advise - Chipped in a double socket bit too much.

[compact]

I decided to replace a wall mounted socket with one inset.

Advise was to 'chip in' and screw it in.

So started 'hammer and chisel', but went a bit too much and not the hole seems to deep. I have chipped out a few cm's of brick too much. What would you advise?

1) Fill with cement and drill etc?
2) Put in wooden block behind and extra long screws to make it into brick?
3) ??

 

[DJM]

Quick set cement in behind socket position socket befor set to get correct impression. When set (30- 60 mins) drill and plug same as normal brick.

I am assuming the few cms is 1-2 not 3 or 4 here. If it is larger you may have started to affect the inegrity of the brick, and would be worth making the cement mix more like concrete with some of the brick rubble to add strength.

 

[JohnD]

brush out the dust

moisten the hole with a sprayer

Mix a paint-pot full of sand and cement

put the back-box in the hole with the cables through their grometted knockouts and drill one fixing hole , put a plastic plug in it and fasten the box loosely with one long screw (it wil flop about a bit)

pack sand and cement round the box until it is packed into the right position, perfectly level, not projecting etc. Depending on the size and depth of the hole you may need to push mortar into the back of the hole before you fix the box in, or you may be able to push it to the back over the top of the box. If you use a fairly sloppy mix an have moistened the hole, the box can push it to shape. If the wall is dry it will suck the moisture out of the mortar and it will go stiff

tighten the screw

let the mortar harden before fixing the switchplate and definitely before tightening the plate screws (in case the lever the box out of the wall)

gives a very firm, neat, fireproof fixing. Is a bit slow so OK in your own house but not so good if you are fixing 50 sockets in a day.

Next time you will use a bolster to cut the hole to the right size

 

[ColJack]

the front of the socket does not have to be flush with the plaster.

rescessing it a few centimeters is fine, you just need longer screws..

best method to fix to uneven holes is gripfill..

once it's set then one or two screws will make sure it doesn't move.

 

[plugwash]

another option to consider would be using a deeper box.

 

[alpcon]

Quick fix

Deeper back box
Longer screws