Aligning Metal Backed Boxes

[jonwestuk]

Hi all,

I am looking for top tricks and tips on how to fit and align metal backed flush boxes. The walls that these are going into are rubbish and there is no way to get a clean cut for the back of the box and when I screw the boxes to the walls they misalign terribly owing to angled and rubbish surface the screws are going into.

My electrician indicated that using something like no nails or silicon is an alternative option but I would like to get some insight from those on this forum to get your top tips and tricks for installing these things quickly and to a high quality.

Thanks,

Jon

PS - most of the box holes are already cut.

 

[rjm2k]

Do you mean behind the box? you can use filler like pollyfiller, wrap the box in film, push into the filler and level with the wall surface, let it dry a bit, take the backbox/film out and once fully dry you can drill/screw the box into place.

 

[bernardgreen]

For the really bad walls use a length of 1 by 1 timber, drill two holes in it to match the front panel fixing screws in the box. Using long screws fix the timber to the box. The timber can now be propped up and thus the box is held exactly and firmly in place while the plaster / cement around the box dries.

 

[OwainDIYer]

A small squirt of squirty foam behind the box.

If you need to align multiple boxes make one big cutout for the whole lot, join the boxes together with conduit, couplers and bushes, and put the whole assembly into the wall.

 

[Taylortwocities]

These are great for linking boxes together with the exact spacing for standard width sockets/switches etc.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AP604.html

But hopeless if you are using fittings that are wider than standard.

 

[jonwestuk]

Great tips - I particularly like the one with cling film and the back box. Think I will give that a go. I have a load of plaster so I may use that trick with plaster rather than filler.

 

[ldoodle]

I stitch drill and almost never use a masonry chisel. I have always found them too aggressive.

A relatively sharp wood chisel is a lot more delicate, to the tune that I'm able to get an almost perfect flat-back without messing about.

But for these pesky ones, I'll too keep the cling-film trick in mind.

 

[SimonH2]

These are great for linking boxes together with the exact spacing for standard width sockets/switches etc.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AP604.html[/QUOTE]
Seems I'm not switched on tonight, but I can't figure out how that works. I'm guessing that the larger bit of metal goes round the back/top/bottom* of the two boxes, but where does the smaller clamp piece locate ?

* Or looking closely, is it wider on the back so sits behind the boxes, but between them for top & bottom.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The larger piece goes between the boxes.
The smaller piece sits in between the boxes as they sit side by side, the wing piece goes in and under the fixed side screw flange of the box.

Can't find a picture atm. Its obvious if you have one..,,,,

 

[Adam_151]

These are great for linking boxes together with the exact spacing for standard width sockets/switches etc.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AP604.html

I just set the boxes an index fingers width apart.

Those with big hands or small hands might have gaps or accessories they cant get back though

I've seen a job where the accessories ended up 20mm apart on a tiled wall with a the void behind the full depth of the boxes. Looked awful as there was no way the tiler could get anything in and had to fill it with the closest match of silicon he could get!