Metal socket boxes protruding from the wall!!

[Muzza80]

Hi all, looking for some adivce.
I'm tiling my splashback in the kitchen of my new build flat this weekend, I've removed all the socket facings to I can tile and also as I'm replacing them for metal ones.

The thing is.. every one of the metal cages that sit in the wall are protruding slightly from the plasterboard! I did wonder why none of the bloody sockets in my flat are 100% flush with the wall

Can I just buy cases that are less deep and buy longer screws for the faceplates? Is this the done thing in this situation?

Thanks!

 

[Bahco]

You need to get your bolster chisel out and remove some of the brickwork to get it flush with the wall.

25 mm is the thinnest box I believe.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Depends of the size of the back boxes, it's common for them to be 25mm deep sometimes 35mm.
So if they are 25mm deep your not going to find anything smaller than that, so they would need sinking further back to sit flush.
But if your tiling, why don't you just cut the tiles to fit around them?
and yes you can buy longer screws to fit the face plates.

 

[Muzza80]

You need to get your bolster chisel out and remove some of the brickwork to get it flush with the wall.

25 mm is the thinnest box I believe.

But there's no brickwork, it's a new flat with plaster/timber walls & the boxes are screwed directly on a a timber stud?

I think the current boxes are 47mm deep, if I swap them for 35mm ones it should do the trick? Is this the right thing to do?

 

[333rocky333]

sockets are larger than the boxes normally.
If you tile up to the box edge, then you might not need to do anything.
The thickness of the tiles will make the boxes flush.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It would if you packed them out, to sit flush, but you still need to cut the tiles to fit around them, so I think your creating extra work by doing this.

 

[Muzza80]

I'm more thinking about all the other sockets/switches in my new flat that are also not flush... I'll be replacing all the faceplates at some point with the really flat ones and I'd want them to be perfectly flush.

They are deformed too, like they have been forced into the hole and slightly bent as the hole was not perfectly cut in the first place.

Bloody Barratts!!!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If your fitting flat plates, you will need at least 35mm back boxes or you can not get the cables inside and the plate to sit flush, and the boxes do need to be flush to wall or a little recessed back.
47mm seems to be quite a size for standard sockets, so check that out.
Are they plastic dry-lining boxes?

 

[sparkwright]

Metal boxes I think he said.

Change the 47 mm boxes for 35 mm boxes.

As there is timber behind the existing boxes this would be the sensible thing to do.

35 mm boxes should give you ample of wiring space, even for the flat-plate range should you ever get some.

You can get longer 3.5 mm machine screws should you need them. These are available in many lengths.

 

[1john]

stop me if i am wrong but wont your kitchen tiling be able to take up the extra bit of protruding box therefore making the box flush with the surface of the tiles or even slightly recessed.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It seems the op is now wishing to install flat plates, on other boxes in the house, that are also proud of the finished wall.

 

[Taylortwocities]

That hs already been said:

If you tile up to the box edge, then you might not need to do anything.
The thickness of the tiles will make the boxes flush.

 

[LoveRocket]

If it's a new-build then get bloody Barrats back to fix their crap. That sounds like awful workmanship.

 

[oharaf]

Exactly, it is NEW. Get the bag of ****e houses back to correct it!! Why the hell they've fixed to the stud work rather than use dry lining boxes is beyond me, poor design and poor workmanship IMO