Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

Hi all,

Do I need to move the electrical outlet box to account for the thickness of
tiles or is it safe just to use longer screws for the outlet and face
plate?

Thanks,

Larry

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

According to Larry R. Wright :

Do I need to move the electrical outlet box to account for the thickness of
tiles or is it safe just to use longer screws for the outlet and face
plate?

There are adapters you can buy that add up to about an inch worth
of depth to a box. Cheap too. Ask for a "box extender".
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

"Larry R. Wright" wrote in message
. 244.170...
Hi all,

Do I need to move the electrical outlet box to account for the
thickness of
tiles or is it safe just to use longer screws for the outlet and
face
plate?

Thanks,

Larry

There are also adjustable boxes available so you can set them flush
after finishing the tile....

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

"Rick" wrote in news:9DGlf.822$Dd2.412

There are also adjustable boxes available so you can set them flush
after finishing the tile....

Thanks, Rick and Chris. I did not know about these.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

"Larry R. Wright" wrote in message
. 244.170...
Hi all,

Do I need to move the electrical outlet box to account for the thickness
of
tiles or is it safe just to use longer screws for the outlet and face
plate?
You could use a box extender - they come in quite a few sizes and depths, up
to 1 1/4 inch extension, I think. When I tiled my backsplash, I removed the
original sheetrock at one point, so I just re-set the boxes so they
protruded a bit more beyon the stud edges, and then added the extenders so
that the front was just shy of the final tile surface.
Make sure it is a bit shy, vs flush or protruding, as you will get a better
fit of the electric wall plates. While I was at it, I trued the boxes with a
small level. Once you have tile on there, its squareness and sharp right
angles make a just slightly askew switch plate really crooked looking.....

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

According to GoHabsGo :
"Rick" wrote in news:9DGlf.822$Dd2.412

There are also adjustable boxes available so you can set them flush
after finishing the tile....

Thanks, Rick and Chris. I did not know about these.

If it's an existing box, and you're simply tiling around it, you'll
find a box extender by far the easiest and cheapest solution.

Easier than changing an outlet. A lot nicer than having to pull
the old box out.

Unscrew the outlet from the existing box, fish the outlet (without
removing the wires on it) thru the extender (be careful not to
slash the wires), screw the outlet back in. Done.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

Great advice everyone. Thanks. I'm off to Home Depot!

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

In article . 170,
GoHabsGo wrote:

Great advice everyone. Thanks. I'm off to Home Depot!

There is one thing that you are neglecting that may lead to
electrocution or fire, serious issues, and that is this: You clearly
are rooting for some wussie figure skaters calling themselves a team up
in the Montreal area. That will never do. Now, support a solid bunch
like Sakic & Co. and your electrical woes will disappear forever. Just
some friendly advice.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

On Wed, 07 Dec 2005 18:48:18 -0700, chocolatemalt
wrote:

In article . 170,
GoHabsGo wrote:

Great advice everyone. Thanks. I'm off to Home Depot!

There is one thing that you are neglecting that may lead to
electrocution or fire, serious issues, and that is this: You clearly
are rooting for some wussie figure skaters calling themselves a team up
in the Montreal area. That will never do. Now, support a solid bunch
like Sakic & Co. and your electrical woes will disappear forever. Just
some friendly advice.

Good grief, just use longer screws, unless you use tile thicker than
1/2inch. Just be sure to leave enough tile there so the outlet sits
against it rather than sinking into the hole. There are millions of
outlets like that, and some of those add on boxes do nothing but add
another piece of tin that can short out the wires. Ceramic tile is a
great insulator anyhow. Just be careful you dont get wet grout on the
hot outlet screws or you'll hear some sizzling. (I've done it).

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

chocolatemalt wrote in
There is one thing that you are neglecting that may lead to
electrocution or fire, serious issues, and that is this: You clearly
are rooting for some wussie figure skaters calling themselves a team up
in the Montreal area. That will never do. Now, support a solid bunch
like Sakic & Co. and your electrical woes will disappear forever. Just
some friendly advice.

Quite funny your solid bunch has less points in more games in a weaker
conference than Montreal.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

Good grief, just use longer screws, unless you use tile thicker than
1/2inch. Just be sure to leave enough tile there so the outlet sits
against it rather than sinking into the hole. There are millions of
outlets like that, and some of those add on boxes do nothing but add
another piece of tin that can short out the wires.

The local home despot store has extender rings made of plastic. They come
in various depths and you could certainly stack them. These combined with
longer screws are probably your best bet. Laying the tile OVER the edge of
the recessed box is a bad idea. For one it'll make it the cuts more work as
you'll have to notch for the screws. But more importantly it'll make
replacing the box impossible. While it's unlikely a box would fail it's
possible one might need to be removed to facilitate fixing or adding wiring
at a later time. No sense doing a half-ass job with tile over the box when
simple extenders can be used to do it right. That and it'll follow code.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

In article . 170,
GoHabsGo wrote:

chocolatemalt wrote in
There is one thing that you are neglecting that may lead to
electrocution or fire, serious issues, and that is this: You clearly
are rooting for some wussie figure skaters calling themselves a team up
in the Montreal area. That will never do. Now, support a solid bunch
like Sakic & Co. and your electrical woes will disappear forever. Just
some friendly advice.

Quite funny your solid bunch has less points in more games in a weaker
conference than Montreal.

Probably true, yet I stand by my original assertions. :) Of course we
always have a soft spot for the Habs since thence came Roy, who we are
missing today sorely.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

Chris Lewis ) said...

According to GoHabsGo :
"Rick" wrote in news:9DGlf.822$Dd2.412

There are also adjustable boxes available so you can set them flush
after finishing the tile....


If it's an existing box, and you're simply tiling around it, you'll
find a box extender by far the easiest and cheapest solution.

Typical wall tile only adds 1/4" to 3/8" thickness, which is quite a bit
less than typical box extenders.

If that is the case, just tile around the opening (with the outlets either
removed or hanging -- power off!), using a tile nipper to create the little
half-circles to accomodate where the outlet screws are located at the top
and bottom of the box opening.

When the outlet is reinstalled, the tile will provide sufficient support
for the "ears" of the outlet and you will likely find that the screws that
came with the outlet are long enough even with the extra thickness of the
tile. If they are a bit short, you can easily find longer 6-32 screws.

--
Calvin Henry-Cotnam
"Never ascribe to malice what can equally be explained by incompetence."
- Napoleon
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: if replying by email, remove "remove." and ".invalid"

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backsplash?
 

According to Calvin Henry-Cotnam :
Chris Lewis ) said...

According to GoHabsGo :
"Rick" wrote in news:9DGlf.822$Dd2.412

There are also adjustable boxes available so you can set them flush
after finishing the tile....

If it's an existing box, and you're simply tiling around it, you'll
find a box extender by far the easiest and cheapest solution.

Typical wall tile only adds 1/4" to 3/8" thickness, which is quite a bit
less than typical box extenders.

If that is the case, just tile around the opening (with the outlets either
removed or hanging -- power off!), using a tile nipper to create the little
half-circles to accomodate where the outlet screws are located at the top
and bottom of the box opening.

Heh. In this particular case, it's more a matter of taste ;-)

Canadian electrical code sez you cannot have flammable materials exposed
to the inside of the box. Which means, for example, if this is in wood
panelling[+], you must use a box extender, you cannot expose the edge of
the panelling to the interior of the box.

Ceramic tile, of course, is non-flammable. So, provided that none of the
rest of the exposed edge is flammable, you don't need an extender.

But I don't like it ;-) Potentially sharp edges, more finicky cutting,
higher dust incursion etc.

A few days ago I installed beadboard strips in a bathroom. Real wood.
Box extender mandatory.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backs
 

Where can I buy these box extenders? Does Home Depot or Lowe's carry
them?

Move Electrical Outlet Box when installing Ceramic Backs
 

Yes, or any electrical supply


"randyjaneway" wrote in message
...
Where can I buy these box extenders? Does Home Depot or Lowe's carry
them?