decorative switch plates - switch/receptacle not flush with plate
Hi there, I'm switching out my standard plastic builder grade switch plates with some decorative ones I found at Lowes. I don't think the switches and outlets are sitting the way they should. Shouldn't they be more flush with the plates/covers? We have tried using the little plastic electrical tab shims under the mounting screws, but all that does is raise the overall switch out of the box some more. There just really isn't a lot of depth in the back cavity of the switch plate and I think that's why the switch and outlet can't be pushed further out so they look more flush. Sorry I'm probably using all wrong terminology. I have checked the reviews on Lowe's website, but there are very few and none of them refer to the issue I'm having. Here they are -- hopefully this link works: Shop brainerd white wood wall plate at Lowes.com: Search Results! I'm also attaching pictures showing how they're set. Thanks for any help on this! --Lori Could you post a picture of the back of the cover plate. I think you may be corret whrn you write: There just really isn't a lot of depth in the back cavity of the switch Welcome to the forums! You'll need to loosen the mounting screws holding the devices to the boxes and let the devices float up until they come flush with the face of the covers. That shouldn't have to happen, but it sometimes does. It will be very tedious to get the right amount of setoff on each screw so that the device comes flush to the front and the device and its cover will not wiggle or slide. I'd return them. If you want to try to make them work, loosen the devices enough that they are no longer tight against the wall. So that you can move them a bit by hand. Then put the cover on, crank down on the cover screws, and see what you get. I'm uploading some pictures showing one of our switches and the backside of the plate (shown alongside the standard plastic switchplate). Something else I noticed tonight is that the cutout hole in the switch plate has slightly rounded corners, and the frame corners in the toggle are sharp corners, and appear to bump into the rounded corners in the switch plate. That might also be part of the problem. However, this issue doesn't exist with the outlet switch covers, and those aren't quite as badly recessed. Is there a special type of switch that these type of covers are meant for? If I can't get these to work, any suggestions for where I could find something similar that will fit a standard switch and outlet? If you have a spare try filling the corners square. In addition to the other comments, you don't want the switches/receptacles just hanging out in mid air, as it will make the installation loose. I like to use these lego type spacers behind the yoke at the screw heads to firm up the receptacle/switches. They fold up and snap to each other in any thickness you need and just slip over the screw shank. No need to remove the screw completely. They are available at big orange, where I stole this picture. Larry, you really shouldn't advertise the stealing. I'd forgotten that we used to buy #6 washers once in awhile, and collect the snap-off plaster ears from devices that didn't need them, to use as spacers to raise device yokes. I like this solution you've found much better, Larry. They fold up and snap to each other in any thickness you need and just slip over the screw shank. No need to remove the screw completely. This alone makes it more attractive. Had to go look. Found 'em, and they're cheap too! Ideal Wiring Device Spacers I've tried the spacers, but that isn't helping. It doesn't appear that I need to push the switch out any further. Part of the problem appears to be that the open cavity at the back of the plate is fairly shallow, and the other part is (I believe) that the corners are not neatly squared off and the toggle frame is catching on it. I did think about trying to file it, but quite frankly if it's going to be that much work, I will probably just return them and look for something else, because I was planning to change out all the visible plates in my house. I started to ask you this earlier: Can you kill the power and pull one of the switches out of the wall - you can leave the wiring attached - and see if you can fit the plate onto the switch and have the two wind up flush? If it won't work that way then there's no point in continuing with these plates. And it looks like there we have our answer, unfortunately. Took out a few switches and outlets and pressed them up against the face of the plate, and still they aren't flush. Looks like they're going back. Is this a common problem with decorative switchplates? I have a hard time believing that people living in homes much higher priced than my own would be satisfied with ordinary plastic or metal switch plates. It's not uncommon. I have a hard time believing that plates like that can be UL listed. Are these? Interestingly, many people seem to prefer ordinary switch plates. That's what we used throughout a $17,000,000 renovation I worked on a few years ago. The plates do have the UL sticker (as shown in the picture of the backside of the plate). I found some other, similar plates online, from another manufacturer, so I'm going to give those a try. If they don't work either, then I will go back to the regular plates. Thanks for the feedback, everyone! Most times store displays don't make it clear that a particular mfg designs their plates and devices as an item and are meant to be used together. You selected a nice looking plate but looking at it you can see it has much more thickness, back surface to front surface, than the standard plate. Sorry but they need to go back. Good luck to find another you like. Look for decorative plates that are a painted or finished metal or thin plastic. Cast or wood plates tend to be too thick. If you go back to standard plates I would suggest going with Pass Seymour. I personally like them as they do not have a shiny finish. They are a matte finish and unbreakable.
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