Plaster Ring Sizing

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iand74

Member
The First Company I worked for always sized plaster rings up by 1/8".

i.e. 1/2" sheetrock=5/8" plaster ring.
5/8"sheetrock=3/4" plaster ring.

I've never run into it again, does anyone else do this?
 

jrannis

Senior Member
If you measure the rings from the front it is an 1/8" short.
You have to use 5/8" rings on 1/2" and 3/4" rings on 5/8" or its too shallow for automatic ground receptacles and it looks like poor planning.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
The First Company I worked for always sized plaster rings up by 1/8".

i.e. 1/2" sheetrock=5/8" plaster ring.
5/8"sheetrock=3/4" plaster ring.

I've never run into it again, does anyone else do this?

I don't know why & No, The code will give you the 1/8" from the inside of the opening to the plaster ring.

Just getting the right ones to the job is more drama than the wrong application, I'm not into touching is twice! :grin:
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
I always up size. The 1/8" gets you to the surface of the drywall and a better device fit.

they didnt account for the box screws, that takes away at least an 1/8" for sure

I guess they don't work the sheet rock in you neighborhood, I'm certainly not here for them to raise the plaster around my work. ;)
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
In the old days it worked fine as the drywallers/ plasters back cut the drywall for the ring and screws. Don't get caught with this practice on Two gang and more boxes as they will protrude. The rings are the correct depth from surface to surface.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Oh, what the heck! I do it, too.






(I really do. It was my own observation, decades ago; nobody told me about it.)
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
The code does not allow an 1/8 of an inch setback, what the code says is that around the edge of the box you can not have a gap greater than 1/8 of an inch. Unless you are in in one of the conditions stated in 314.20, your ring must be flush with the finished surface. Though you can set back a 1/4 inch on drywall now, where you couldn't before. I gotta pay more attention to the little changes.

Like Larry I found out about it on my own, by accident, when I got sent the wrong rings and didn't realize it at the time.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
The code does not allow an 1/8 of an inch setback, what the code says is that around the edge of the box you can not have a gap greater than 1/8 of an inch. Unless you are in in one of the conditions stated in 314.20, your ring must be flush with the finished surface. Though you can set back a 1/4 inch on drywall now, where you couldn't before. I gotta pay more attention to the little changes.


So this is no good? :roll:

Image17.jpg
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
So this is no good? :roll:

Image17.jpg

Did you read the code section I quoted?:confused: This one I would probably say no. Looks to me like you have the tile which is probably a 1/4 inch and then you're set back behind the greenboard. That's why Arlington makes those rings.
 
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ken44

Senior Member
Location
Austin, TX
I like to upsize also.

Joebell, where did you get your motto from? The Seabees motto is "The difficult we do at once, the impossible takes a little longer"
 
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