Decora plates on tile walls

[iwire]

And put washers behind it to force the yoke forward while you tighten the plate screws?

It depends.

Is it a switch or is it a receptacle?

Are we using plastic plates or metal plates?

My go to choice are metal plates, but I can get away with that as most of our customers want stainless steel plates.

If I had to use plastic plates with a receptacle there is really no choice but to shim the yokes if the surface is recessed.

It might be washers or it might be a box extender.

 

[iwire]

I just bend the ears into the wall surface on the device so it sits proud....

Lame ...

 

[stickboy1375]

Lame ...

Lol, indeed!

 

[templdl]

Bwahh, This thread makes me feel as if i'm the only one that has ever installed a plate before... :roll: Can't wait until we start talking about screwless faceplates....

Join in on the string of posts about knock outs (ko's) on this general forum which talks about how to remove the correct size knock out.

 

[kwired]

If the device yoke gets overtightened into the wallboard surface or the finish surface is uneven, the screws that work with tile will be too short.

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You would not leave it that way, you would back out the screws to the box or the device will look like crap recessed into the plate.

Boxes that can be adjusted for wall finish thickness afterwards would be handy for this situation, but they are going to cost more also. Then the tile guy somehow mortars them in or otherwise makes them so they can not adjust and then they are pointless anyway.

 

[GerryB]

Join in on the string of posts about knock outs (ko's) on this general forum which talks about how to remove the correct size knock out.

Can't wait to get over to the KO's, was looking at it last night. Since I started this decora thread maybe I can perpetrate (right word?) that one. (or maybe I shouldn't mention I started this thread). But you mentioned shorter screws and I know I've seen them, even took one out of a device in my house and it had less threads than the cover from the Hubbel gfi box plate. But can you buy them?

 

[mjf]

Can't wait to get over to the KO's, was looking at it last night. Since I started this decora thread maybe I can perpetrate (right word?) that one. (or maybe I shouldn't mention I started this thread). But you mentioned shorter screws and I know I've seen them, even took one out of a device in my house and it had less threads than the cover from the Hubbel gfi box plate. But can you buy them?

Contact STICKBOY via PM

 

[GerryB]

Contact STICKBOY via PM

Maybe I will. He lives in my state so maybe I'll get a deal

 

[kwired]

Contact STICKBOY via PM

Watch out though, his bid was $100/hr. One day you may get a lot of screws for $100, the next day if things are not going well you may not get very many for your $100.

 

[templdl]

Can't wait to get over to the KO's, was looking at it last night. Since I started this decora thread maybe I can perpetrate (right word?) that one. (or maybe I shouldn't mention I started this thread). But you mentioned shorter screws and I know I've seen them, even took one out of a device in my house and it had less threads than the cover from the Hubbel gfi box plate. But can you buy them?

Unless the plates are made in the US ( fat chance) getting your hands of those scews may be slim to none. If they were made here you may be able to ID an part number or the screw OEM and purchase the but that would be a long shot. But no harm in looking into it.

 

[templdl]

Boltdepot.com has #6-32 screws as short as 3/16 and 1/8" but all that they show is a slotted is pan head.
finding screws less than 1/4" is difficult so they may not be available as a standard size and as such end up being a special order item with minimum quantie$$$$. Then it's a matter of color and how do you paint them if you can't get away with a plain scew.

 

[K8MHZ]

Problem solved.

This place sells cover screws from 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch long in all colors.

Here is a link for the short ones. Drop down menu on the side for your choices.

http://www.kyleswitchplates.com/standard-length-screws-for-light-switch-plates-package-of-8/

 

[mjf]

Problem solved.

This place sells cover screws from 1/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch long in all colors.

Here is a link for the short ones. Drop down menu on the side for your choices.

http://www.kyleswitchplates.com/standard-length-screws-for-light-switch-plates-package-of-8/

1/4" is often too long!

 

[K8MHZ]

1/4" is often too long!

I counted five full threads on the screw in the picture. So I assume the 1/4 inch is overall length. Otherwise there would be 8 threads.

Would that still be too long?

 

[GoldDigger]

1/4" is often too long!

At least it would be a good source of raw materials for stickyboy's customization service.
(I wonder if we could make a reality show based on that?)

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[K8MHZ]

At least it would be a good source of raw materials for stickyboy's customization service.
(I wonder if we could make a reality show based on that?)

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Decora Dynasty?

We could sell Stickboy Chia Pets!

 

[templdl]

1/4" is often too long!

You will note that in my last post that the vendor that I provided a link for had #6-32 3/16" and 1/8" screws available but I didn't find oval head and they weren't painted either. But since the length of an oval head is taken from the rim is the oval head to the end a 1/8" screw would hardly leave room for a thread where a round head the measurement is taken from the bottom of the head.

 

[kwired]

You will note that in my last post that the vendor that I provided a link for had #6-32 3/16" and 1/8" screws available but I didn't find oval head and they weren't painted either. But since the length of an oval head is taken from the rim is the oval head to the end a 1/8" screw would hardly leave room for a thread where a round head the measurement is taken from the bottom of the head.

Would probably work, looks like stickboy has some competition now.

How many do you get for $100 compared to how many stickboy can cut in an hour?

 

[templdl]

Would probably work, looks like stickboy has some competition now.

How many do you get for $100 compared to how many stickboy can cut in an hour?

The only #6-32s that found shorter than 1/4" were 3/16" pan heads at 5? ea. and 3.5? ea in lots of 100 and less for lots of 1000.
As such if you were able source oval heads they make in the same bapark. But how much a piece would you pay considering the time it takes to manually shorten the screws?

 

[Smart $]

The only #6-32s that found shorter than 1/4" were 3/16" pan heads at 5? ea. and 3.5? ea in lots of 100 and less for lots of 1000.
As such if you were able source oval heads they make in the same bapark. But how much a piece would you pay considering the time it takes to manually shorten the screws?

McMaster Carr has SS-OHP 6-32 machine screws in 1/16" increments from 3/16" to 1/2". Price per 100: $9.34, $3.69, $3.12, $3.72, $3.32, $4.02.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#oval-head-machine-screws/=pyvg9q