MyCleveland
Senior Member
- Location
- Cleveland, Ohio
Will try to describe some new work added to old work.
I am NOT asking for direction on a repair, just looking to see if anyone has ran across this before.
Typically suburban development...2011 ish. Owner removed device plates for painting.
Two gang switch location, when plate was loosened the right switch and box came loose from the wall.
Behind the two gang plate are TWO boxes...
Left side, a single gang plastic nail on box fastened to a stud left of box.
On the right is a metal single gang old work box cut in and attempted to Madison clamp it to the right side of the plastic box and the drywall to the right of the metal box.
Appears this was added either after final or by previous homeowner to control a ceiling light.
The left box contains a 3-way that controls a receptacle in room.
I was amazed they were able to make this work...how did the plate line up?
When the 3-way was put back into a new two gang box it was visibly shifted to the right. The mounting screw was inadvertently placed into an added opening.
Visualize the mounting openings for the device mounting screws at top and bottom of a switch...approximately 1/4" wide slot allowing for some adjustment side-to-side.
This installer, on the left switch, drilled a new hole for both mounting screws about an 1/16"-1/8" left of the slots.
This must have pushed the left switch just far enough right to allow the face plate mounting holes to align.
Appears the plate was really the only rigid attachment for the right box.
I am NOT asking for direction on a repair, just looking to see if anyone has ran across this before.
Typically suburban development...2011 ish. Owner removed device plates for painting.
Two gang switch location, when plate was loosened the right switch and box came loose from the wall.
Behind the two gang plate are TWO boxes...
Left side, a single gang plastic nail on box fastened to a stud left of box.
On the right is a metal single gang old work box cut in and attempted to Madison clamp it to the right side of the plastic box and the drywall to the right of the metal box.
Appears this was added either after final or by previous homeowner to control a ceiling light.
The left box contains a 3-way that controls a receptacle in room.
I was amazed they were able to make this work...how did the plate line up?
When the 3-way was put back into a new two gang box it was visibly shifted to the right. The mounting screw was inadvertently placed into an added opening.
Visualize the mounting openings for the device mounting screws at top and bottom of a switch...approximately 1/4" wide slot allowing for some adjustment side-to-side.
This installer, on the left switch, drilled a new hole for both mounting screws about an 1/16"-1/8" left of the slots.
This must have pushed the left switch just far enough right to allow the face plate mounting holes to align.
Appears the plate was really the only rigid attachment for the right box.
