Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Adding a Tile Backsplash

Roxanne in IN


If I add a tile backsplash to my kitchen, the electrical outlets will not be flush with the new tile, nor will the outlet plate screw back onto the outlet. What can I do?

Great question! In the “days of old” I’ve seen people remove the screws holding the electrical outlet in place, then use a longer screw and use nuts or washers to widen the gap…and that works fine. But it’s time to move into the Space Age. Almost any home center or hardware store will carry a very inexpensive electrical box extender. Basically, it’s an outlet box with no back. Make sure the power is turned off, remove the screws holding the outlet in place and pull the outlet away from the existing box. The extender slips right over the outlet and into the existing box and screw your outlet back in. You don’t have to remove a single wire. It’s one of those great little “Why didn’t I think of that” inventions.

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