atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Outside Plant OSP Construction Mounting on glass tile

What Skip said.

If I could, I would try to do it this way:

1] Mount the box first.

2] Have them tile around it.

3] Talk to the tile guy, and convince him not to butt the edges of the tile tightly against the box, instead leaving about 1/16" or 3/32" gap to allow for thermal expansion. This may sound overly cautious, but if a crack develops in the tile right next to the box in the future, the customer is going to blame the phone guy.

4] Have the tile guy apply whatever flexible bead seal around the gap that he recommends. This conversation I would try to have in the presence of the customer, so when the bead dries out in ten years and it needs to be re-caulked, he calls the tile guy and not me.

If I sound overly paranoid, it's because I am. I have seen mirrored glass tiles in up-scale buildings that cost about a hundred bucks per tile, and I sure wouldn't want to get the bill to replace those.

Jim
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Speaking from a secure undisclosed location.

Like Jim says EXCEPT:
a) I'd use longer screws to mount the box
b) Have the tile installer loosen the screws and tile behind the box almost up to the screws
c) Re-tighten the screws

That way if the box needs changing later and it's a slightly smaller model, there will be no gaps.

I would prefer the box not touch the tile if it where my job , also I wouldn't trust the tile guy to loosen and re-install the box

After thinking about this a little more, a different plan comes to mind: Furnish the box to client, and ask that they have their tile contractor handle the mounting. Just make it clear that the final installed unit will be fairly heavy, and that you need a hole behind/through the box for cabling. I would pre-drill the box if required, and maybe furnish a short stub of PVC for the wall penetration.

This puts all the tile-related aspects in the hands of the tiling contractor, which may be better than getting into a conversation about expansion gaps and sealers that could be perceived as telling them how to do their job. Besides, they may have a recommended method of mounting something like this that I have never even heard of!

If the customer hires a trunk-slammer tile guy, and you come back to find the box stuck to the wall with duct tape, then I would just get them to sign a release [I know, that is easy to say now, but in reality...]

Jim
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Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.