atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Wallplates with thicker/deeper edges?

Mudrings should be installed as close to flush as sheetrock as possible. On this job, that's mostly how they are. However, a few mudrings are sticking out past the drywall to the point where they are going to be a problem.

Are there any wallplates made that have a longer 'side lip' to account for such discrepancies, i.e, plates that look flush to the wall on a mudring that isn't?

Jack

You may be able to file/trim/sand down the spacer around the screw hole. This spacer normally holds the faceplate out away from the box/ring so the plate doesn't flex as much when tightened. Since the ring is closer to the plate than the wall, eliminating some of the spacer might work. I'm pretty sure most faceplates have some sort of a build-up (spacer) at the screw holes.

Justin

Jack:

I'd use the Leviton "Decora" style mounting frames for the modules (ICC and many others make equivalents). They support up to three jack modules in a vertical layout.

Using those, along with a "maxi" plate, you should be able to cover almost 1/4" of goof depth coverage. Any electrical supply house will understand what "maxi" means. They were originally manufactured by Mulberry, but with all of today's buyouts, I have no idea what their name is today.

The Home Depot stores here also carry them. They are larger in height and width.

Yeah, I'm like Justin.
I would try to get the mudring flush to the wall.

Have you tried the metal rings, that just have the taps you bend over?

Thanks for the replies, guys. When they are a little out, a wedge usually get them back flush with the drywall. These are too far out for that... odd since there are two plates per wall, with identical depth mudrings. One is barely inset, the other sticks out like a sore thumb.

Jack

Are you talking about mud rings or gang boxes that are attached to a stud?

Could be that the installer of the mud rings had two different models. One for 3/8" gypsum and the other was for 5/8" gypsum.

I'm talking about the mudrings. I installed them... not sure if they are all from the same manufacturer, but they measure the same (1 1/4" deep on this particular wall).

Wall thickness in this place varies from single 5/8" sheetrock to 5/8" sheetrock on top of resilent channel and OSB (nearly 2"). It was a pita to get everything right, especially with print changes. Three complete walkthroughs of this building were done prior to drywall being hung, and nothing was messed up or missing.

I don't get how two 4 square boxes on the same wall with the same thickness mudrings have vastly different finish depths (like 3/4" difference), unless the studs weren't close to being flush. The boxes themselves were installed on the stud edge, and we also corrected any that were cocked from front to back.

Plastic boxes, with care, can be ground flush with the wall if they stick out. Metal rings can't b/c you lose the faceplate screw holes.

I'll let you guys know how this pans out next week. I'm going to try some of the suggestions here. If they fail, then I guess we'll have to tear out finished walls to make them right.

Dave, I wish we only dealt with 3/8" and 5/8" rings. Anything bigger is usually special order around here.

Jack

OK, I see what your saying now Jack.
I thought you where talking about "old work" LV rings that you cut in after the rock was up.

Sorry.

I have taken a dremel and cut the supports lose holding the mud ring to the stud and replace it with a floating or "old works" LV ring.

That did it. I used a razor knife to cut off the spacers. Problem solved.

Jack