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I have this light switch in my bathroom:

switch, front switch, perspective

The cover plate sits against the tile and is a long way from the switch:

switch and coverplate

The included mounting screw isn't even long enough to reach.

Note that the top bracket of the switch has been cemented in place behind the tile.

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  • Replace the screws with longer ones. And consider placing some sort of spacer behind the screws.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 15:01
  • @HotLicks that won't work, the junction box needs to be enclosed with UL-approved junction box material, not whatever that glue is. They allow 1/4" if the surrounding material is non-combustible, but that's more than 1/4".
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 19:57
  • @Harper-ReinstateMonica - Like no one's ever stretched that rule before.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 20:40
  • @HotLicks ...and that's a private matter between them, their fire insurer, and their mortgage lender.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 22:13
  • You could, in theory, use a sawzall with a carbide blade to free the box and create clearance to pull it forward. Would of course need to avoid cutting the wires in the process.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 22:48

2 Answers 2

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Looks like more than a 1/4", so you can't use a Caddy RLC, you will need to use an extender like an Arlington BE1 or Raco add-a-depth ring. Raco's are a bit spooky but easier to install.

Because of the mud you will probably have to remove bottom screw before you can wiggle the top out.

NEC 314.20 Flush-Mounted Installations. Installations within or behind a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material, including boxes employing a flush-type cover or faceplate, shall be made so that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or listed extender will not be set back of the finished surface more than 6 mm (1∕4 in.).

Installations within a surface of wood or other combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings, or listed extenders shall extend to the finished surface or project therefrom.

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  • Thanks. Friend had something like an Arlington BE1 lying around and this did the job fine after freeing the switch.
    – Jean-Paul Calderone
    Commented Jun 11, 2021 at 12:03
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You will need to dig out the top of the receptacle mounting plate where it is underneath the tile and tile backing board. That's going to be a pain. Hopefully you won't have to shave off any of the tile, it's hard to say, just borderline.

Then you can move the receptacle forwards with spacers. These spacers can stack by snapping together to raise the device to the right level for the cover plate.

Please also see other answers and comments here noting these should only be stacked up to 1/4" thick.

enter image description here

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  • 1
    Be careful using these, using more than one fold of these makes good evidence for inspectors that the box doesn't comply with NEC 314.20.
    – NoSparksPlease
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 16:35
  • 1
    Yeah, you can't use an infinite number of those. See NoSparksPlease' answer.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented May 30, 2021 at 19:59
  • I added a note in the answer to highlight the concern in both above comments.
    – jay613
    Commented May 31, 2021 at 0:40

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