Two pix attached.
DW wants me to put the tile shown in pic 1 into a backsplash area like the one shown in pic 2. I like the idea but don’t know what to do about the outlet covers.
What would you do?
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Replies
It will unlikely that the thickness of the install will be much over a quarter inch. Those tiles are probably 3/16ths.
I'd buy some orange spacers for the duplex outlet and call it a day. Other guys I know just use a piece of twisted wire. Others might recommend a box entender, too. I'd use the orange spacers myself for a lousy quarter inch.
Regards,
Scooter
"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
I'm not sure what the concern is.
The tile is installed and the necessary cutouts are made for the electrical devices; just big enough to reinstall them.
After grouting run the screws down to hold the devices tight against the tile and reinstall the covers. Make sure you turn the slots in those cover screws facing the same way. Looks much better.
sully
Horizontal or vertical?
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
Menards here is selling a plastic box extension that looks to be better than the standard metal extension. Will be trying them in a couple of weeks and will maybe post here on the results.
If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
What Sully said. You might need longer screws.
yourcontractor@aol.com
I'm the king of the poorly worded question.
I was just refering to aesthetics. What would look good?
I know how to make it work mechanically, but I want to make it look purrty.
Joe
Buy a piece of slate tile and make your own covers. Probably crack a couple but it's soft and can be shaped with a grinder and Dremel
Nylon covers (the flexible ones) can be died to any colour or tone with fabric dye, they look like a million bucks.
One option is wood covers, to match the cabinets. I would look for ones with a similar style as the cabinet doors, straight edges and something of a raised panel look. You can get them unfinished and finish them to match.
Pretty would be oiled bronze cover plates over brown outlets to match your hardware on cabinets
Bing
"...I want to make it look purrty."I would be concerned that small squares next to speckled stone counter top will be like wearing polka dot shirt and plaid pants.That said, I'd look for metal covers in dark bronze to match the cabinet hardware; brown switches too.
BruceT
maybe you can find those pastel tinted outlets and covers. I saw something at Lowes that might blend a little better.
I think they were called Aspire
.
.
.
, wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
these: http://64.239.63.88/catalog/then open the Aspire folder.
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., wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
I think you should do what DW wants.
Google for switchplate. You will find hundreds of choices. i would go with a dark anodized color. And i would change the receptacles to brown or black.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Edited 1/14/2008 9:10 pm ET by FastEddie
>> I think you should do what DW wants. <<
Yup!
I would go with your suggestion re: color outlets & plates.
There are really only 2 choices - blend as best you can or make stand out.
I installed a backsplash for a fellow once who had an earthtone tile with pewter medallions inset at the tile corners - looked good.
He proceeded to buy matching pewter outlet covers - covers cost more than the tile (uninstalled). Still looked good - DW loved it all - DH shook head and smiled.
JimNever underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
You're right, it will cost a few dollars. The reno i did, the doctors wife wanted all black receptacles/switches and cover plates. they cost about 4x a normal ivory plate or device. Looked really sharp when we were done."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Check out switchhits.com, they have plates available in a few types of slate. Not too high, $14.50 for a duplex slate outlet cover. Pricey, but not $75 like some other sites.
For a tiled backspalsh, I think some of their slate covers or some from their forged metal series would look sharp.Mongo
Edited 1/15/2008 12:34 am ET by Mongo
Awesome site, thanks for the tip.
I just bought some plates at HD, look a lot like these:
http://www.switchhits.com/art-deco-step-oil-rubbed-bronze.html
But I might switch to the slate ones from the site if I don't like the HD ones.
Excellent choice, ORB finish would have been my first choice, with Pewter or antique pewter running second.
If I was starting from scratch, I'd try to relocate the outlets up under the cabinets, which will look much cleaner. Some have mounted the outlets at an angle underneath the cabinets, so they don't become knuckle-busters. On my next house, I'm going to do this regardless of the backsplash treatment chosen.
Just an idea...
Those look like slate tiles, is that right? If so, check out http://www.vermontslateart.com - we wrote em up in the magazine a year or two back. Really nice products. I'm sure if you sent them a tile sample they could find a nice match for you. Or just try your luck on their website.
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
...What are you on?"
- Lance Armstrong
Serves me right for not noticing that there were two pages of posts in this thread. Mongo beat me to the slate answer.Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
...What are you on?"
- Lance Armstrong
You could set yer page allowance at 20 instead of 10.
Peace in.
You know, I did have it set to 20. Guess I just didn't scroll down far enough or something. Maybe I saw one of them middle ads and thought the page was done.Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
...What are you on?"
- Lance Armstrong
Nah, you did what most people do...you saw my name on a post, your eyes glazed over and you fell asleep.Zzzzzz....
speaking of which, I am FINALLY almost done with that walk-in shower. Thanks for all of the advice you offered in your long thread on the subject.
The job took me a long time, partly because I was dumb enough to say yes when asked if we could take a billion 12x12 marble tiles and cut them into 6x12s. It was quite an ambitious undertaking (wish I did a precast unit and just tacked on a standard upcharge ;) ...but I think it came out pretty nice. I can charge more for the next one!
I've got pictures on my camera, I will upload them on thursday along with the rest of the progress on the basement project. I should be out of there by sometime in 2012, if all goes well. Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
"Everybody wants to know what I’m on...
What I'm on? I’m on my bike, busting my ### 6 hours a day…
...What are you on?"
- Lance Armstrong
Justin,
I feel you pain. In that Kerdi Shower thread, there's not a single piece of tile in that shower that didn't get run through the wet saw.
The ivory started as 13" squares, the black as 12" squares.
The anguish, the pain...the horror...
Sorry for not being agreeable.
The tiles shown do not match the countertops or cabinets. Have your wife look for some that do.
Glass doors in the uppers look far better with glass shelves.
These are the type of comments I get from my DW.
The tiles will be going behind the stove. They'll match over there a little better. I din't show that area in my photo because it was full of dirty dishes.
The glass shelves are a good idea, I'll keep it in mind if we start looking for final touches. For now, it doesn't stand out in the room.
When you do the shelves, place a hockey puck halogen (or better) up high on the inside, centered on each door. That lites it up nice.
I was going to suggest gray Decorra receps and a homebrew slate cover but the Switchbits is way down the road from what I thought. The slate covers are offered for Decorra.
If you don't like the clutter of GFI buttons use plain with a GFI breaker.
I saw this the other night on johnbridge. i thought this was a GREAT look.
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=55974&highlight=SLATE+TILE
that's a really close look to what we'll have when I'm done, thanks.
I ended buying the oil rubbed brass (or bronze, not sure). The tile is up and the outlet covers are on. I still have to grout and change the outlets to brown. I'll post a pic when I'm done.
They're probably oil rubbeed bronze. They start off real dark, and with wear they expose dull brass color. Some offices have them, and you can tell which is the active door. "Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
That's good to know, they seem a little dark right now. I little patina would be nice.
It is difficult to find a picture of worn oil rubbed bronze hardware, but this is close. Most people think it is that nice even black-brown flat finish, and that's the way it looks when new. And some people think the finish has failed when it starts to patina. Your switchplates may take a long, long time to wear, because they won't get touched as much as a door knob.
Dang, I thought I had a picture copied. Got to try again."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
View Image
See the lighter areas on the bases? that's about what it looks like with wear. And of course they have shown the highlights in the wrong places. The handles should show the most, and maybe the top of the spout.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt