Covers for Side-by-Side Electrical Wall Boxes

Most of the time, electrical wall boxes are are spaced out, even if located near each other on the same wall.

For example, in this bathroom, there are three separate electrical boxes, with plenty of room between them:

ADJACENT ELECTRICAL BOX PROBLEMS:

If you have 2 single-gang boxes that were installed side by side, right up against each other, you'll find a hard time finding a cover plate.

See here how a standard double rocker plate is misaligned with the switches in this situation:

ADJUSTING ELECTRICAL DEVICES:

You can attempt to align your switches to match your cover by loosening the device screws and pushing them in the direction you need them to go.

The spot where your device screws into your box allows for the device to be shifted side to side, as well as slightly up and down.

Be sure to turn off power to any devices you plan to tamper with, prior to adjusting them.

SPECIALTY COVERS FOR SIDE-BY-SIDE WALL BOXES:

If you find that moving your devices closer together still doesn't get them to fit into a standard plate, you can get a wide spaced double rocker cover.

These plates are specialty made to fix the problem of electrical boxes that have been installed too close together.

Since your particular situation may be unique, you'll most likely still need to adjust the positioning of the devices to get them to properly align with the wider spaced cover, as shown in the section above.

SOLUTIONS FOR OTHER DEVICES:

If you have devices other than rocker size (such as a duplex outlet or toggle light switch), you can either:

• update the devices
• use inserts to convert the openings

Updating Your Devices:

Here are some examples of ways to update your switches and outlets to fit rocker openings:

You can shop for updated electrical devices here or head to your local hardware store to find replacements.

It's a simple task many homeowners can do themselves with a simple google search for directions. If you feel uncomfortable messing with electrical wiring, hire an electrician.

Using Inserts for Non-Rocker Devices:

Rocker openings in any switch plate can be converted to fit other devices.

For example, here we show how a toggle insert converts a rocker (or "Decora") opening to fit a toggle light switch instead:

Shop inserts for converting switch plate openings here.

COVERS FOR TRICKY SWITCHES & OUTLETS:

Depending on your situation, you may find that narrow switch plates or short switch covers are the perfect solution.