What To Do When A Device Won't Fit In An Electrical Box

If you've ever tried to update or replace a light switch or outlet, only to find that your new device is bulkier and won't fit into your shallow electrical box, this post is for you.

The most common instance for this predicament is when you attempt to replace an old duplex outlet with a GFCI outlet. New GFCI receptacles are much thicker than duplex style outlets, as you can see in this comparison:

If your box isn't deep enough, you won't be able to fit the GFCI into the box.

You may also discover you have a shallow electrical box when adding other devices such as fan controls or programmable timer switches.

Box extenders expand your electrical box by 3/4", making it deep enough to accommodate bulkier devices. The perfect fix for any switch that is too deep to put in your wall.

These handy box extenders sit under your device. Simple place the device on top of the extender, then screw both into your electrical box at the same time using the included extra long screws.

Once it's in place, simply cover with your switch plate as you normally would.

Note, this is an external extender for the electrical box that's inside your wall - it will raise your device & switch plate off the wall 3/4" & will be visible. Choose white, ivory or brown.

Buy shallow box extenders here.