Plugs and plaster

[Mr Blobby]

What's the best way to fix this?

 

 

Time machine?

 

A dozen or so sockets are like this.  😕

 

 

Edited Friday at 11:40 by Mr Blobby

[-rick-]

My parents would probably have used plastic surrounds (used to be common to stop grubby fingerprints on walls/expensive wallpaper)

 

First hit (not recommending) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390878577772

 

Having said that, I think our standards have moved on and you probably want to unscrew the sockets, fill and paint. But that's a lot more work.

[ProDave]

This is down to detail.

 

Is this "plaster on the hard" or plasterboard?

 

If plaster to brick or block the back boxes need to be well fitted and deep enough to reach almost the finished level of the plaster.  If too deep the spread has to do his best forming an edge in free space.  One of the reasons I hate plaster direct to brick or block.

 

If you don't want surrounds as suggested above, you need to build up the gaps and form a corner with a good quality ready mixed plaster.

[-rick-]

If you haven't decorated yet and it's something you plan to sub out then I expect many decorators will be used to doing this work and it might not be a huge deal just to get them to do the filling.

[FuerteStu]

 

For future reference, these are a fantastic way of getting around bad edges. Several on the market, but these 'skim over' ones are loved by the plasterers I've fitted them with. As they can just go straight over. They even make downlighters ones

[Nickfromwales]

7 hours ago, Mr Blobby said:

What's the best way to fix this?

 

 

Time machine?

 

A dozen or so sockets are like this.  😕

 

 

Lift the 5a one as much as possible, then same for the socket to see if you can hide this.

 

Plasterer was shite, decorator equally as guilty. Just unbelievable that this incredibly low standard of work could have escaped the 80’s and still be so prevalent today in 2026.

 

I bet neither of those two tossers houses look like this. 
 

Utterly embarrassingly low standards from these people.

 

The ‘fix’ is to remove the outlets, PVA the openings, apply EasiFill and allow to dry fully, then sand and paint, then, repeat if necessary, and paint.

 

If you have a PM then send the bill to them. 

[Spinny]

12 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

I bet neither of those two tossers houses look like this. 

Spot on, and ditto on whether a small accurate spirit level was used to make sure they are horizontal. Without some care you can get them where even the adjustable lugs won't get them level. It is surprising how sensative the eye can be to whether 6 inch things are level/upright. (shhh pocster)

[Mr Blobby]

On 24/07/2026 at 20:17, Nickfromwales said:

Utterly embarrassingly low standards from these people.

 

The builder just shrugged and said its to be expected.  Really gives me the pip.  This particular socket is the worst.  

 

I wouldn't mind but prior to plastering I had repeatedly asked if there was any way to insert blanks into the sockets to guarantee a straight edge and was poo-pooed for even suggesting such a thing. 

The house is now painted, but surely this should have been fixed before painting.  Just another job for me to fix between the trades.

 

Where the backbox is deeper than the surface of the plaster, then what's the best way to fill out to a corner? 🤔  Insert a blank of some kind, or just do multi-layers?

 

On 25/07/2026 at 09:16, Spinny said:

whether a small accurate spirit level was used to make sure they are horizontal.

 

Even my wife asked if the sparks have a spirit level.  They don't.  I've levelled up a bunch of sockets but the ones above are beyond fixing.   

Maybe I'll just start a new thread with a list of all the things that trades torment me with.  Every day there's another shocker.

 

Maybe I'm too pessimistic, maybe the builder gets the decorator to sort this and that's why he's not bothered.  He's away on his sailing boat on Wednesday (I kid you not) so I better pin him down before then 😬

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Mr Blobby

[crispy_wafer]

51 minutes ago, Mr Blobby said:

Where the backbox is deeper than the surface of the plaster, then what's the best way to fill out to a corner? 🤔  Insert a blank of some kind, or just do multi-layers?

potentially use a 2 gang socket extension to bring out the metal work form the backbox that you use to fill into and upto, then remove when all filler is dried.

 

ML Accessories | 2G16EXT | 2G 16mm Galvanised Steel Skeleton Extension Box | Superlec Direct

Edited 5 hours ago by crispy_wafer

[Mr Punter]

Yes, the extenders are the way forward.  Shame they were not fitted pre-plaster, but at least it gives something to fill to.

[Mr Blobby]

4 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Shame they were not fitted pre-plaster

 

Your'e telling me 😫

 

5 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

the extenders are the way forward

 

So the filler won't stick to the extender?

[Mr Punter]

11 minutes ago, Mr Blobby said:

So the filler won't stick to the extender?

 

Yes you will fill the gap between the rough edge and the extender.

[Spinny]

The other way is just to fill proud i.e. across over the edge of the metal box. Then when it has dried use a stanley knife or utility knife to cut the excess filler off along the line of the metal box.

 

I have done this multiple times as my plasterer plastered over the edges of all the boxes leaving a small hole in the middle where the box was, which I then had to cut back out to the box size again.

 

Have seen these...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SOCKITZ-SPLATEZ-SPZ270-2Gang-10/dp/B098R5S152/ref=sr_1_15?crid=26ZIVS9GYJJ3N&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3b-rCX7Ys2oK91thMjG_Dg69RkwjdHZhR6WJs3AIVQ8fYlHVN0mB_IjylF7IKwxUZ-g3PBujamNFuYAm_ecGUihrhJGycJivsFRux4BENEScWsjAT42VktX9F0i5MLTR352V165DFrgTU3rMefCI35VHkZSYYA7KDCiiUUw1xa_Q2linXPRjlotAGEZzwmaTNQvZbfWpLj704YS3YHj3fEAm5t2m6HBNIffoKBh_AZMSzE60rmZZpOjAtE4-6kjB-BE_1H_y5BZV5Jk5SI8wEOnvVdDQlFSCpXXn9wWfsRY.PvE2ixsZeO_V1UekfFVDmwcizgLGuu_lWP0st7vtxy0&dib_tag=se&keywords=sockitz&qid=1785161928&s=industrial&sprefix=sockitz%2Cindustrial%2C159&sr=1-15-catcorr&th=1

Edited 5 hours ago by Spinny