Socket not quite flush, bead of silicone or decorators caulk?

[trwils]

Hey guys, just a quick question, hope someone can advise

Had a new consumer unit, and new sockets in the kitchen where the gas cooker, dishwasher etc go. All went ok, and had it plastered and painted it myself.
After painting (i know i should have noticed before) i noticed that one of the double sockets isnt quite flush to the wall- there is a 1mm to 2mm gap around parts of the socket. When the electrician was in again (i had an extractor fitted) i showed him and he said it was nothing to worry about but it was the plastering.

I dont really want to get a plasterer in for a tiny gap around one socket and im not really confident unscrewing sockets- and i may have to repaint! i am just wondering if it would be safe to use decorators caulk or silicone to fill the gap? i always have silicone in the house (both neutral and acid cure) and cant see any reason not too?. I am just naturally nervous doing anything around power sockets.

I guess some of the silicone or caulk could fall through but cant see that being a hazard?- i would turn the sockets off at the unit first.

Thanks.

 

[EFLImpudence]

No problem safety-wise.

You can paint caulk if necessary but not silicone.

 

[aveatry]

Sounds to me like the electrician did not fit the metal backbox in deep enough.
An expert should be along soon ( one posted while I was writing ) but I would say its fine to fill and hardy any will go behind. Masking tape around the socket and the socket itself and fill and smooth off with a wet finger after a few mins, but as you have silicone around the house I gues you know all of that. But watch out when pealing off your tape from the wall that you don't take the paint with it.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

However most silicone is conductive while setting, so don't squirt too much inside or it may trip your rcd. I have some experience of this when I tried to extend a christmas lights external cable in a plastic box filled with silicone.

 

[Murdochcat]

Can the OP provide more information?

How deep are the back boxes?

What sockets were fitted?

Sounds like a bit of a lash up TBH

 

[trwils]

Sounds to me like the electrician did not fit the metal backbox in deep enough.
An expert should be along soon ( one posted while I was writing ) but I would say its fine to fill and hardy any will go behind. Masking tape around the socket and the socket itself and fill and smooth off with a wet finger after a few mins, but as you have silicone around the house I gues you know all of that. But watch out when pealing off your tape from the wall that you don't take the paint with it.

Its fully flush on parts of the socket, but has gaps on other parts of the socket so i do think there is an uneven level on the plastering, or it would have a gap all the way round if that makes sense?, it is literally 1 or 2 mm gap around maybe 2 cm of socket on the top and 2 or 3 cm on one side.

Yeh have used a fair bit of silicone just lately, to fix gaps around windows, reseal bath, and seal a tiny gap under the patio door where ants got in so know it can be messy

I am tempted to get some decorators caulk as i have heard it is neater to work with.

 

[trwils]

However most silicone is conductive while setting, so don't squirt too much inside or it may trip your rcd. I have some experience of this when I tried to extend a christmas lights external cable in a plastic box filled with silicone.

Given that my mrs wants me to just leave it and thinks i am fussing over nothing (it is a small gap to be fair) i will be careful not too! thanks.

 

[aveatry]

However most silicone is conductive while setting, so don't squirt too much inside or it may trip your rcd. I have some experience of this when I tried to extend a christmas lights external cable in a plastic box filled with silicone.

I did not know this, I think this should be added as a warning on the tubes.

 

[aveatry]

Its fully flush on parts of the socket, but has gaps on other parts of the socket so i do think there is an uneven level on the plastering, or it would have a gap all the way round if that makes sense?, it is literally 1 or 2 mm gap around maybe 2 cm of socket on the top and 2 or 3 cm on one side.

Yeh have used a fair bit of silicone just lately, to fix gaps around windows, reseal bath, and seal a tiny gap under the patio door where ants got in so know it can be messy

I am tempted to get some decorators caulk as i have heard it is neater to work with.

Sounds like crap plastering.
Silicone it or if your walls are a colour then caulk.

 

[ETAF]

Given that my mrs wants me to just leave it and thinks i am fussing over nothing

Personally , i would just leave it , if you make it look worse then it is now, she would not be happy
at least thats been my experiance

 

[ebee]

Well firstly I would err on it not being a good plastering job.
I am no plasterer but I can get by with limited amounts.
My missus is a better plasterer than me actually.
Anyway, to be fair, if the rest of the surrounding is pretty flat then the socket area should be (providing that the box is at least deep enough of course).
On occasions where the surrounding plaster is "like a dogs back leg" yes it is certainly more difficult to "humour it in" but with practice it can be pretty good - I know we have done a few (on what we calls "cottage plastering" and we are instructed to avoid making too many straight and level bits because that can spoil the overall effect of the existing which they want to keep) , in these cases it can be quite difficult not to get it too straight.

However, in you case the kitchen, I would usually expect the surrounding plaster to be near straight anyway in nearly all jobs.

 

[Murdochcat]

If the back boxes are flush with the plaster it’s the sockets and cables which are the problem.

Are they units with USB connections

 

[TONY1966]

Decorators caulk appears to be the expert opinion!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sounds like crap plastering.
Silicone it or if your walls are a colour then caulk.

It often happens, it cannot be easy, getting it level around a protruding box in the wall. If the high part, is above the edges of the box, the OP may be able to sand the high spots down some.

 

[morqthana]

e.g.