Dear Mr. Electrician: How do I extend the kitchen electrical outlets from the wall a little so I can add ceramic tile?
Answer: The use of electrical box outlet extenders or receptacle extenders is a simple and approved method to extend kitchen electrical outlets when the wall depth changes.
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To use outlet box extenders, the existing electrical outlet box must be in good condition, and the screw holes must be able to hold 6/32 machine screws tightly. Otherwise, the existing electrical box should be replaced.
Electrical receptacles or box extenders are required when adding depth to a wall as per article 314.20 in the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70). Electrical boxes must be flush with the finished surface to prevent sparks from getting onto combustible wall materials and support the wiring device.
Below are photos from a kitchen remodel that I worked on where some of the existing electrical boxes remained in place while others had to be relocated. Adjustable depth electrical boxes and ReceptXtenders were both used on this job.
HOW TO EXTEND KITCHEN ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
Often I find that the old original plastic electrical box needs replacing, in which case I use adjustable depth boxes so I can adjust the electrical box to be at the perfect depth when the wall is finished.
Below you can see the process that I went through to accommodate the new kitchen cabinet arrangement and tile backsplash with new and existing electrical outlets.
Most of the existing outlets did not need to be relocated, the electrical boxes just needed extending. A new wall oven was going to be installed, so I moved the outlet from that location.
I had to make some changes to the ceiling light switch that someone had moved in a previous renovation. There was already a switch and light above the sink that I was able to use some of the existing wiring from for the new low-voltage sink lights.
The first thing that I did was draw a couple of level lines at the backsplash height and cut out the drywall where I needed to work. The job called for installing new undercabinet lighting in addition to extending and relocating outlets. You can see part of the undercabinet lighting installation in my post here.
I like to use adjustable-depth electrical boxes for kitchen and bathroom outlets and switches. That way, I am prepared for any thickness of the finished wall or backsplash.
After I install the adjustable depth boxes during the rough-in wiring phase of construction, I adjust them so that they stick out further than they need to be. That ensures that whoever installs the wall coverings will fully cut around the electrical box.
If I kept the box recessed, I would wind up cutting the hole bigger to accommodate the wiring device. I have no problem cutting drywall, but tile and stone are more difficult to work with.
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As depicted above, I prefer to leave the boxes protruding from the wall a little so that whoever finishes it will cut around it instead of partially covering it. When I install the wiring device, I will adjust the box back to its correct depth.
I like to use the deeper ReceptXtenders for the rough-in phase on existing outlet boxes. That way, whoever installs the backsplash will have to cut around my box. After the backsplash is finished, I change the extenders to the proper depth.
Too often, I was called in after the backsplash was installed and had to make the holes in the wall bigger to fit the new GFCI receptacles. I bought a RotoZip tool and diamond bits so that I could trim the tile and stone on the kitchen counter backsplashes without causing damage.
The ReceptXtenders do a good job of supporting the electrical outlet or switch so that the devices are even with the finished wall. After the wall is finished, you could use box extenders instead to fill in the gap and support the wiring device.
I added the two 3/4″ ReceptXtenders to the above switch and outlet during the rough-in phase so that any installer that mounts something over them will have to cut around the extenders, making my job easier when I have to install the new outlets, switches, and wall plates.
By me attaching the black, 3/4″ ReceptXtender to the existing outlet electrical box during the rough-in, the tile installer gave me a very cleanly cut hole in the tile backsplash.
This method makes it much easier to install the GFCI outlet during the finishing phase of construction. I removed the 3/4″ extender and installed one that is the proper depth, like the blue one above, which is 1/2″ deep and adds 3.3 cubic inches to the overall box fill.
According to the National Electrical Code a certain amount of cubic inches is required for each wire in an electrical box. See article 314.16 for more information about box fill.
When installing wiring where kitchen cabinets are going to be installed, it is a good idea to use steel protective nail plates. Cabinet installers tend to use very long screws to attach their cabinets to the wall.
You can see in the above photo the nice cutting around the electrical box that was done by the tile installer. If that black extender was not there, the opening to the electrical box would have been cut smaller.
The four sizes of ReceptXtenders Box Extenders pictured above are 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, and 3/4″. Notice the notch on the upper right corner of the 3/4″ receptacle extender. I had to cut it a little to accommodate a receptacle.
The above Arlington #BE1 Box Extenders work well and are approved for use with electrical boxes. These are inserted into the existing electrical box in the wall after the wall is finished and ready to install switches, receptacles, and wall plates. They can easily be trimmed back if they are too deep for your application.
I put ReceptXtenders on all the existing outlets and switches during rough-in, so the person who installs the backsplash tile will have to cut around them.
There was an old BX cable feeding the old peninsula outlet. I replaced it with an MC cable and ran it through the inside of the cabinet to the side-mounted outlet box using an MC cable connector after inserting an anti-short bushing inside the cable.
The finished GFCI Claro outlet and wall plate on the peninsula is a designer color from Lutron.
More work on this kitchen can be seen in this post.
Click to read my article about testing a dishwasher for electrical power.
My other kitchen posts are listed here.
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