Cut tiles around a socket or switch

Cut and fit a tile neatly around an existing socket or switch, matching adhesive and fixings to your wall type.

CT-01Work out what's behind the wallBefore you touch the tile, find out what's under it. Run a detector along the wall - screw heads under plasterboard show up as a line of clicks; solid brick or block gives a steady, dense signal. Tap the wall: a dull thud means solid masonry or dot-and-dab, a hollow sound between clicks means a stud or dot-and-dab void. If you drill a small pilot hole to check, timber dust means a timber stud and fine grey swarf means a metal stud - stop as soon as you know which.

1 each · Multi-function detector (stud, cable & pipe)

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CT-02Turn off the power and prove deadSwitch off the circuit that feeds the socket or switch at the consumer unit, then prove it's dead with a voltage tester before you touch anything. Cover the bare terminals with insulating tape once you can see them. Removing and refitting the same faceplate to tile behind it is minor work on an existing circuit.

RULES

1 roll · Insulating tape

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KNOW THE RULES

Removing and refitting the same faceplate isn't notifiable under Part P. Moving, rewiring or adding sockets is a job for a registered electrician. Near a bath or shower it's notifiable under Part P in England; in Wales kitchens count too.

CT-03Remove the faceplate and check the boxUndo the two fixing screws and pull the faceplate gently away from the wall - the wires stay connected, so support the plate rather than let it hang. Wobble the mounting box: if it moves, it needs securing before you tile, because grout and adhesive won't forgive a box that shifts later. If it's firm, skip ahead - you don't need to drill anything.

CT-04Secure a loose socket box before you tileCables and pipes can run behind sockets in unexpected places. A detector helps, but still assume something's there until you've checked properly, and know where your stopcock is (usually under the kitchen sink) so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe; if there's any doubt, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit before drilling. Into a timber stud, use a wood screw at least 4mm x 30mm driven into the centre of the timber. Into a metal stud, use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing - a plain screw strips straight through 0.5mm steel. Into solid brick or block, drill a 6mm hole to at least 30mm depth and use a wall plug and screw; behind dot-and-dab, use a fixing long enough to bite into the masonry behind the dabs, typically 50-60mm.

1 pack · Wood screws (pack)

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1 pack · Self-drilling metal-stud fixings (pack)

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1 pack · Wall plugs and screws, masonry (pack)

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CT-05Measure and mark the cut-outMeasure from the edge of the last full tile to the near edge of the socket box, then from the tile's bottom edge up to the box, for both the top and side you'll cut into. Transfer these measurements to the face of the tile with a pencil and a set square, adding roughly 2mm all round so the tile doesn't sit hard against the box. Mark the full shape clearly - it's easy to cut the wrong outline once you're holding a grinder.

1 each · Combination square

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CT-06Cut the tileScore and snap with your tile cutter for straight cuts that go to the tile's edge, then use tile nibblers to nip away the waste in small bites - one big snap cracks the tile. For an internal notch that doesn't reach an edge, use an angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut just inside your lines, then nibble to finish; wear safety glasses and a dust mask, tile dust is sharp and fine. Smooth the cut edge with a tile file so it doesn't snag when you fit it.

1 each · Tile nibblers

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1 each · Diamond angle grinder blade

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1 each · Safety glasses

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1 pack · Dust mask FFP2

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CT-07Dry-fit the tileHold the cut tile up to the wall and check it sits around the box with an even 2-3mm gap all round, resting the same way as the rest of the run. If it's tight anywhere, nibble a little more rather than forcing it - forcing a tile against a socket box cracks the tile or pushes the box back into the wall. Once it fits cleanly, set it aside ready for adhesive.

1 pack · Tile spacers (pack)

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CT-08Fix the tile in placeButter the back of the tile with adhesive, keeping the area right over the box slightly thinner so the tile doesn't stand proud. On solid brick or block, use a standard cement-based tile adhesive. On plasterboard - timber or metal stud - and on dot-and-dab, use a flexible, ready-mixed adhesive, because these walls flex slightly and rigid adhesive cracks over time. On lath and plaster, check the plaster is firm first; if it sounds hollow or crumbly, don't tile straight onto it - that's a bigger repair job than this one.

1 tub · Flexible tile adhesive, 5kg tub

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1 bag · Standard tile adhesive, 5kg

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CT-09Fit a socket box extension if it's now too deepHold the faceplate against the tiled surface - if the box sits more than about 5mm behind the tile face, the plate won't sit flat and the screws may not grip properly. Fit a socket box extension ring that matches the gap, screwing it into the existing box lugs, then use the longer screws it comes with to refit the faceplate. If the box itself needs moving or rewiring to fix a depth problem, that's electrical work, not a tiling fix.

RULES

1 each · Socket box extension ring

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1 pack · Longer fixing screws (pack)

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KNOW THE RULES

Moving or rewiring a socket is a job for a registered electrician. It's notifiable under Part P near a bath or shower, and in Wales kitchens count too.

CT-10Refit the faceplateOnce the adhesive has gone off (check the tub, usually 12-24 hours), remove the insulating tape from the terminals and reconnect the faceplate, tightening the two fixing screws evenly so it sits flush and square. Don't over-tighten - cracking a faceplate or the tile edge under it means starting the corner again.

CT-11Grout around the socketMask the faceplate edges with tape so grout doesn't smear onto it, then push grout into the joint around the tile with a rubber float, working from a few directions so it fills evenly. Wipe off excess with a damp sponge before it dries, and remove the masking tape once the grout has firmed up but is still workable, so you get a clean line.

1 bag · Grout, 1kg bag

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1 each · Grout float

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1 roll · Masking tape

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CT-12Restore power, test and clean upOnce the grout has cured (follow the bag - usually 24 hours before power), switch the circuit back on at the consumer unit and test the socket or switch works properly, using a plug-in socket tester if you have one. Sweep up tile dust and off-cuts, wrapping sharp edges in newspaper before binning them, and give the tile a final wipe to clear any adhesive haze.

1 each · Plug-in socket tester

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