Receptacle Template(s)

[Mark Bolton]

Has anyone seen any commercially available router templates for standard duplex receptacles or better yet for a two gang Decora? We are needing to allow for some receptacles in the center of some large raised panels. I am about to make my own templates using a heavy Decora cover but it will be a several step process given the covers are so thin. I would much rather purchase something off the shelf but my google's have turned up zilch. The time it would take me to have it CNC'd and to do it here would be about the same as well.

Thanks for any input.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Use a template to make a template. Using metal (if possible) recpt. cover, and flush trim bit, make a template out of 1/4"" stock. Then using this make one out of 1/2" stock. Make a second of the 1/2" one for future copies. You will have to put a support rail on each side of the cover to support the weight of the router when making original. Be sure and drill a starter hole in each opening

[Peter Quinn]

I made both on a bridgeport using 1/4" BB, as well as jigs to hold the blanks for edge routing (round over, final size) and a screw hole locator. A milling machine make short work of it if you have access to that. I think it took me 20 minutes per? I've never seen commercial templates, did you check Rockler? Or wood workers supply? Seems like the kind of thing they might just have, never recall seeing such a thing though. I assume you are making plug covers and not burying boxes behind raised panels?

[Mark Bolton]

I made both on a bridgeport using 1/4" BB, as well as jigs to hold the blanks for edge routing (round over, final size) and a screw hole locator. A milling machine make short work of it if you have access to that. I think it took me 20 minutes per? I've never seen commercial templates, did you check Rockler? Or wood workers supply? Seems like the kind of thing they might just have, never recall seeing such a thing though. I assume you are making plug covers and not burying boxes behind raised panels?

Making them from a plate is no problem I was just looking for something commercially available as opposed to having to make them. Much cheaper to buy than make. Searching a bit more I havent turned anything up so Ill just template them here.

Were not making covers, these are going to be milled in a panel. This is on an island and wanting them to look as clean as possible. Also why I want to use the Decora receptacles because of the rectangular shape. All the box mounting/access will be done from the back side. A standard, or even wood, plate isnt going to look very good in my opinion and I dont have room in the top or bottom rails for a horizontal box and would still have the cover issue.

[Peter Quinn]

Making them from a plate is no problem I was just looking for something commercially available as opposed to having to make them. Much cheaper to buy than make. Searching a bit more I havent turned anything up so Ill just template them here.

Were not making covers, these are going to be milled in a panel. This is on an island and wanting them to look as clean as possible. Also why I want to use the Decora receptacles because of the rectangular shape. All the box mounting/access will be done from the back side. A standard, or even wood, plate isn't going to look very good in my opinion and I dont have room in the top or bottom rails for a horizontal box and would still have the cover issue.

I hear you, it will be pretty slick to run them in from the back on an island. In my case they were being let into a wainscot type wooden back splash, so they had to be accessible, they dropped in horizontally in the middle of the field of each panel, species matched to the panels, butternut IIR. I had my doubts, but it looked pretty good, nearly invisible. Most expensive plug covers I've ever seen on a T&M basis! Its going to be dicey business to do the double rabbit required so the receptacles come up flush enough to be useful, doesn't leave much material thickness wise, decora is a little easier than the traditional two socket type with the little bridge in the middle, hardest part IIR was getting a radius pattern bit small enough to match the decora corners. I think I used something slightly larger and tuned them in with a few files. PIA. For a starting point I just glued up a quick 1/2" MDF template right around a decora receptacle, four pieces, two matching the width, two longer strips making the length, 20 minutes in clamps, gives you the basic hole pattern, jig saw for the rough hole, 1/2" pattern mortising bits and 1/4" spiral carbide flush trim bit to tune up the corners, hardest part was nailing the corners, doesn't take much to make um look sloppy and loose the sleek decora look....PDAMHIK.

[Mark Bolton]

I hear you, it will be pretty slick to run them in from the back on an island. In my case they were being let into a wainscot type wooden back splash, so they had to be accessible, they dropped in horizontally in the middle of the field of each panel, species matched to the panels, butternut IIR. I had my doubts, but it looked pretty good, nearly invisible. Most expensive plug covers I've ever seen on a T&M basis! Its going to be dicey business to do the double rabbit required so the receptacles come up flush enough to be useful, doesn't leave much material thickness wise, decora is a little easier than the traditional two socket type with the little bridge in the middle, hardest part IIR was getting a radius pattern bit small enough to match the decora corners. I think I used something slightly larger and tuned them in with a few files. PIA. For a starting point I just glued up a quick 1/2" MDF template right around a decora receptacle, four pieces, two matching the width, two longer strips making the length, 20 minutes in clamps, gives you the basic hole pattern, jig saw for the rough hole, 1/2" pattern mortising bits and 1/4" spiral carbide flush trim bit to tune up the corners, hardest part was nailing the corners, doesn't take much to make um look sloppy and loose the sleek decora look....PDAMHIK.

You got that right. I've done this two other times and the not much material part is the doozy. I dont have a probelm leaving a touch extra material and the receptacle face a hair below flush. This is in RO so plenty of beef.

Killer is this is on a completed project that "power wasn't necessary", but now in retrospect "it would be nice". I would have made other accommodations..

i almost always go with the decora simply because the rectangle just fits with panels better (And its way easier). I was going to simply screw a heavy cover (likely a purchased oak faceplate) to a piece of ply, rough out the hole with a router and guide bush riding on the plate (some ply spacers to ride on) then switch to a patern bit and cut to the actual plate/hole dimensions. Clamp the template to the panel, route the hole, switch to rabbeting bit to hog out the back, clean up the corners (file/chisel), and go.

[Charles Lent]

There is a reason why you haven't found much information on this.

The electrical code requires that all electrical junction/outlet boxes must be readily accessible. If you build a solid raised panel over your outlet, how will you meet this requirement of the electrical code? Will the raised panel be easily removable to allow this access? Any electrical box covering must also be constructed of fire proof or fire resistant materials. Decorative wood outlet and box covers are required to have a metal cover on the back side of them to meet this requirement. I guess you could put some 26 ga galvanized sheet steel on the back of your raised panel, but to me it would seem a wiser choice would be to make an electrical box sized hole in your raised panel, extend or move the electrical box outward to be flush with the new panel surface, and then install an approved electrical outlet plate over it, or make a wooden outlet plate to match your decor and cover the back side of it with metal. Receptacles and the wiring connections to them are frequent sources of fire and keeping combustible materials away from this possible fire source is a requirement.

Charley, a retired fire marshal

[Mark Bolton]

There is a reason why you haven't found much information on this.

The electrical code requires that all electrical junction/outlet boxes must be readily accessible. If you build a solid raised panel over your outlet, how will you meet this requirement of the electrical code? Will the raised panel be easily removable to allow this access? Any electrical box covering must also be constructed of fire proof or fire resistant materials. Decorative wood outlet and box covers are required to have a metal cover on the back side of them to meet this requirement. I guess you could put some 26 ga galvanized sheet steel on the back of your raised panel, but to me it would seem a wiser choice would be to make an electrical box sized hole in your raised panel, extend or move the electrical box outward to be flush with the new panel surface, and then install an approved electrical outlet plate over it, or make a wooden outlet plate to match your decor and cover the back side of it with metal. Receptacles and the wiring connections to them are frequent sources of fire and keeping combustible materials away from this possible fire source is a requirement.

Charley, a retired fire marshal

Right, as I mentioned the boxes are completely accessible from the back, nothing buried, all to code. The only issue is the tin plate which we intended to rob from a couple of commercially made wood plates. The plates on the back of commercially sold wood plates are often times nary more than a piece of foil but of course there are always liability issues.

Thanks for the heads up, on jobs we often work with state fire marshals and code officials, always good information and generally great to work with and accommodating.