Adding electrical outlet - tile issues


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Old 11-14-16, 07:14 PM
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Adding electrical outlet - tile issues

Hey guys (and gals)

I'd like to add an additional electrical outlet to my bathroom, but have run into a bit of an issue with removing the outlet box to feed wire.

So my question is, how much of a risk would it be to try to cut the existing wall tile so I can remove the box? If there is much risk of damaging the tile, I'm not going to try, but I REALLY want a second outlet.

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Old 11-14-16, 08:20 PM
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I've used a diamond disk in a dremel to do a similar job and it worked fine. Makes a heck of a mess but cuts cleanly. Helps to have someone hold a vacuum hose near while cutting. Or you can spray with water while cutting but that makes a different mess.

You can't quite cut all the way through at the corners as it would overcut on the face, but it was easy to snap off the pieces. then I cleaned it up with a diamond burr. There are other tools you could use, but I like the dremel because there is very little vibration to loosen the tiles or crack the grout.
 
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Old 11-15-16, 03:24 AM
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I believe this tile is like an open stock item. I use it all the time for shower floors and back splashes, so I don't think you will have difficulty in finding replacement tiles. I would use a multimaster with a grout blade and cut the grout around the noted tiles and remove them. NOW, your problem will come in as to how you plan on running your cable to location #2. Do you have that mapped out, yet? Do the same cut out at your new location so you can insert an old work box.

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Old 11-15-16, 06:14 PM
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Thanks for the comments. After about 90 minutes of cutting tile with a Dremel diamond cut off wheel, the new outlet box fits in! Dremel in one hand with shop vac in the other really cuts down on the mess.
The new outlet is in the same wall cavity, and above the tile so cutting the hole will be a piece of cake (relatively speaking).
 
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Old 11-16-16, 03:22 AM
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Glad it worked out for you. The grout should not have taken that length of time to remove. Must have been some hard stuff
 
 

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