two-gang to one-gang

[Electrician Wannabe]

Have plastic two gang new construction switch box that currently houses one switch for operating a fan and the other switch for operating the light on the fan. I am replacing the fan and the new fan has an integrated wall control that operates everything. How do you recommend covering the half of the box I am not going to be now using so I can drywall over it? I absolutely do not want a blank plate that can be seen. Thanks

[suemarkp]

Metal boxes always has "plaster rings". You could get these in 1 gang or 2 gang for a 4" box. I haven't seen these for plastic boxes, but someone may make them. The only problem is they are about a half inch thick, so your existing 2-gang box would need to be moved in a half inch. If all the boxes always used plaster rings, then all you'd have to do would be to change from a 2 to a 1 gang.

You could also tear out the box, and replace it with a single gang and repair the sheetrock hole around it.

[Harbormaster]

Most of the combo switches you're talking about come in the rectangular Decora type shape...simply buy a blank Decora filler and install a 2 gang Decora plate!

[pushkins]

I'd cut off the nails on the two gang and install a single gang, then drywall the hole.

[Fischer]

You could also put in one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Pass-and-Seymour-Trademaster-Hallway/dp/B0007NOZB0

[Electrician Wannabe]

Thanks for all the replies.

Unfortunately, the plastic box that was installed is not a plastic 4" box of thetype with the set screws at opposite corners that will accept a mud ring, but rather only has two holes at the top and the bottom to accept the two switches.

I am in the final throws of this reno and the painter is onsite finishing up the painting. I normally woudl just cut the nails off and install a 1-gang box, but the house is from the 1910's and cutting in, and or around the plaster walls is going to create more mess than I really want to deal with right now.

The blank plate would also be an easy out, but as stated in my post the house has just been totally redone and everything is about as perfect as it can be and having a random blank plate on the wall next to main light switch in the room would just drive me too crazy.

So here is what I ended up doing - I took a plastic 4" blank plate, cut it in half, drilled a hole at the tope and bottom that aligned with the holes in the 2-gang box for the rightmost switch, screwed the plastic cover plate over that half of the box and then will plaster over it. I figure my fix is not much different than these boxes that they sell:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/418745/Lamson_Home_Products_B117RSW_1G_Old_Work_Box

[househelper]

I think that is going to look pretty ratty, especially when the plaster starts to crack around the switch plate. If you are going to plaster something anyway, just do as was recommended, and install a single gang box. It will look much nicer than what you plan.

BTW, they make a 2-gang plate with one side blank.

[pushkins]

Yeah, I was thinking about the cracking of the drywall compound over that plastic cover as well, it's not a matter of "if" but "when" it will crack.

[junkcollector]

Not to mention blocking access to part of an electrical enclosure.

[scuba_dave]

Nice that they are finally making a box with some storage area for wire
But still in the 1 gang faceplate

http://www.drillspot.com/pimages/2641/264114_300.jpg