Wall plate choice? Thermoset vs. Thermoplastic!

[Zippercat]

I'm in the process of upgrading our newly purchased house before moving in. One of the changes is to replace most of the outlets and switches. The existing outlets and switches are a variety of styles and colors.

The supply house I'm looking at (emisupply.com) has all of the wall plates I'll need, and most are available in thermoset and in thermoplastic. Any reason I should select one vs the other?

 

[CJ7VFR]

Are the wall plates all the same size and color available in each type of material at the supply house?

Sometimes the plastic ones are a bit larger in size and don't come in the same variety of colors.

Also most of the plastic ones will have a "shiny" finish, whereas the others will come in a more satin or flat finish.

It all really depends on what you want and what matches best to your color choice. Both wall plate types have their pluses and minuses.

Jim

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I always get the cheaper "Breakable" ones... the unbreakable ones are way too thin/wavy which IMHO looks like you know what.

As for sizes...That's not dictated by the material...all materials (Breakable/Unbreakable/Steel/Etc) have various sizes available...I always get standard size.

 

[Radix2]

I like the screwless ones from Pass and Seymour - $$$ though...

 

[Syberia]

I'd go with plain shiny metal in a garage for that "industrial" look.

 

[Zippercat]

So, from the responses it looks like nobody else knows the difference between Thermoset and Thermoplastic either. Thanks for responding, even though the responses really didn't answer my question.

 

[Eds_tls]

Thermoplastc will melt when heated. Legos

Thermoset will not melt when heated. Billiard / pool balls.

I have no idea why one would be better than the other for outlet covers.

 

[reader2580]

Thermoset plates are solid and not flexible. Thermoplastic plates are flexible. I prefer the thermoset plates in most cases.

I suspect you can get the plates just as cheap at your local Home Depot as you can online.

 

[nadogail]

I like the Intermediate size plates, they cover the holes nicely.
Jumbo sized plates look Clunky and the cheapest size standard plates look like Cheapest Plates.

 

[rlitman]

Thermoset plates are solid and not flexible. Thermoplastic plates are flexible. I prefer the thermoset plates in most cases.

Yep. As said above, the thermoplastic are flexible and look wavy (especially as they bend when you screw them in if the outlets don't sit perfectly) and have a cheap looking gloss. The thermoset have a more pleasing texture and are quite firm. Though the thermoset are also easily broken, and that difference guides me in which gets used where.

 

[hh76]

Yep. As said above, the thermoplastic are flexible and look wavy (especially as they bend when you screw them in if the outlets don't sit perfectly) and have a cheap looking gloss. The thermoset have a more pleasing texture and are quite firm. Though the thermoset are also easily broken, and that difference guides me in which gets used where.

When the outlets are nice and square, the thermoset are my favorite. When the outlets are a little off they will break pretty easily if you over tighten.

In my house, where the walls were professionally dry walled, they worked perfectly. In my garage, where I did a less than perfect job of hanging osb, I broke a couple.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I like the ones that say unbreakable on them incase you go a 1/4 turn too far with the screwdriver!

 

[rlitman]

When the outlets are nice and square, the thermoset are my favorite. When the outlets are a little off they will break pretty easily if you over tighten.

In my house, where the walls were professionally dry walled, they worked perfectly. In my garage, where I did a less than perfect job of hanging osb, I broke a couple.

Exactly. Though I still don't like the breakability of the thermoset plates. I've seen too many break when a vacuum plug was pulled by the cord, or someone bumped a light switch while carrying something (though neither is an issue with decora plates). In my house, I've got metal plates for the most part. In my garage, thermoplastic. Perhaps I'm just a bull in a china shop though...