Box Cover flush with Box vs. Drywall

[Reborn]

I know ideally the cover should be flush with the box, not the drywall. I removed a standard porcelain light fixture, and you can see it was flush on drywall (discolored drywall) rather than on the box. How critical is it to take a blade around my new cover and enable it to sit flush against the box instead of the drywall? There is a good 1/2" between drywall surface and box surface.

And as an aside, is the fact that I "tampered" with the receptacle to drill 2 holes for the screws anything to be concerned about for code compliance?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kevin Essiambre]

I don't know about NEC, but the Canadian code permits the box to be back a little bit only on non-flammable finishing.

If it's drywall, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

If you are worried, Arlington makes a box extender for that. Part number BE1R

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[alfredeneuman]

There is a good 1/2" between drywall surface and box surface.

2017 NEC
314.20 Flush-Mounted Installations.
Installations within or behind a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material, including boxes employing a flushtype cover or faceplate, shall be made so that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or listed extender will not be set back of the finished surface more than 6 mm (1∕4 in.).
Installations within a surface of wood or other combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings, or listed extenders shall extend to the finished surface or project therefrom.

 

[Reborn]

I don't know about NEC, but the Canadian code permits the box to be back a little bit only on non-flammable finishing.

If it's drywall, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

If you are worried, Arlington makes a box extender for that. Part number BE1R

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

Based on the next reply, looks like that is the case with NEC as well. Thanks for the box extender reference, but I will either leave it or remove the drywall as those would be the easier/quicker options.

2017 NEC
314.20 Flush-Mounted Installations.
Installations within or behind a surface of concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, or other noncombustible material, including boxes employing a flushtype cover or faceplate, shall be made so that the front edge of the box, plaster ring, extension ring, or listed extender will not be set back of the finished surface more than 6 mm (1∕4 in.).
Installations within a surface of wood or other combustible surface material, boxes, plaster rings, extension rings, or listed extenders shall extend to the finished surface or project therefrom.

Excellent, thank you for that. I will actually measure the offset and see how far back the box edge sits. That will determine whether I leave it or remove the drywall.