ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Three gang decora plate

I have a small job coming up where I'm replacing all the switches throughout a large house.
The house is ancient and the walls are covered in 1/2 inch tongue and groove paneling that has been stained brown for probably 100 years.
One of the switch plates is a standard, three gang toggle switch cover made of wood and stained to match the wall.
The plate is oversized by about 1 inch vertically and horizontally.
I've tried every local vender including the big home centers and almost every electrical wholesale house in the area as well as all the design centers.
No one carries three gang decora plates in brown and don't even think about picking up a brown, three gang decora goof plate.
I would have thought this wouldn't be such a hard item to get.
It's amazing! I can get any Bulldog pushmatic breaker ever offered, any F.P.E stablok, as many old swingjacks (buss plugs), Even a 1000 amp break before make transfer switch within one day and I can't find this one little switch plate to save my life!
What's this industry coming to?

I've been "waiting" for a 2-gang BLANK goof plate for about 2 years now. One would think that would almost be a standard item....maybe by the time I retire.

I was told that most of these colors http://www.lutron.com/products/colors/default.asp#architectural are in stock at Lutron. That would make them shipping (5 days at most?) away. I'm sure they aren't cheap by any standard. Maybe it's the oversize that's making so difficult. Have you tried a national distributor like Graybar or Grainger?

I used to have a local tin shop make my specialty items. Any size switch plate you wanted. You can drill the screw holes to save money and paint it any color you want. Also good for custom gutters, and panel bottoms that have too many knockouts.

"No one carries three gang decora plates in brown and don't even think about picking up a brown, three gang decora goof plate."

P&S TPJ263 - 3 gang brown decora - jumbo plate
http://www.passandseymour.com/pdf/R20.pdf

I am sure no one wiI would be surprised if a distributor had this in stock.. but delivery is usually pretty quick from P&S

[This message has been edited by distributor x (edited 12-08-2005).]

I haven't ordered anything from them yet but Classic Accents has alot of switch covers. Pushmatic, toggle, and decora style in stamped, forged, and wood covers.
http://www.classicaccents.net/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=CAI

Grainger has a three gang brown decora that I can order but, not the goof plate.

Well, this all goes back to giving your business to a supply house instead of places like HD. If you have a good relationship they will have no problem ordering whatever you need directly from the manufacturer. Maybe the item will be a bit more expensive and take a week or so but you can get it if they make it. I do this all the time for different color Decora and plates. They can even make plates up for you with more than the standard stock gangs or special combinations.

-Hal

Hal,

I'm curious why your response turned into a tirade against Home Depot. The opening poster did mention this after all:


It sounds like he did try the suppliers with no luck.

Peter

It sounds like he did try the suppliers with no luck.

We KNOW it wasn't in stock anywhere. Next thing to do is order it. Unless you are a regular at a supply house and have an account most won't want to bother ordering anything for you.

Not a "tirade" against home centers, but giving your business to a supply house that only sells to the trade has it's advantages.

Many times I can walk into a house and know right off that it's the house that Home Depot built because there is nothing there that's unusual or isn't on display in their isles.

-Hal