Won't a blank plate cover it?

If there are live electrical connections in those boxes, better check with local codes to see if covering them is permitted.

If there are no live circuits, the better solution would be to remove the boxes, since the repair would be easier.

To repair such a hole, a strip of wood lath(like a paint stir stick) or more(depending on the size of the hole) is screwed in place behind the hole(with drywall screws through the old drywall into the wood.

A patch of new drywall is made, fitted in the hole, screwed to the wood, and the normal tape/mud/sand process is done.

Thanks for the fast input.

A plastic blank will cover it, but since the house is full of blanks over unused boxes, it looks bad. Any cover, as far as I can tell on such box would rest above or on top of the drywall surface.

So, it seems that the box needs to be removed. I think they are nailed to studs. Drat.

I've been cutting-up old baseboards into strips and using them as you describe handymac, but in other areas where these boxes don't exist...

I guess I'll need to do some carving and use the reciprocating saw to separate these from studs.

I was hoping there might be another solution. I realize that there is a fabric / mesh that is used, but that doesn't seem nearly as strong...

uvascanyon --

As I type this, I am patching similar holes. I have holes and boxes for phone lines, speakers and an intercom system all over the house. My electrician/friend advised me that there is NOTHING hot in any of these. Just tape off the loose wires and tuck them back in the hole.

You can use the frame of the box to support your new cut-out.
1. Trace the opening on a piece of paper; cut it out smaller than how you marked it (1/8 or so)
2. Make sure your paper cut-out fits back in your opening, cleanly
3. Buy drywall the thickness less than the depth between your box flange (whatever edges are sticking out) and your wall surface. Less 'deep' is better because you are going to coat over this 'patch' with Joint Compound
4. Trace your paper cut-out onto your drywall; cut it out by scoring with an exacto blade
5. Make sure your new drywall cutout fits in the hole and still butts up against your box flange
6. Edge the inside of the cutout edges with some Joint Compound or Glue and press it in the hole and put slight pressure on it to get it to stick to the flanges (these can be your supports so you don't need a crosswise brace). Let this dry 24-48 Hours
7. Finally, Joint Compound the new outer patch smoothly blending into your wall, sand, repeat, sand, prime then paint.

Here is a photo of my 'similar boxes -- I feel your pain except I have paneling to blend with!

This post was edited by PinesEverywhere on Tue, Aug 6, 13 at 9:29

Here is a photo of Steps 4 & 5 -- I told you I was literally doing this now!

Here is a photo of Step 6 -- I overdid it on the Joint Compound, you don't need this much ... just enough to hit the box housing.

Ready for Step 7 -- as this dries over the next couple of days, I will apply coats of joint compound to raise the patched level to the flush surface of my wall ... letting it dry, sand, re-coat, etc.

Good Luck -- Hope this helps! I've struggled with all these finishing touches and will find easy ways to avoid carpentry work which I am not good at. :)

PinesEverywhere,

What a detailed response! I really appreciate the time you took to explain all that you did and the inclusion of photos too. Really kind of you.

What you describe makes a lot of sense. However, after looking at your box/es, it seems that they are a 1/2" back into the wall, or the thickness of the sheetrock itself.

The boxes I have entail the metal coming to the outward surface of the drywall. If you look carefully, like where the bottom screw hole is located, that metal surface is maybe a 1/16 to 1/8" back from the wall's surface. Almost flush... If I use that as a backing, the drywall will stick-out a lot.

I wish the boxes I had here looked like yours!

Again, I really appreciate the time you took to share as you did. Thanks much.

Skip the patch and just stuff pieces of drywall coated with drywall compound in the box until it is almost full, finish with a thin layer of compound that is below the surface of the wall, let set and then finish like any normal patch. Use Easy Sand compound, it sets up with a chemical reaction, no waiting to dry out. You can do the whole thing in one day.

Those look like just the frame to support the faceplate and cables. Should be easy to remove it. Would take a small oscillating saw, or a utility knife and remove the drywall around it to find the nails, remove frame, then patch as normal.

Thanks for additional follow-up.

Given that I have so many of these, let me try to removing one to see what's involved and they actually look like...

I'll report back.

uvascanyon -- no problem providing the explanation and the photos, it was quick to do and the camera was handy.

If you only have 1/16 or 1/8" of recessed space to work with, you could you use patching mesh (which I find flimsy to work with but you could skim coat it first, let it dry then have a custom made thickness) or you could use a piece of paneling as a patch which is very thin too.

Good luck if you decide to remove the boxes -- I'll be interested in your progress.

This post was edited by PinesEverywhere on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 6:21

PinesEverywhere, thanks.

I was hoping to have time today, but did not...

I like the idea you shared. Sounds doable. I'll see if i can find some thin paneling around.

I also want to experiment on separating a box from the stud, either removing it, or simply letting it fall within the wall. Some walls are exterior though, with insulation, so they will not fall downward, out of the way...

I might add that almost every room in this house has been covered in wallpaper, sometimes multiple layers, and even painted-over. Major pain-in-the-butt. It's about 80% off, will mostly just the residue / paste left. Almost didn't buy the place because of this stuff...

Thanks again.

My pleasure uvascanyon --

I understand your pain as I've been working on two huge rooms for three months! The Wallpaper removal was nearly the worst. I hate the stuff too. Make sure you get that paste off. I used warm water/vinegar and then lightly steamed an area and then putty-knifed it off. Messy for sure.

On the paneling, I ended up buying a whole 8ft sheet of cheap paneling (it was like $20). I flip/flop between using that and the drywall for patching as many of my 'holes' vary in depth.

Good luck -- keep up the good work.

Don't get me started on wallpaper. Yes, vinegar and water in spray bottles has been our method of choice. We've tried everything I think, including a steamer I purchased... Not exactly a small house, and every room but the master and hallway are covered in this stuff.

I don't want to get too off topic, but yes, the adhesive / paste is important to get off. If not, it will f-up the mud, texturing and paint that follows. I will go back to vinegar for that too. I will also try a product called Krud Kutter, which I've read good things about...

Once that is off, I will prime to seal-in what I might not have removed. A product called Gardz is the only primer for which I could find that will seal-in this stuff, and not allow it to bleed through...

Ok, back to the topic. I removed a couple of these "boxes". These are nailed to the front of the studs. A couple photos...

A photo of this bugger removed...

uvascanyon -- your posts are cracking me up 'cuz I am so in the same situation with Wallpaper but I have also had to deal with paneling (cheap), wainscoting (so-so quality), textured ceilings (nice fan pattern), an acoustic tile ceiling, beams, a cedar shake wall (oyyy), plantation shutters and an old bay window with individual panes (pain really).

Keep the faith -- it will look great when you are done!

Kudos to you for removing the box. Looks like you killed it!!!

I like the purple carpeting. LOL. I would have just patched that box (lazy and overwhelmed that I am). You are doing it the right way -- well done! You still have to patch the sucker though -- I'm interested in your next move.

Thanks PinesEverywhere.

I patched it the same way as I did the more standard boxes that I've removed, ones that were pretty much behind the drywall. Wood strips (from old baseboards that I demo'd) cut a few inches longer than the opening, screwed-in top and bottom, then cut drywall to appropriate size, and screw that in... As with the scrapped baseboards, I'm using scrapped drywall, which were once soffits in the kitchen...

About 8 more of these dang boxes to go, not including others, including circular holes. The previous owner had wired Euro outlets in the house, with these types being circular receptacles. He also ran phone, ethernet and cable into every room, except bathrooms. This was done through the exterior walls. Not good.

I was going to stop my rant, but I'm going to continue. It's somehow therapeutic... While the house has copper plumbing (ya!), it was run up through the floors and straight into the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Makes changing-out cabinets a major pain. So, I'm doing it right along the way...

Oh, the house has aluminum wiring. So, I'm using approved connectors at every point copper mates-up with aluminum. Got a big box of these from THD for like 100+ dollars and I'm tackling these little by little too...

Once the walls are ready (wallpaper and adhesive removed), holes patched, I'll get a drywall guy to skim the whole house, floors and ceilings, then the texture of choice. Again, I will prime / seal the walls first. Quotes are approaching 10k. Ouch.

Oh, the carpeting is hideous. Different colors in all rooms, and not easy on the eyes. They are essentially drop-clothes, and will get addressed pretty much last...

A good weekend to you.