Light Switch Covers | How To Match Light Switch with Light Switch Plate Colors

Light Switch Covers

There's nothing worse than getting home from your great decorative light plate find, to put it on and find out the cream or white color of the switch clash so badly with it, it takes away all the reason for getting it.

Don't despair though, as there's a simple and easy way to take care of the problem.

Here's a way to just about make that light switch disappear from interfering with your decorative light cover.

Assuming you've taken the cover off and the light switch box is open, put newspaper or plastic around the light switch box completely. I think if you have newspaper that would be better. Just tape it snuggly all the way around so nothing can get in it when you spray it with paint.

Extend the newspaper or plastic out far enough so you have no overflow of paint to your walls.

Make sure it's also right up to the light switch sticking out on all sides, and nothing but that is showing.

With the light switch being plastic, you'll need to first apply a primer that will adhere to plastic, and you can find that at any paint, hardware or big-box home improvement store.

Simply spray the primer on the switch and give it time to dry.

Now, take the paint that matches the color or colors of your decorative light switch plate, and spray it on the light switch over the dried primer.

A few thin coats is better than one or two thick ones, as it will have a tendency to glob up if it's too thick.

One trick to keep in mind while doing this: If the color on the top of the light switch cover is different from the bottom you can press the switch either way to compensate for that, and spray it accordingly.

Make sure you take into account that the lower side of the switch will show when it's up, and the upper side will show when it's down. You also may want to temporarily shut your power off in the house if you have to paint the switch when it's turned on.

When you're through with that, you can get a can of spray varnish and finish it up with a few coats to add a nice sheen to the light switch.

This is really not that hard, and you'll be glad you took the time to do it as you enjoy your new decorative light switch plate with very little clashing of colors.

Light Switch Covers

Light Switch Covers | Fixing or Installing Light Switchplate When Screws Don't Line Up

Light Switch Covers

So you go out and get your new decorative switchplates, take the screws off and remove the old one, press the new wall plate in place and ... the screws don't line up. Arrrgh!

Don't panic, your dreams of the new light switch decorative place adding some character and fun to your room isn't over, and it's not even that difficult to deal with.

Just take your new light switch cover off and lay it to the side for a moment.

What the problem is, is underneath on the light switch box itself (what the switch is connected to), whether through settling of the house, or whatever reason, shifting has taken place and the plate will now have to be lined up correctly.

So what you do with it is loosen up the screws on the light switch box (again, what the light switch is attached to), but don't take them completely out of their holes.

Once they're loosened, then place the decorative light switch cover, or whatever type of light switch cover you bought (it doesn't matter) and place it over the light switch box.

After that, just adjust it until everything lines up straight, and tighten the screws back into place, and then screw in the light switch cover. It's as easy as that.

So if you ever get your highly anticipated dream light plate cover, don't panic if you can't get it on at first, just take these couple of steps and the problem is solved.

Light Switch Covers