Painting receptacles

Sid 03

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Mar 26, 2021, 5:24:10 PM3/26/21

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I have a project were I painted everything in a corner to be the same color.
We have a power-strip plugged in that corner and because it does not match the color, it sticks out like ....

I have been in many homes and apartments were the receptacles and wall-plates were painted to match the wall cover and/or covered w/wall-paper.
Some done well, some not !

Is there a problem or any risk of painting a power-strip to match the walls and/or woodwork ? (I would be sure that all the contacts were taped and covered and that no paint would make it back into the inner voids of the strip)

Thanks
Sid.

Wade Garrett

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Mar 27, 2021, 10:27:31 AM3/27/21

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Use a brush- not a sprayer, protect the sockets too, then lock and load...

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Sid 03

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Mar 28, 2021, 12:40:47 PM3/28/21

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Why not spray as long and I mask off all the conductors ?

Wade Garrett

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Mar 28, 2021, 1:20:43 PM3/28/21

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Greater chance of an "oops".

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Why is it that the people who want more government control over your
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Sid 03

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Mar 28, 2021, 1:37:40 PM3/28/21

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Describe the oops ?
Worst case scenario: wipe all the paint off and start over or just buy a new one and start over ?

Wade Garrett

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Mar 28, 2021, 1:43:59 PM3/28/21

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How ya' gonna' wipe the paint from inside the slots where the plug is
inserted? If you're careful with a brush, you save the trip/gas back to
the Home Depot to buy another receptacle ;-)

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Clare Snyder

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Mar 28, 2021, 4:55:03 PM3/28/21

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On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 09:40:44 -0700 (PDT), Sid 03 <sidw...@gmail.com>
wrote:

TECHNICALLY you should NEVER paint the outlet itself. If you must,
DRY BRUSH them - never spray because if any spray gets in through the
slots it will affect the contacts inside and it is virtually
impossible to effectively mask the slots and still get a decent paint
job. Much better (although more exoensive) to use outlrts that go with
the colour of your wall.They are available in about 20 different
colors from both Leviton and Lutron.

Jim Joyce

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Mar 28, 2021, 5:30:04 PM3/28/21

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On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 09:40:44 -0700 (PDT), Sid 03 <sidw...@gmail.com>
wrote:

A couple of my friends, two bothers, are painters and they always pull off
the receptacle covers and put them aside prior to painting. However, they
said if they were asked to paint the covers they'd still pull them off and
paint them separately, then reinstall. In that case, you could line them up
on a piece of cardboard and spray away.

Sid 03

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Mar 28, 2021, 8:28:02 PM3/28/21

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This is a power-strip, and if there really is that much of a scare of paint getting inside, I could take it apart and remove all the electrical parts and paint just the shell and
Then reassemble.
I was more worried about the paint on the shell being a fire-hazard ? Than a problem with paint getting on the contacts.

Tekkie©

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Mar 29, 2021, 3:24:52 PM3/29/21

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On Sun, 28 Mar 2021 17:27:59 -0700 (PDT), Sid 03 posted for all of us to
digest...

Tape off the receptacle as you noted and spray away. The cord will be another
problem. The paint may attack the covering and will surely crack off as it
bends.

Or get some wiremold and extend the outlet and paint or just extend the out to
where it's needed.

--
Tekkie