# Ideas for covering a breaker box



## Wench (Nov 12, 2013)

I'm new to this forum and not sure if this is the correct place to post this question???? 

We are redoing our "50's" basement, we only had 3 lights and 3 plugs in a 1,000 sq foot basement. We put in 14 lights and 12 outlets, to do this we had to put a bigger breaker box in. The box is in a half bath in the basement (yes I know it's not code but it was there when we bought the house) and it is twice as long as the original one. I made a curtain for the the original one so it looked like a basement window. I can't do that with this one because it would look like drapes. The only thing I could think to do is box it in and put louvered doors on it and make it look like a cabinet. I would like to box it in and hang a mirror but the box is half over the toilet and the sink. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

A picture would help. Perhaps a larger box/cabinet that spanned across both the toilet and the sink? Spread the box out so it fits the room, overlapping the breaker box unevenly doesn't matter if it's hidden inside the box.

We did this same sort of offset for curtains in a bedroom where the window behind was offset from where the bed's headboard was situated. We used light-blocking drapes so the offset wouldn't be obvious during daylight hours.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

http://wordcustard.squidoo.com/window-view-pictures


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## Wench (Nov 12, 2013)

I thought about a picture also but it would have to be a very big one, this box is very long. I wanted to post a picture of the bathroom so you could see why this isn't an easy fix but I couldn't find where to post????


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## nvycrmn (Mar 11, 2014)

I might be wrong but when you changed out the box for a newer one, you would have had to pull permits for it which would have forced you to move it to a proper location. 

I think as long as you don't put anything permanent over it, you should be okay. I was planning on building a room around mine (it is located in my laundry room in the basement) so that I would just have an "electrical" room to hide the ugly thing, but I have to have a minimum of 36" all around it, or so I have been told...


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## Wench (Nov 12, 2013)

We left the box where it was because it would have cost us $1,500+ to move it a few feet over to the laundry room next to the laundry sink. The rules are stupid, it can be in a laundry room or a kitchen but not a bathroom????? What's the difference, the sink in the bathroom is smaller than the laundry tup or a kitchen sink. 

Anyway, we made a faux medicine cabinet with a mirror on it. It can be opened quick and easy to get to the electrical box.


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## nvycrmn (Mar 11, 2014)

that's a good idea. not really sure why the rule is the way it is, sounds pretty dumb to me. I hear ya on the price to move it. I want mine moved like 6' over and to have a FRIEND of mine do it would still cost me 700-1000...so I think mine might just stay where its at! haha


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## Wench (Nov 12, 2013)

If it's a smaller one like the one we replaced and it's high up you can do what I did. I made a curtain, put it on a curtain rod and it just looked like a basement window with a curtain over it.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Humidity in a bathroom after a shower is higher then almost anywhere else in the house. Can cause condensation in the box.


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## Wench (Nov 12, 2013)

That makes sense, ours is in a half bath. It doesn't even steam up the mirror on the faux medicine cabinet ;-)


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Made me think of this. Looks ok, right guys?


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## Wench (Nov 12, 2013)

Ok that is funny.....and scary at the same time :blink::blink: I will rephrase my statement to ........

The rules are stupid, it can be in a laundry room or a kitchen but not a HALF bathroom.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

May want to label it for firemen trying to shut off power in emergency... and not void your HO Insurance policy. Be safe.

Gary


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## AlvinJackso (Jun 28, 2014)

It looks horrible if it is a half bathroom   you have to make some changes to these designs. have some safty ideas . The humidity gets higher just because of this box.


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## wkearney99 (Apr 8, 2009)

Don't dredge up old posts. 

Besides, if it's a half-bath that commonly means just a toilet and a sink. Sure, if there's a bath tub or a shower there's likely to be a lot more humidity, but not in a powder room. At least not more than any other ambient humidity already in the basement.


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