Bakelite switches

[Telsun]

We would like to change our modern plastic switches for old style bakelite (modern replicas, originals, other) but we don't really want the wooden back plate that they all seem to come on. Can we just fit them straight to the wall in some way? I have seen bakelite conversion kits but not entirely sure that this is what we need to create the look we crave.

Perhaps there's something we're missing and there's a tasteful alternative to the modern plastics and old bakelites with their associated problems; What are you using for light switches and plug sockets?

 

[bennoa1]

Don't see why you couldn't put direct on the wall but it wouldn't look right and not sure how easy it would be to keep the cable in position, which a backbox or pattress would. I like the pattress (wooden back) and you can get in circular or square or just put the switch directly onto a timber backing. You can get a convertor which screw into a metal box that you then attach the wooden backing to.
These do square and round pattresses:
http://www.bromleighs.com/store/sockets-switches/bakelite-switch-collection
I've got some old switches (not used yet) but you're probably better going for replicas given the price.

 

[Telsun]

Thanks for the input. We'd just rather it look like this:

Rather than this:

or this:

They were fitted directly to the wall originally wasn't they?

Hmm....decisions, decisions

 

[bennoa1]

Still think it looks odd without the pattress. All the ones we have still have the wood back and all just fit onto the wall direct. You could still do this but would need to be more careful with cabling around the back of the switch and obviously the pattress acts as wall protection from greasy/dirty mitts.
I'm going to try and put shallow back boxes and fit the pattress to the back box as it makes cabling easier. The pattress then hides any substandard plaster finishing around the edges of the box.

 

[Keithj]

I remember fitting those as original equipment when I were a lad (like, in the early 1950s earning half a crown on Saturdays). They always had a wooden pattress then.

 

[mims&pip]

We've installed similar (from Oliver's Lighting and Broughtons iirc as well as some vintage) in previous houses and we've always had the wooden pattresses as shown above. I agree with bennoa, that without the pattress they look rather strange, but guess that in some locations something less fussy than the overtly period look of the stained wooden pattress is called for. In fact now I think of it we did actually paint the wooden pattresses in our kitchen at the last house - in the same colour as the walls - so they blended into the background

Mims x

 

[88v8]

No patress? What an odd idea.
Not aware they were ever fitted that way.

Make your own.
Here, I've made them in oak and elm, finished with polish or just au naturel.
Previously, in our last house, they were for the most part painted the same as the paintwork, ie cream or yellow or green or.... generally gloss but some eggshell. We used old bakelite &/or brass switches, as indeed I have here.

If you make your own patresses then you can mount two or three switches above or alongside each other.

We also used porcelain ceiling roses, always on patress.

Ivor

 

[parkview094]

..we have 2 original bakelite switches left in our house.. one is being removed today (bedroom light switch). Neither had a pattress, but the other is mounted on a skirting board, so not sure if that counts

 

[noj]

I think the problem is that many of the modern/repro ones are disproportionately large for the switches - probably designed to fit over modern patress boxes. Smaller round ones fixed directly to the wall with just enough flex poking through the plaster to connect the switch are unobtrusive and look 'normal' IMHO - certainly what I had as he original wiring in my last place.

http://wylies-ironmongers.co.uk/round-pattress#.VS45pJOgRNo was the first hit I found - I guess the 3" option is about right?

 

[Flyfisher]

We have some old brass light switches that fit onto round conduit boxes instead of being mounted on a wooden patress. I assume they were fitted when the house was first electrified and the conduit was mostly laid on the surface rather than chased into the walls. This is far less destructive of course, but not really in keeping with the modern fashion for concealing such things.

Here's an example of the switches mounted on a wall that had to be completely rebuilt. I kept the original round conduit boxes mounted on the surface, but took the opportunity of the wall rebuild to hide the power cables. To be honest, I'm not entirely convinced I should have done that as I don't really mind steel conduit and it blends in well enough when suitably painted, plus we have plenty of exposed conduit in other areas of the house and it all looks fine to me. I've even installed some new surface steel conduit in a few places to remain in keeping with the original installation. It's the usual dilemma of true authenticity versus the modern fashion for old things, though as we've discussed before, there are very few people willing to live a truly 'period' lifestyle. :wink:



I'm pretty sure these switches don't comply with modern regulations as the front covers can be easily unscrewed to expose the wiring, but the electrician was happy to sign them off as they were already installed.

 

[kreyszig]

I think the problem is that many of the modern/repro ones are disproportionately large for the switches - probably designed to fit over modern patress boxes. Smaller round ones fixed directly to the wall with just enough flex poking through the plaster to connect the switch are unobtrusive and look 'normal' IMHO - certainly what I had as he original wiring in my last place.

http://wylies-ironmongers.co.uk/round-pattress#.VS45pJOgRNo was the first hit I found - I guess the 3" option is about right?

those look nice. I don't know much about these things but I was thinking that the previous pattresses posted were particularly plump.
oops I got carried away with my alliteration there. I mean the others posted do look quite thick in comparison to their diameter. The turned profiles of those you've linked to look better to my eye.

 

[CliffordPope]

You've got to have some kind of recess behind the switch to coil a bit of spare cable in, otherwise it's very difficult/impossible to trim the ends and get them to engage in the holes. If you make a mistake stripping the wires you have no more spare to pull out. That's what the hollowed-out bit in the wooden block is for.

Straight on the wall looks OK if you are re-creating a very primitive cottagey look and are fixing onto a wooden timber with exposed wire - you just hollow out a bit so as not to trap the wires. But in a more formal setting the moulded wooden mountings are correct. You can paint them wall colour if you like.

I've rewired a whole cottage with old fittings to make it look as if dating from about 1930. Modern cables of course (not rubber and lead-sheathed !) but secured with bendy metal strips as in a shed. Then all painted brown. You sometimes see bits of left-behind wiring like this in old pubs.

My best find was a large wooden round-pin plug. Unfortunately there were several regional pin sizes and spacings in the old days, so it won't plug into an "ordinary" 3-pin (round) 15 amp socket.

All good fun - I need a good stock of adaptors for all the different combinations of 3 and 2 pins used.

 

[agbagb]

petit pattress

 

[agbagb]

and the wiring behind the pattress

double pole for a landing light hence 3 wires