Method and apparatus for finished installation of electrical outlet box without use of external cover plate

A method for installing an electrical component in a wall, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plate assembly having an opening and a generally planar flange portion;
• mounting said electrical component in said opening of said plate assembly so that an operative portion of said electrical component is exposed at a front of said opening;
• mounting said plate assembly to a junction box in said wall so that said flange portion extends substantially parallel to a surface of said wall;
• connecting said electrical component to at least one wire lead in said junction box;
• placing a layer of wall surface material over said junction box and said flange portion of said plate assembly while leaving exposed said operative portion of said electrical component;
• and
• conforming said layer of wall surface material with a surrounding area of said surface of said wall so as to form a flush, substantially uniform surface that extends over and around said junction box and said surrounding area of said surface of said wall;
• so that when finished said layer of wall finish material appears substantially level and continuous with said surface of said wall and substantially only said operative portion of said electrical component is visibly distinguishable at said surface of said wall.

A method for installing an electrical component in a wall, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing said electrical component in a junction box in said wall so that only an operative portion of said electrical component is located at a surface of said wall;
• placing a plate assembly on said junction box so that said operative portion of said electrical component is exposed at an opening of said plate assembly and a generally planar flange portion of said plate assembly extends substantially parallel to said surface of said wall;
• mounting said flange portion of said plate assembly at said surface of said wall so that said flange portion lies generally flat thereon and so that a raised ridge about said opening of said plate assembly surrounds said electrical component therein so as to define an inner edge of an area of said flange portion for depositation of said layer of fill material thereon;
• placing said wall surface material over said flange portion of said plate assembly while leaving exposed said opening of said plate assembly and said operative portion of said electrical component therein, the step of placing a wall surface material over said flange portion of said plate assembly comprising:
• applying a layer of fill material over said flange portion of said plate assembly;
• and
• blending said layer of fill material into said surface of said wall around said flange portion of said plate assembly.