Show me your light switches!

blairw · 27 Jul 2021 at 11:31

Morning All,
Carrying out a chunk of work in the house at the moment and looking to change all the light switches / power sockets to stainless steel / chrome / silver type rather than the standard white.

Buying these online are a nightmare as the stock photos on websites are rubbish and don’t show what it actually looks like in a real world setting.

If anyone has done this recently - it would be great to see some photos of what they look like on your walls

Cheers!

fastwunz · 27 Jul 2021 at 15:31

the chrome/stainless ones can look very cheap and nasty - white just works.

Dont go cheap.

Deep · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:45

fastwunz said:
the chrome/stainless ones can look very cheap and nasty - white just works.

Dont go cheap.

Completely agreed. Even the expensive sockets and switches don't look that good.
I find the benefit about the white sockets is that because they're so common you just gloss over them and never notice them.

fastwunz · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:02

Deep said:
Completely agreed. Even the expensive sockets and switches don't look that good.
I find the benefit about the white sockets is that because they're so common you just gloss over them and never notice them.

yep - I have visions now of wilkos ‘chrome effect’ wonky sockets everywhere and loads of those annoyingly stupid platitudes on bits of wood all over the place.
Like, ‘always kiss me goodnight’ above the bed or ‘relax’ in the bathroom.

R-evans · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:27

We're buying a house and I noticed the light switches will need replacing when we get it (old lady lived there, they were clean but haven't been changed for a while)

One thing I liked while living in the US was the oversized switches, it makes so much more sense when you're feeling around in the dark, moving back home made me realise just how terrible a design UK switches are, especially if it's a single switch there is just so much wasted space on the plate.

These look good - https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/ligh...zlUjdYWz8bxVRfEE65saAhGtEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

K.C. Leblanc · 27 Jul 2021 at 18:19

If you're changing over to metal light switches make sure you check you have an earth connection at your light switches. It's not safe to install them without one.

GravyMonster · 27 Jul 2021 at 21:26

I've used TrendiSwitches in a few rooms. The wife loves them as they come in a much greater selection of colours than your traditional white/black/copper so you can tailor them for each room, plus they have really nice feeling detents.

JRJ · 27 Jul 2021 at 21:29

Can't go wrong with White MK logic my go to plug, only tend to put fancy ones on kitchen splashbacks.

dlockers · 27 Jul 2021 at 21:31

I always go for these:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-13a-...ainless-steel-with-white-inserts-5-pack/1772c

Like an updated industrial socket.

Avoid USB gimmicky sockets.

Edit: A lot of the LAP ones have actual pictures in someones house.

fastwunz · 27 Jul 2021 at 21:39

JRJ said:
Can't go wrong with White MK logic my go to plug, only tend to put fancy ones on kitchen splashbacks.

MK’s are my go-to also

dlockers · 27 Jul 2021 at 22:12

GravyMonster said:
I've used TrendiSwitches in a few rooms. The wife loves them as they come in a much greater selection of colours than your traditional white/black/copper so you can tailor them for each room, plus they have really nice feeling detents.

A bit of love to this post for teaching me the word "detents"

JRJ · 27 Jul 2021 at 22:18

fastwunz said:
MK’s are my go-to also

Pretty timeless low profile design, although I think the quality has dropped recently.

Deleted member 77746 · 27 Jul 2021 at 22:22

Do they turn you on?

Thekwango · 27 Jul 2021 at 22:29

K.C. Leblanc said:
If you're changing over to metal light switches make sure you check you have an earth connection at your light switches. It's not safe to install them without one.

damn, i was always led to believe the screws into the back box acted as an earth. i'll have to go check all my switches now!!

dlockers · 27 Jul 2021 at 22:33

Thekwango said:
damn, i was always led to believe the screws into the back box acted as an earth. i'll have to go check all my switches now!!

They do - I think poster was saying if you have no earth at all(?)

Hunterlit · 27 Jul 2021 at 22:47

Thekwango said:
damn, i was always led to believe the screws into the back box acted as an earth. i'll have to go check all my switches now!!

You are correct. Light switches do not have to be earthed and it's quite common especially in older houses not to even have an earth present at the switch. Earthed at the backbox will also earth the faceplate as you have correctly said.

dLockers said:
They do - I think poster was saying if you have no earth at all(?)

jpaul · 28 Jul 2021 at 09:00

For the living room, where you might want a dimmer not sure MK has any trailing edge dimmers of repute versus Varilight,
I'd maybe be looking further at a smart switch/dimmer for that location too, and maybe smart switches for say landing where motion sensor turn on can be useful.

sovietspybob · 28 Jul 2021 at 09:12

Personally i preferred just white switches when we built our house, all ours are MK and have a really nice feel. They just blend into the walls and you don't really notice them whereas i found the metal ones stood out, i also thought that a lot of them looked at a glace like the industrial metal ones i have in the garage and at work.

Kinda the same reason i didn't want a fully tiled bathroom, it reminded me of the labs in work. fully tiled rooms kind of creep me out a bit.

413x · 28 Jul 2021 at 12:17

fastwunz said:
the chrome/stainless ones can look very cheap and nasty - white just works.

Dont go cheap.

I also actually prefer white.

K.C. Leblanc · 28 Jul 2021 at 13:31

Thekwango said:
damn, i was always led to believe the screws into the back box acted as an earth. i'll have to go check all my switches now!!

If one of the screw lugs is solidly mounted then this is ok as long as the backbox is actually earthed.