How to Deal with electrical outlets when tiling

Before you Start

When installing tiles on a kitchen backslash or bathroom walls, electrical outlets can pose as an obstacle. 
These outlets must be worked around to ensure a clean installation both aesthetically and functionally. Individual tiles might need trimming by either cutting them with a tile saw, or carefully chipping custom angles into the tile with tile nippers.

Things you will need:

• multimeter
• plywood board
• shop clamp
• pencil
• chalk line
• tape measure
• drill
• diamond coated drill bit
• tile wet saw
• tile nippers
• tiling square
• electrical outlet extenders
• line level

Cutting within the tile

1. Cut all power to any outlets in the immediate work area by tripping the appropriate circuit breaker. Confirm that the circuit has been de energeized with the multimeter before tiling.
2. Outline your intended cut using the chalk line and pencil. Use the position of the electrical outlet on the wall as your guide., Confirm your measurements with the tape measure.
3. Clamp the tile to the plywood board using the shop clamp.
4. Drill the corners of your marked cut lines out using the drill land diamond coated drill bit.
5. Plunge cut between the holes using the tile wet saw. Remove the freed section from the tile.
6. remove the clam to free the tile from the plywood board. Clean the corners of any other rough areas with the tile nippers to leave a smooth edge.

Trimming the tile to surround an outlet.

1. Tile the wall to the electrical outlet. Mark the cuts necessary to trim your tile with the chalk line, pencil and tiling square. Confirm your measurements with the tape measure.
2. Cut along the scribed lines on the tile suing the tile wet saw. Clean any rough edges or lines with the tile nippers.
3. Confirm the tile's shape with a dry fit against the wall before affixing the tile.