Boxes & Pattresses

Boxes & Pattresses for Secure Installations

Explore our range of boxes and pattresses to provide reliable mounting and housing for your wiring accessories. Find options for new installations, refurbishments and upgrades across a variety of wall types and applications.

Types of Boxes & Pattresses

Browse the main types of boxes and pattresses to match the mounting style and location of your electrical accessories. Use these subcategories to focus on the installation method and finish you need for your project.

• Back Boxes: Provides a recessed housing in walls to mount switches, sockets and other wiring accessories neatly and securely.
• Dry Lining Boxes: Designed to fix electrical accessories into plasterboard and other hollow wall constructions without traditional masonry work.
• Flush Metal Mounting Boxes: Offers a robust flush-mounted base in solid walls so wiring accessories sit neatly against the surface.
• Moulded Enclosures: Used to protect and organise electrical connections and components within a dedicated plastic housing.
• Surface Mounting Boxes: Provides a practical way to mount wiring accessories directly on the surface of walls where chasing in is not required.

Product Types and Ranges for Boxes & Pattresses

This table groups different box and pattress product types with commonly available ranges and brand-backed options. Use it to compare mounting styles and enclosure options so you can match products to your installation approach.

Trusted Brands in Boxes & Pattresses

Explore a wide choice of back boxes, pattresses and enclosures from leading manufacturers for both residential and commercial installations. Find dependable solutions for surface, flush and dry lining applications, all in one place.

• Appleby: Offers a broad range of dry lining and flush boxes in multiple gang sizes and depths, helping installers manage accessories neatly in plasterboard and solid wall constructions.
• Bell Systems: Provides surface boxes designed for use with entry and door communication equipment, supporting tidy mounting and cable routing in domestic and commercial access control projects.
• BG Electrical: Delivers weatherproof enclosures and pattress options that help protect wiring accessories in outdoor or exposed locations, aiding reliable installations around gardens, patios and external walls.
• Click: Covers metal back boxes, dry lining boxes, pattresses and specialist grid back boxes, supporting both standard power outlets and modular wiring layouts across a variety of building types.
• Eaton: Supplies sheet steel enclosures for control and distribution assemblies, giving ample internal space to house equipment and terminations in industrial, commercial and plant-room environments.
• Europa Components: Specialises in insulated and metal enclosures in a variety of sizes and formats, helping contractors build control panels, junction points and adaptable boxes for many electrical projects.
• Gewiss: Provides adaptable enclosures with perforated or smooth walls, offering flexible cable entry options for distribution, control and junction applications in commercial and light industrial settings.
• Greenbrook: Focuses on metal back boxes, knock-out boxes and extension boxes in familiar depths and gang configurations, supporting everyday socket and switch installations in new build and refurbishment work.
• Hager: Offers moulded pattress boxes in single and twin formats with various depths and accessories, pairing neatly with modern wiring accessories in domestic and commercial projects.
• Knightsbridge: Delivers an extensive selection of galvanised back boxes, surface pattress boxes, dry lining boxes and metal clad options to support a wide range of wiring accessory installations.
• Marshall Tufflex: Provides plastic surface boxes in multiple depths and corner styles, ideal for use with trunking and conduit systems in commercial premises, offices and educational buildings.
• MK: Includes steel back boxes, moulded surface boxes and outdoor enclosures, helping electricians coordinate mounting solutions with matching wiring accessories in many environments.
• Texecom: Supplies dedicated plastic mounting back boxes to partner with security and alarm devices, assisting with neat, secure fitting on walls and ceilings across protected areas.
• Thrion: Offers PVC surface pattress boxes in various depths, corners and conduit knock-out arrangements, helping installers align accessories with trunking or conduit in residential and commercial schemes.
• Unicrimp: Provides compact weatherproof enclosures, some supplied with connectors, allowing quick creation of protected junctions and terminations for outdoor lighting, power and general wiring.
• Univolt: Supplies malleable surface pattress boxes designed to coordinate with conduit systems, helping create robust mounting points where recessed boxes are impractical or undesirable.
• Wiska: Offers insulated plastic enclosures in larger sizes, providing ample space for terminations and equipment in plant areas, external installations and commercial electrical systems.
• Wylex: Delivers enclosures and boxes tailored to electrical distribution and protection products, supporting tidy and organised layouts in consumer units, control assemblies and similar installations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a back box and a pattress box?

A back box is usually recessed into the wall to house switches or sockets, while a pattress box is a surface-mounted version used where chasing into the wall is not practical.

How do I choose the correct depth for a back box?

Choose depth based on the accessory type, the number of conductors and any additional modules. Deeper boxes offer more space for wiring and can make terminations easier.

When should I use a dry lining box?

Dry lining boxes are used in hollow walls such as plasterboard partitions. They clamp to the board without masonry fixings, making them useful for refurbishments and stud wall installations.

Can surface pattress boxes be used instead of flush boxes?

Yes, surface pattress boxes are often used where wall chasing is not allowed or possible, such as in some commercial properties, solid walls or where conduit and trunking are installed externally.

What is a moulded enclosure used for?

Moulded enclosures provide a protective housing for electrical components, terminations or small control equipment, helping to keep connections organised and providing a defined point for maintenance access.

Do I need a metal or plastic box for my installation?

The choice between metal and plastic depends on the wiring method, environment and accessory type. Always follow the accessory manufacturer’s guidance and relevant wiring regulations for the installation.

Are weatherproof boxes necessary for outdoor sockets?

Yes, for outdoor sockets and connections, an appropriate weather-resistant box or enclosure helps protect against moisture and other environmental factors, supporting long-term reliability of the installation.

Can extension boxes be used to increase box depth?

Yes, extension boxes can increase the effective depth of an existing back box, providing extra space for wiring where a deeper flush box was not originally installed.

How do I know which gang size box I need?

Match the gang size of the box to the accessory faceplate. A single switch or socket usually needs a 1 gang box, while wider plates require 2 gang or multi-gang boxes.

Can I mix different box types on the same circuit?

Yes, you can use different box types on the same circuit as long as each location is appropriately selected, installed correctly and compliant with current wiring regulations and accessory requirements.

Need help choosing boxes and pattresses?

If you are unsure which back box, pattress or enclosure is right for your project, our friendly team is ready to help. Call us on 01424 220384 for guidance on sizes, depths and types before you order.