How to Create a Cover for an Electrical Panel

Electrical panels normally contain the circuit breakers for a structure's wiring. You'll find many of these panels in rooms such as garages and basements. These areas often attract moisture, which can damage wiring as well as the panel's cover. You can replace the panel box but the cost can be high when a professional does the work. Use a few common tools and techniques to create a cover for an electrical panel and you can save the cost of calling in an electrician.

Standard and Phillips screwdrivers
Plastic bag
Tape Measure
Polycarbonate
Sandpaper
Painter's masking tape
Electric drill
Drill bits

Instructions

- 1
  
  Panel covers use both standard and Phillips screws, depending on the manufacturer.
  
  Remove the front panel, loosening the screws on the left and right sides of the panel's frame with a screwdriver. Screw type varies so keep both standard and Phillips screwdrivers on hand. Place the screws in a plastic bag.
- 2
  
  Measure the panel's opening only.
  
  Measure the height and width of the panel's opening. Add 1 inch to each dimension. This allows a ½-inch lip around the opening.
- 3
  Purchase a piece of clear polycarbonate. This will allow an unblocked view of the circuit breakers, making it easier to see if a circuit has been tripped. The material needs to be ¼-inch thick and polycarbonate, not acrylic. Have a plastics retailers cut it to the measured size.
- 4
  Purchase the hinges. The polycarbonate panel is relatively lightweight so the cover does not need industrial hinges. However, the polycarbonate will sit ¼-inch above the rest of the front panel. This requires a specific hinge configuration. Ask a clerk at the hardware store for a hinge that works with a ¼-inch raised panel.
- 5
  
  Use 220-grit sandpaper to smooth the polycarbonate's edges
  
  Sand the polycarbonate sheet, leaving the protective backing on both sides. Wrap a piece of 220-grit sandpaper around a piece of scrap lumber. Sand the edges only, using long strokes. Sand the four edges until they are smooth.
- 6
  Position the hinges. Lay the polycarbonate panel over the opening so there is a ½-inch overlap of all four sides. Use painter's masking tape to hold the polycarbonate in place. Line the hinges up on the left hand side of the polycarbonate panel. Mark the positions of any holes with a pencil.
- 7
  
  Use drill bits designed for cutting through metal.
  
  Drill the screw holes. Use drill bits designed to cut through metal. Polycarbonate expands and contracts with temperature changes. Choose a drill bit slightly larger than the screws. Drill the screw holes all the way through the polycarbonate. Drill the screw holes through the metal panel as well. Remove the protective backing from both sides of the polycarbonate.
- 8
  Mount the cover. Using bolts the slightly smaller than the hinge holes, attach the polycarbonate cover to the metal front panel. Once the bolts are in place, cover each bolt with tape to hold it in place. Flip the metal panel over and thread the bolts on. Use a small crescent wrench to tighten them.
- 9
  Reattach the metal cover to the electrical panel's frame. Test the cover's hinges by moving the cover back and forth.

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