Penny backsplash in kitchen...Is it a problem to be near the outlets?

Here in the UK, electrical outlets are generally installed in metal or plastic boxes (when recessed into the wall). Plastic boxes are generally used for drywall applications, metal boxes are generally sunk into brickwork.

If there were any issues with this, we wouldn't be allowed to squeeze loads of cables into the box behind the socket.

There are no issues because the terminals are generally quite well recessed into the back of the socket & when you strip the cables back, you tend not to have any bare wire showing outside of the terminal.

In the case of your penny backsplash, your pennies would be cut so that they don't overlap the backbox - in other words, you should still be able to remove whatever backbox is in place.

Hope this makes sense.

• The pennies will be on the surface of the wall. The outlets are recessed in the wall. There would not be any problem. There are metal tiles that people have installed as backsplashes.

Gosh, I wouldn't do it until I spoke to an electrican. You can just call and surely get an answer. You know that it is illegal to de-face American currency don't you?

U.S. Title 18, Chapter 17, Section 331: Prohibits among other things, fraudulent alteration and mutilation of coins. This statue does not, however, prohibit the mutilation of coins if done without fraudulent intent if the mutilated coins are not used fraudulently.

It's fine. People use metal tiles for the backsplash, too. As noted, as long as your outlet is free and clear it's no problem.