Said It Here

How to replace an old intercom with a video doorbell

Replacing an oversized intercom unit requires a custom cover plate or mounting bracket to cleanly bridge the large opening and provide a flat surface for the new doorbell. Without a flush, weather-sealed fit, water can sneak in behind the brick and compromise the installation.

Overview
People affected2 accounts across 1 forum
Workarounds found3 items attempted
Community agreement2 total upvotes

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

Found another way around this?

Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.

  1. 1
    Using a custom-cut blank plate of aluminum or stainless steel to span both openings
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  2. 2
    Stuffing backer rod in gaps and caulking all around with an exterior sealant
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  3. 3
    Painting the mounting plate to match the brick or trim
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In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/HomeImprovement2 people · September 2026

“I’d like to consolidate the old intercom and doorbell into a single plate of sorts to mount a Ring doorbell. Don’t want to Jerry-rig anything…needs to be aesthetic and durable long-term.”source ↗

Affectionate-Bit-428 · r/HomeImprovement · 1 upvotes

“the tricky part is getting it dead flat against the brick so water doesn't sneak in behind”source ↗

Numerous_Ratio_6797 · r/HomeImprovement · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

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