electrical behind baseboards?!

[slakwhere]

so i have been reading a ton here about wiring, but have seen a lot of nasty arguments about "code". so i went to HomeDepot today and grabbed Ultimate Guide Wiring, which says it is current to NEC code. i devoured every page today and loved it. learned a ton!

a suggested route for pre-existing walls with drywall is to remove the baseboard moldings and cut out some drywall. Then drill holes in the centers of the studs just above the floor, install the bang in steel plates to protect the romex, run the wires through the wall and then up to the switches/outlets. this seems like it's easier to hide than my original idea of cutting a strip in the middle of the wall at outlet level.

Is there any reason you can't do this in a garage? code for the outlets themselves in the garage is something like 4 feet, but can the romex dip below this as long as there's no outlet that low? or can i put an outlet down there as well?

 

[ForceFed70]

I can't see any reason why you couldn't do this. I would think that going through the attic would be the better option but perhaps there is a finished 2nd floor above your garage?

 

[pattenp]

I believe code requires outlet height off the floor in a garage to be a minimum of 18". The 4' comes from people recommending that height because it gets the outlet high enough to not be blocked by leaning stuff against the walls.

 

[71flh]

No attic above the garage?

 

[slakwhere]

there is currently no attic access, so i haven't seen the attic or the tops of the walls. top-down may work, i just need to cut some access and take a look. luckily it'll be 60 degrees next week, just right for crawling in the attic

 

[dankicksass]

Conduit and BX are your friends.

 

[tfi racing]

Easier said than done,but you will only have one cut line to tape up later,but you will have to crawl around to do it.Remember to cut the drywall high enough to avoid hitting all those nails with your drill!

 

[slakwhere]

Easier said than done,but you will only have one cut line to tape up later,but you will have to crawl around to do it.Remember to cut the drywall high enough to avoid hitting all those nails with your drill!

if i cut the height of the drywall lower than the height of a baseboard, i don't have to mud and tape at all

 

[DoyleDee]

if i cut the height of the drywall lower than the height of a baseboard, i don't have to mud and tape at all

depends on how high your baseboard is......you will have a 2x4 along the floor to compete with...

 

[rabidsquirrel]

Is there any reason you can't do this in a garage? code for the outlets themselves in the garage is something like 4 feet, but can the romex dip below this as long as there's no outlet that low? or can i put an outlet down there as well?

That code is for a commercial garage, although as others will point out put them around 52" to center, which will put them above sheets of 4x8 goods stacked against the wall.

 

[wssix99]

NEC 334.15 addresses this for NM cable and requires that the wire be run through conduit or protected by 1/16 steel plate for the entire length. NEC 300.4 talks more about the intent of this as protecting from any nailing that might occur along the baseboards.

There are products out there especially for this. Here's one for low voltage cables, but its plastic and won't work for household voltage. http://www.wiretracks.com/pdfs/wt-brochure.pdf Your local electrical supply may know of a metallic product that would meet the 1/16 steel protection or I'd think you could also glue steel plate to the outside of this system.

 

[slakwhere]

thanks, wssix99! the book i have suggests the stud strike plates but not whole metal plate. the metal plate will quickly drive costs up to the point of drywall in the middle of the wall being easier/faster to replace.

 

[dittle fart around]

I'm too old to be on my knees, so I'd do the middle of the drywall trick. Patching and mudding at four feet of the floor is easier on the back too. Think about whats going on the walls before locating the boxes. A centrally mounted extension cord reel works great for most power tool work.