Exposed conduit on garage walls?

[my68spit]

I was going to post this in the electrical forum, but it's not an electrical question so much as an aesthetics question, so here it goes.
The original builders decided that two electrical outlets would be sufficient for a garage (one on the wall by the door to the house and the other on the ceiling for the opener). I will be running more outlets in there but the walls are already enclosed. When running new conduit around the garage does it look really awful to have it exposed around the middle of the wall? Or have any of you had success running it up along a corner at the ceiling or floor? Painted?

Pictures of nicely finished garages with exposed conduit would be a good reference too.

Thanks.

 

[keithh2oskier]

I had the same thing with our house. Except it only had one outlet...

Here are some pictures. I ran the conduit along the top and then dropped it down for each outlet placement. It was super easy to do. I guess I could paint it and maybe I will one day. But its a garage. Its where I work on my dirt bike and drink beer and get away from the wife. looks were not my #1 priority.

 

[crewchief888]

personally, if it was my garage, and the walls are already closed in, i wouldnt be tearing down the walls to run wiring and/or conduit inside the wall.

most current building codes state you must have an outlet near the grage door opener, and 1 more outlet, in addition to a single switched overhead light.
8 years ago (before we bought the place) my garage was "brought up" to code, by removing ALL the existing outlets, and removing the pull chain overhead lights.
had to do the same thing to my mom's garage when she sold her house.

 

[keithh2oskier]

I think he was asking about running conduit on the outside of the walls and how it looks.

 

[deltaphisig]

When I build my new garage (which we are planning now), I am very tempted to run surface/exposed conduit. Should I ever change the layout of my garage, adapting the space will be very easy.

 

[zcar751]

If you have access to the attic space you could run the wiring above and drop down into the walls. You would need some fish tape and patients. You would need old construction electrical boxes for the outlets. I would look at 4 or 6 gang boxes so you have enough outlets.

 

[zcar751]

When I build my new garage (which we are planning now), I am very tempted to run surface/exposed conduit. Should I ever change the layout of my garage, adapting the space will be very easy.

Outlets are cheap as is wire just look at what you would think you need and double it. Keep in mind if you think you might want a work bench on that wall put in outlets that are work bench high. Instead of putting in single gang boxes put in 4 gang boxes that way if you start with one outlet you can add a second.

I have a steel building and I don't have any choice but to run conduit at this point but if I had a choice i wouldn't touch the stuff, and I would save money.

 

[wellpoison]

if i ever build from scratch, its all going to be conduit. done right it looks amazing. plus its a lot easier to fix/change/add to. its really not hard to do. if you have a smart phone get an app called "I bend pipe" it will help you out so much. the only problem is the cost. but the part i like about it is that you wont ever worry about putting up shelves and putting a screw into a wire.

 

[Ed Litsch]

I would run the conduit. That is all you can do until you decide to frame it up and put drywall up. Then I would run boxes every 8 feet or so apart.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

I happen to *like* the look of conduit as it feels more industrial and gritty like our garages should be. Plus the ability to add to it or modify on the fly is very much an advantage.

That said, I still need to do it!

 

[brownbagg]

its a fricken garage, it doesnt matter how it looks, its serves a purpose and it protected from the elements, you will forget all about it in about seven minutes

 

[Hogger]

Did mine in exposed PVC conduit looks works great and very reasonable cost.

 

[Daveco]

I like the look of carefully installed conduit.
Don't see any real drawbacks myself.

 

[HSpencer]

I think running conduit on the outside if done properly, looks great. It gives the garage or shop an industrial look. Plus it makes the system easy to add on to or change. As to looks, I think it looks great!! There are many threads on GJ where this has been done very nicely.

 

[tankd0g]

I did my basement over with this stuff from Home Depot. It's flexible, just clicks together and you can cut it by scoring with a utility knife:

http://www.cableorganizer.com/kwikon-electrical-conduit/

 

[mjb]

Don't over do it.

 

[Reitwagen]

In mho exposed conduit belongs in shops. It looks proper and it's functional. Say you buy a 220 lathe, then later move it to make room for a mill, then you relocate the welder and so on, exposed conduit gives you a level of flexability.

Even if you have no intentions of buying machine tools at some point your probably going to want to add a outlet for something and it's easier with exposed conduit.

 

[zeke67]

Here is a recent example. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3194997#post3194997

 

[JMcFly]

I have the same issue with my garage,Two outlets and no attic. I like the exposed conduit look.

 

[jlckmj]

I agree with most of the others, hang it on the wall. It is much easier to move an outlet and a piece of conduit later if it is exposed vs. inside the wall. It's a garage for heavens sake, not an art gallery.

You will never be able to guess where all your outlets are going for sure, there will always be a cabinet or shelf that would fit if it weren't for the location of an outlet.

Jim

 

[Alchymist]

I did my basement over with this stuff from Home Depot. It's flexible, just clicks together and you can cut it by scoring with a utility knife:

http://www.cableorganizer.com/kwikon-electrical-conduit/

At over a buck a foot for 1/2 inch, I'd have to say - isn't it rather expensive?

 

[RECox286]

C'mon, it's a garage ! You don't live there, and you're not

going to have a photo shoot by Better Homes and Garages.

The main reason for putting wire in pipe is to protect it from

tools and parts being flung in all directions when nothing seems

to be working the way it should, so, start using pipe for electric,

air, water and waste oil and start enjoying your workspace.

Uncle Bob

 

[doan]

i happen to *like* the look of conduit as it feels more industrial and gritty like our garages should be. Plus the ability to add to it or modify on the fly is very much an advantage.

this ^^^

 

[fringeofinsanity]

Save yer cash and yer time, just run the conduit, IMHO. Yer not putting a ferrari in there as a show piece are ya?

 

[DangerousDan55]

my68spit, sorry you are getting directions from strangers on how YOU MUST spend YOUR Money. There different ways to soften the effect of conduit on the walls. One can let their imagination work wonders. Painting conduit the same color as the wall. Use a contrasting color on conduit. Make a boxed beam along the wall & run both power & air. Or along the back of a work bench.

YOU can make YOUR garage any way you like. Then YOU can enjoy it.
You may try reviewing others garage pictures in this site. I got great ideas on differnt things.
Now, I have a new shop with new benches. All is clean right now, but, I do make a mess of things when I am working. Its not intended for a "show room" but I want it kinda nice. Yes, its Just a garage, so no painted floors.
But, I have 17 years in the city fire department. 34 years w/ Shell Oil as their "Pump Whisperer" & HAZMAT team. Cars & motorcyles my entire life. All in which Myself Im proud of and want to display items for MY enjoyment.
Wollow in ****, paint your floor, leave bare studs, one light bulb or stadium lights, or, put up a disco ball!

" Do what ever makes You happy!

 

[Blk88GT]

I've got exposed conduit in my shop and can't imagine it any other way.

 

[my68spit]

Save yer cash and yer time, just run the conduit, IMHO. Yer not putting a ferrari in there as a show piece are ya?

Not yet.

Thanks for the input everyone. I think i like the idea of running the conduit in the corner along the ceiling and then making drops as I need them. I am still in the planning phase for all of this.

 

[aka Larry]

My shop is all steel so I had to run conduit, but the steel is galvanized like the conduit so it's hardly noticeable in my case.

The flexibility to add an outlet or another run "on the fly" is VERY advantages as the others have said. I've changed/added to mine three times already and my shop isn't even a year old.

 

[Plump]

Unfortunately, I had to run my garage renovation a bit backwards myself. The first priority was insulation and a few extra outlets. Next was more outlets and drywall so conduit it was! I wish some of my lines, both regular electrical and low-volt were buried but so much has changed in the garage, I'm thankful for the ease by which I can change things.

Lastly, it has also allowed me to use those conduit lines to run all my low-volt stuff alongside. Speaker cable, TV cable, power cords, etc. have all gotten zip tied to the conduit which really has cleaned up the look. No cords running all willy nilly on the walls and ceiling.

I haven't, and don't plan on painting my walls but my only concern would be to paint the conduit before installation. It would look kind of crappy to have those areas that you just can't get to with a brush, look unfinished/unpainted.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

I just ran BX cable where necessary and did surface mount boxes. You'd have to check local codes but I'm pretty sure it's sufficient.

 

[burtonry]

I was considering conduit in my garage until I realized it was going to cost me twice as much for the materials. I simply measured the height of the "old work" boxes, snapped a level line at the top and bottom and ran my circular saw set to 5/8". I pull the drywall nails within the 3 1/2 strip and the drywall popped right out without any problem.


<a href="http://s193.photobucket.com/user/theburtons4/media/image.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z120/theburtons4/image.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo image.jpeg"/></a>

I installed 9 outlets on one side of the garage and roughed in the other side for a different weekend project. Now I just have to fix the 1/16 cut line and nail holes and repaint.
<a href="http://s193.photobucket.com/user/theburtons4/media/photo.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z120/theburtons4/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo photo.jpg"/></a>

 

[formek]

I like in the walls but don't care if it is piped.....

 

[my68spit]

I considered that (cutting the walls) as well, but since my area electrical codes don't allow for romex, i have to be enclosed in flexible or rigid conduit. So the cost savings that you were able to find won't help me.

I have been playing with different routing plans and I think i will run a line down the middle of the ceiling and have a few branches off of that line as necessary. As of right now, I am only looking at adding about 6 or 8 new outlets while leaving myself some room for expansion later down the road if i end up needing more.

 

[Letsgobowhunting]

I take pride in running conduit and if tastefully done it looks great as finished. If you have a cluttered garage like a lot of people it really doesn't matter much.

 

[77thor]

IMO - This is a non-issue.

 

[Average_Joe]

Here is a pic of some lighting I put up for a customer. Had to run the conduit for the outlet (for hanging light), the light over the bench and the ceiling fan. Never messed with conduit before, I think it turned out pretty well.

 

[jerryd68]

I would run the exposed emt, I have ran miles of it in the plants that I have worked in, easy to change or add circuits to etc.

 

[Kevin54]

There's nothing wrong looking about exposed conduit unless you are a sloppy painter, then end up painting some of it. That's just makes it look tacky as all get out.

 

[shortcut980]

I ordered some 3/4 wire loom to cover all my conduit up..It turned out great and just blends into the painted walls.

 

[Lippyp]

Don't over do it.

Is that a conduit map of the London Underground? My garage will have exposed conduit as it's al;l brick walls, I am cheaping out a little though and using black plastic rather than galvanised as the cost difference is pretty big plus its a hell of a lot easier to run, no messing about with benders and thread dies.