Wire outlets inside walls or outside

[packpride85]

Going to be throwing some insulation and drywall up on my garage in the next few months. I want to install some additional outlets as well but not certain if I want to have them in the walls or on the outside. Seems like theres more chance for screwing up having them inside with doing the drywall, stud drilling, etc....

Any specific advantages either way? Here are some pics of my garage. Plan on doing at least 3 outlets on that wall and one to the right on the exterior.

 

[ford33]

I installed my electrical and compressed air lines on the interior room surface of the drywall so that it is visible. This gives me greater flexibility when I want to change something. In three years I have made three changes to the electrical layout. Added outlets and extra lights. It was much easier with the conduit outside the walls. I have made no changes to the compressed air lines since the install. If you do a neat and professional job the conduit and piping actually look nice.

I would recommend installing the lines on top of Uni-strut or some channel. I believe it adds to the appearance and ease of the installation and makes attaching an extra line to the wall or ceiling easier.

Finally, if you have extra time and want something different, consider color painting the conduit and air lines for this installation. It should be done before installing the lines on the wall or ceiling. Also, if the conduit is a ground source, make sure to remove the coating when connecting conduit to electrical boxes. There are a number of articles written about color coded electrical and plumbing lines.

Good luck.

 

[Norcal]

Install plenty of receptacles at the rough in stage, in over twenty years I have added 3 receptacles in the shop, 1 by the main door that regretted not doing before, a 60A pin & sleeve interlocked receptacle for a MillerMatic 251, & a double duplex on top of some cabinets for some neon beer & cigarette signs, the welder used a spare conduit placed when the shop was built & the sign receptacle was done because of construction being done at the back of the shop. Surface mount conduit on drywall looks like a afterthought.

 

[packpride85]

I installed my electrical and compressed air lines on the interior room surface of the drywall so that it is visible. This gives me greater flexibility when I want to change something. In three years I have made three changes to the electrical layout. Added outlets and extra lights. It was much easier with the conduit outside the walls. I have made no changes to the compressed air lines since the install. If you do a neat and professional job the conduit and piping actually look nice.

I would recommend installing the lines on top of Uni-strut or some channel. I believe it adds to the appearance and ease of the installation and makes attaching an extra line to the wall or ceiling easier.

Finally, if you have extra time and want something different, consider color painting the conduit and air lines for this installation. It should be done before installing the lines on the wall or ceiling. Also, if the conduit is a ground source, make sure to remove the coating when connecting conduit to electrical boxes. There are a number of articles written about color coded electrical and plumbing lines.

Good luck.

I like the idea of being able to easily add with the conduit. I think I could make it looks pretty decent too by running it down across the brick at the bottom and painting everything white.

 

[gregtwojeeps]

Inside the wall fan here, as I have installed mine that way. Less likely for something heavy to hit them and knock them loose like a surface mount is subject to. JMO .

 

[jonjon1]

I would go inside the wall, I would do air, power, and maybe even some coax and lv just in case, I had to add conduit after the fact in my garage and I hate it, I would much rather have smooth finished walls with no pipe on them. Its cheap to run now, just do some brainstorming on what you will need and where...

 

[Morrison]

In the wall, plan it out and take your time thinking about what all you want. Even if you want to add things later it's not hard to cut out some drywall, add a run and patch it.

 

[Alchymist]

Going to be throwing some insulation and drywall up on my garage in the next few months. I want to install some additional outlets as well but not certain if I want to have them in the walls or on the outside. Seems like theres more chance for screwing up having them inside with doing the drywall, stud drilling, etc....

Any specific advantages either way? Here are some pics of my garage. Plan on doing at least 3 outlets on that wall and one to the right on the exterior.

That's what cable protection plates are made for. Your local electrical or building supply store should have them,

http://www.hardwarestore.com/cable-protection-plate-103015.aspx

 

[packpride85]

What would you guys recommend tool wise for drilling through the studs? Good corded drill and auger bits?

 

[pattenp]

What would you guys recommend tool wise for drilling through the studs? Good corded drill and auger bits?

Yep.. or use spade/paddle bits.

 

[Norcal]

Yep.. or use spade/paddle bits.

Spade bits are about the same category as a old fashioned brace & bit, but a brace & bit might be a bit faster w/ a sharp auger bit then a spade bit, a good auger bit & right angle drill like a Hole Hawg is best, but any right angle drill will work, just that a Hawg will work better.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Surface mount conduit on drywall looks like a afterthought

I agree. It will be much cheaper to run Romex in the walls now, and look much better. Use metal 4x4 boxes and mud rings and you will have lots of working room in the boxes. I ran conduit because I had to, a steel building with open structure. But stud walls, no question, run it in the walls.

Charles

 

[CGT80]

http://www.irwin.com/tools/drill-bits/speedbor-max-speed-bits-4-short-length-bits

I use the Irwin speedbor bits and my v28 cordless drill to rough in electrical.

Run it all inside the wall. I used the thicker grade copper for air lines (1/2") and also ran phone and internet to the wet bar area inside the garage. Drywall is cheap and easy to remove or repair if needed down the road. Surface mounted looks like ****, because it clutters the walls, and it collects dust and dirt.

Another option is to run conduit or flexible conduit in the walls to empty boxes, for future use. You can't have too many receptacles, so space them out evenly throughout the garage so you can change the layout of tools or benches and still have receptacles every 6' or whatever distance you choose.