wiring???

[RazrRebel]

Hey guys don't have garage yet. Starting with a 12x16 building to store my tools and work on my gravely tractors. The building is dried in now ready to wire. One quick question. Should the wiring go in front of the insulation or behind it, or does it matter?

 

[Steevo]

Generally, you wire before insulation.
Where running through the studs, you want to have the holes far enough back from the front of the studs that later on when you screw something to the wall, you won't hit the wires.

 

[djjsr]

I keep the insulation behind the wiring. It just makes it easier to get it behind the boxes.

Also, there are some small metal plates that you can tack on the studs in front of the wiring before you hang your sheetrock. They're cheap and good insurance that you won't damage the wiring.

 

[pattenp]

NEC requires the wire to be set back a minimum of 1 1/4" from the face of the stud. If using batt insulation the insulation should be split to be in front of and behind the wiring.

 

[RazrRebel]

Well I don 't have to worry about code. So I'll just put it behind the insulation.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

My inclination is to run it thru the holes in the studs and then bend it down flat and run it on the outside sheathing to the next stud and back up to a hole, box, etc. This allows you to easily lay the insulation on top of it and you won't be damaging the insulation installing it. Do use the metal plates over the holes in the studs, it will save you a real headache if you are installing interior wall sheathing.

Charles