Make Your Electrical Home Runs Easy
At this point you think you know what is behind the wall, but you can never be sure. That is why I don’t like using any power tools to cut through the drywall. Instead I use a utility knife / razor blade with the depth of the blade set to the thickness of the drywall. For an outlet I first make a 1″ x 1″ hole in the center of the box using a utility knife. This hole is big enough that I can see and feel around for any wires or pipes but small enough that it is easily patched in case I have made a mistake. Once I verify that there is nothing wrong, I trace out the electrical box and then cut the rest of the hole using a sheetrock keyhole saw or a utility knife. I also like using a utility knife to cut drywall on external walls. That way it does not cut through the paper barrier of the insulation. There is always a certified Katy Electrician in the area to help with your upgrades.
How to Run the Wire
- Plan your wiring layout. First, decide where you want electrical boxes (for outlets and switches). Attach the boxes, whether metal or plastic, to the studs with nails.
- Begin working at the box closest to your electrical breaker box. Run the wire through the box and out the side hole in the direction of the next box. Leave enough wire to reach the breaker box, plus at least another foot, for later connection.
- Secure the cable to the very center of the wider face of the studs within 12 inches of each box and at least every 4 feet with plastic cable straps, also called plastic staples. Be extremely careful not to nail through the wire itself. Wherever the cable doesn’t snug up to the wood, secure it with an additional strap. All wires must be at minimum 1-1/4 inches from the front and back edges of all studs and joists.
- At the top of the stud, route the wire up to the header (the piece of wood that runs across the top of the studs) and across its face.
- To move horizontally, bring the wire up to the face of the header atop the stud, then staple it as you carry it across until you reach the stud that bears the next box. Choose the shortest route possible, of course, to the next box, running the wire against wood. Keep the wire as protected as possible – and as visible and accessible as possible.
- Continue stapling the wire until you reach the next box.
- Snake the wire into the box and out through the front about 10 to 12 inches, then double back , leaving about 20 to 24 inches total, and run the wire out of the box toward the next one, keeping the wire securely stapled to the wood.
- Travel back up to the header and on to your next box.
- To cross the ceiling, travel with the joists, not across them, securing to the wider, vertical side of the joist. You don’t want wire without wood to support it.
Running Wire in a Space to be Finished
Make sure you are dealing with quality Electrician Katy TX before starting any electrical upgrade. It takes less wire and less effort to run wire on a wall that’s going to be finished. The major difference in this case is that it’s perfectly fine to span the space between the studs with the wire, since it will be enclosed and won’t be in danger of being snagged or pulled.
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