Adding Electrical To garage

[yp]

I have a small 1.5 car detatched garage. I want to get some power into it via and underground line from my house. I will hire an electrician to do this work. I have a concern about this work that I'd like to get some input on if anyone cares to comment. My concern is the drilling of holes in the 2x4 studs. The garage is older with

2x4 studs and wood siding, now covered with vinyl siding. Interior walls haves nothing on them, you can see the studs. If there are holes drilled through the 2x4's isn't this going to weaken them? I am not sure of the diameter of the holes needed but maybe so that 1 to 2 wires can pass through them. All 4 of the walls are load bearing walls and if a series of holes are drilled through many of them in a row and at the same general height I am afraid this could weaken the structure too much. I live in the north where we get strong winds from bad storms and heavy snow at times. I certainly wouldn't want to see my garage buckle or anything like that. I don't know if it would be within code to run the wires on the outside of the 2x4 studs securing them with large wire staples. Any comments welcome.

[SteveBell]

The holes will not weaken the structure significantly. Almost every house in the country has wires installed this way, and they all do OK. Two Romex wires will need no more than a 3/4" to 1" hole. As long as it's in the middle of the board, all will be well.

[PeterD]

In *some* locations code will require conduit if the walls are not sheathed.

Generally, this should not be an issue, the holes should be as small as possible, on the centerline of the studs.

If (big IF) your building inspector would allow that then yes you could. But most likely he won't. If you run them in the 'ceiling' area, protected, you probalby could get by with conduit for the down runs to the outlets.

It probalby will be cheaper to use conduit instead of drilling anyway.

[dpb]

I don't see how it could possibly be cheaper, but it might be easier if the walls are finished. I'm gathering from the questions they're not, anyway, so even that would seem to be moot.

Given it's nearly 100% certain the wiring in the house OP's living in runs through the wall studs like 99.44% of all other stick-framed houses, it's quite unlikely there would be a problem in the garage.

--

[yp]

[Wayne Whitney]

NM is not approved for exposed use in detached residential garages under the 2002 and later NEC (see 334.10(3)). But I gather enforcement varies greatly on this.

Cheers, Wayne

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

There are two methods of wiring a garage: unfinished, that is, without interior wall covering like gypsum board; or finished, with an interior wall covering.

In an unfinished garage you don't want the cable exposed to physical damage - getting snagged by the activities in the garage. Thus, you would mostly use plastic cable straps, and hug the framing, seldom drilling holes. You *can* safely drill the studs to run cable (use a nail guard plate if the wall will be finished later). but it won't be necessary. Look:

(Link to homerenovations.about.com)

[This may be a duplicate post. My last one didn't seem to make it up, so I'm repeating myself.]

~~( Nehmo )~~