Stapling romex to sheet rock?

[dean]

Can I use those plastic + 2 nails staples to fix romex wire (10/2) to a sheetrock wall? What I mean is, does this break any silly construction codes?

Thanks!

-Dean

[shoppa]

Well, you're up against two things:

1. The cable has to be securely attached, and a staple in sheetrock is not at all secure. A toggle bolt is a little better, but then you run up against...

1. Romex is fine inside walls and in celings and floors where it's run along a joist for protection, but expose it where it may even remotely be subject to damage (and any place finished in sheetrock probably falls in this category) and you'll be sure that the inspector won't approve. Many will let you run Romex inside conduit with proper nipples (but this isn't always approved either.)

Why not just run it inside the wall along a stud, like you're supposed to?

Tim.

[Noozer]

WHY would you want to staple it to sheetrock?

Put it along the stud where you'll be putting the sheetrock up.

..and no, you can't run exposed Romex.

[louie]

dean posted:

Those "silly" codes are created usually after some person does something silly to cause harm to themselves or someone else. At which point, the governing bodies say: ok, we need to make a code so people don't do this any more.

In short - no you can't do this.

[Bob]

Buy a fish tape and learn how to pull wires. You'll need that skill again some day.

[gfretwell]

I would like to hear the "silly" code that says you can't It only says type NM has to be supported every 4 ½ feet and it must closely follow building finish.

[5]

You need to find a stud. Ask your wife she probably knows lots of them.....

[5]

Yeah, like when you want to have sex....

[Doug Miller]

You wanna provide a Code cite for that? Last time I looked, the Code explicitly permitted it to be exposed.

[Keith]

They're usually behind the screws.

[dean]

Its not new construction. I am not pulling off all the old sheet rock. How is one supposed to go along horizontally behind a wall - drill through every single stud?

There are a bunch of wires already that follow the corner of the garage wall a few inches up from the bottom. I was planning to run along with them.

Thanks for the tips so far:)

Dean

[Harry K]

That sounds like a poor installation. If they are exposed on the outside of the sheetrock, they should be in conduit. Kinda hard to redo but not impossible.

Harry K

[dean]

I talked to the code enforcer, and he said that as long as they are protected from being hit by anything (such as ladders, etc), e.g. by being in the corner, then its ok.

I'm not altogether sure what exactly romex is for. Someone above said that it is not for use in conduit (I dont see why not, personally), so where is it used for, or is it just for within walls?

[BocesLib]

Generally is used within walls (easy to run) and for areas that wont be exposed to general things that can hit it. If you are running stuff around the top of a garage your better off running armored cable. (the stuff with the metal flexible jacket on it)

Conduit looks great and clean but you need some tools and practice to do a nice job. The armored cable with do just fine and be safe. As an added bonus, its done the right way.

[noemail]

Gray PVC (plastic) conduit is pretty easy to work with. Just buy all the elbows and such, and start cutting (with a handsaw) and gluing. Then put a hanger about every other stud. I recommend steel hangers, not the pvc ones. Those pvc type break way too easy, and outdoors the sun bakes them, and after several years they break at the screws and fall apart

[dean]

What I REALLY want,personally, is a box channel with a cover I can remove, so that I can expand in the future and add more wires to it. We had this in a lab in England, but it was prohibitively expensive. Anyone know if a wooden channel with a ply cover would be up to code?

[CJT]

A cutter made for the purpose is cheap and a _lot_ easier than a saw.

and gluing.

[gfretwell]

As long as you use a self contained wiring method like Romex, MC or AC it will be fine. You couldn't use single conductors like THHN since this is not a listed raceway system.

As an inspector I would probably give you relief from the supporting rule too but you would have to be aware of derating if you had more than 4 2 wire cables (plus ground) in your "chase". (assuming a modern

90c conductor)

[hallerb]

There are super long special drill bits for this problem, home depot sells them.

They are 3 feet long, and have a hole in the end of the bit, so make opening. drill 3 feet or more with a extension, then make new hole, or install box in this hole:)

You use the hole for holding a wire or string to pull the new cable.

I think they are made by greenlee or soomething like that. also ideal from going from a wall swtch to the attic or basement

[noemail]

Then use a product called WIREMOLD. You can expand all you want, it's durable, and looks nice. It tends to be a litte costly, but not severely. Everything is mounted on the wall surface is whats nice about it.