Hiding waste water pipe inside my bathroom wall

[David Green]

The waste pipe from the handwash basin in our downstairs loo, runs 'horizonally' along a wall for about 2 metres, about 6 inches from the floor. To reduce visible pipework in the loo, we'd like to hide this pipe by putting it in a chase in the wall, then tiling over the top to conceal.

The wall in question is an exterior wall which was built only about 2 years ago, with nothing above except pitched tiles roof over loo and entrance porch. Inside skin is lightweight block (possibly 100mm thick 'Celcon'), with plaster finish. Outer wall is brick. Wastepipe is standard 32mm diameter white plastic (I think, but might be 40mm)

Please can anyone advise whether I can safely cut a chase in this celcon wall without problems? Will the wall fall down afterwards?!

TIA

D Green

[Chris Bacon]

Why not just box it in, and place a narrow shelf on top of the boxing? Personally I wouldn't cut it into the wall.

[Christian McArdle]

It will probably remain standing, but I wouldn't do it.

Christian.

[Bernie The Bolt]

Why not drop it down and run it along the floor then hide it with one of those fat skirting boards designed to hide pipes?

Bernie The Bolt

- 'In those days players weren't as highly paid as now, so most of us had part time jobs. Jimmy Case was a bouncer at the She Club, Tommy Smith used to open supermarkets as a Charles Bronson look-alike and Everton's Alan Ball and I were the voices of Pinky & Perky on TV.'

' - Emlyn Hughes

[David Green]

It was boxed in until recently but, as there's a small radiator on that wall too, the boxing looked untidy and came too near to the bottom of the rad (restricting airflow).

I am trying to avoid tiling over an untidy looking boxed-in wastepipe.

I've just found the Celcon website, which advises maximum chase depth horizontally to no more than 1/6 block thickness. Is there an easy way to check block thickness? Perhaps it's more than 100mm--maybe a narrower waste pipe is available?

David.

[Christian McArdle]

It is very unlikely to be more than 100mm. 100mm is by far the most common size and is easily strong enough for a single storey outhouse wall.

Christian.

[Owain]

I would go for the boxing in too, box down to the floor and have a nice tiled shelf for pretty toiletries and pot-pourrie, er a stack of screwfix catalogues and some beers.

Why not lift the radiator slightly so it's off the boxing by an appropriate amount.

Owain