What height do you drill studs for new construction romex

[ItsHot]

Speedbor

Speedbor

If you're talking about the 3-fluted Speedbor, you're right. They're great augers.

That's the one! Hard to beat them!!

 

[480sparky]

Second floor, top plates are drilled and wires are stapled along stud into attic, tacked over and dropped down to next box. First floor just the opposite, drill bottom plate and run through basement and back up (except for ceiling lighting which is drilled up of course), no straight across pulls. Less wire exposure and less chance of damage before rock goes up and less chances to ever hit it with a nail as the only place it will be is where a box is. You can step through any stud cavity after rough in without hitting any wires. Straight across pulls are only done if there is no other option.

I agree with the 2nd floor method, but wiring a house in order to be able to walk between two studs before the rock goes up is just nuts.

I can't see running up and down the basement stairs pulling wires down then pulling them back up just to make the job 'look neat' then cover it up with drywall.

If the basement is unfinished, you've got far more exposed NM to contend with. If any of the joist cavities are used for return air, what do you do then?

 

[Brian Oshman]

I agree with the 2nd floor method, but wiring a house in order to be able to walk between two studs before the rock goes up is just nuts.

I can't see running up and down the basement stairs pulling wires down then pulling them back up just to make the job 'look neat' then cover it up with drywall.

If the basement is unfinished, you've got far more exposed NM to contend with. If any of the joist cavities are used for return air, what do you do then?

First floor ends up being a combo of both. Drilled up and if not possible then through the basement is what I meant.

 

[480sparky]

First floor ends up being a combo of both. Drilled up and if not possible then through the basement is what I meant.

I still can't see the logic of spending all that time and material just to be able to walk between the studs. In two days, it'll be covered up, so what's the advantage?

The plumbers are done, the tinners are long gone,......... who's gonna want to walk between the studs when you're done roughing in?

 

[Brian Oshman]

It's not about being able to walk through the studs, just said that for verbal visual as to how the wires are routed. It is about the minimum surface area of wiring in the enclosed walls that can be hit with a nail. In the basement and attic you can see the wiring and will not hit it and in the wall you know that there is a wire in line with the box but no where else in the wall. People put nails in strange places.

 

[480sparky]

Hmm. I run straight-as-the-crow-flies through the studs and have never had a problem.

Even in the log homes I do where they like to use 20" screws.

 

[~Shado~]

Hmm. I run straight-as-the-crow-flies through the studs and have never had a problem.

Me too 480....less ladder time the better, and my knees thank me sometimes.

 

[spdtrx]

People put nails in strange places.

I agree! :smile:

 

[LarryFine]

People put nails in strange places.

Really. I've got some on my hands and feet I just can't get rid of.

 

[480sparky]

I agree! :smile:

And no amount of rerouting is going to eleminate NM from getting nailed. Pun intended.

 

[MrMilbank]

owens corning reccomends nm cable to be run along the sole plate and vee notches drilled at the bottom of studs to aid in installing insulation. this is from a 1986 modern residential wiring book. they also mention that several feet above the floor and in a straight line is the conventional method for drilling holes.

 

[PetrosA]

Mid-thigh except for under windows and through doors...

While we're at it, can someone who pipes houses in EMT post some pics of how that kind of rough-in looks?

 

[Loffgren]

re

re

Same height as the middle of my thigh as I walk down the wall holding the drill.

like he said

 

[JFletcher]

That's the one! Hard to beat them!!

The smaller sizes are great, but I've bent every 1 1/4" Speedbor I've ever chucked into a drill in less than 10 minutes. I wish they made a heavy duty version and bigger bits - they do make clean holes very quickly.

I drill the holes a bit differently depending on receptacle/device height, and the height of items likely to be screwed into the wall (like headboards). Generally about 32" is where it's most comfortable for me to hold the drill.