Block homes

[jmsbrush]

Lets say you have a block home.
Now the 1st thing you have is the Block, then insulation( which we call r-Matt).
Then the ferrying strips. Last but not least, the dry wall.
So you go to this persons house. And He wants an outlet on this wall on the inside.
What is the best way to install your ckt down that wall?
One way I have done it in the past was from the outside off the house. Drill a hole blow the lintel. Drop a wire down. cut a hole in the drywall. bust a hole in the concrete then install a cut in box. Go back outside install an lb a little piece of pvc then take the ckt through the soffet back to the panel.
Is there an easier way???

 

[Greg Swartz]

I did an entire block house last year.
6000' sq ft.
3 full levels...

If you are ok in cutting drywall, and cut out the insulation, put your wire in, put the insulation back, then the drywall back... then I would say that's the best way.

Either I can patch the holes / marks or your painter can patch the marks / holes. We cost more per hour, we're slower, and we're not as good as them. Which would you prefer?

I'd say it will look much nicer than a conduit sticking outside forever...

 

[ceb58]

Lets say you have a block home.
Now the 1st thing you have is the Block, then insulation( which we call r-Matt).
Then the ferrying strips. Last but not least, the dry wall.
So you go to this persons house. And He wants an outlet on this wall on the inside.
What is the best way to install your ckt down that wall?
One way I have done it in the past was from the outside off the house. Drill a hole blow the lintel. Drop a wire down. cut a hole in the drywall. bust a hole in the concrete then install a cut in box. Go back outside install an lb a little piece of pvc then take the ckt through the soffet back to the panel.
Is there an easier way???

Drop cord.:grin:
Wire mold would probably be faster but there are a lot of people who do not in any way want wire-mold. But that would be for adding to an existing circ. The other way would be to cut the sheet rock at the top break into the wall and drill up through the top plate

 

[Cow]

I'd say it will look much nicer than a conduit sticking outside forever...

I'm glad I don't do work in these kinds of homes.:smile: But I agree with Greg, I really hate running conduit on the outside of a home. So, I'd give them a choice: outside conduit or cut-and-patch.

 

[Ebow]

Cut the hole for the box where you want it and try to push a glow rod up between the sheet rock and the block. Some of the older houses do not have the the top stringer running across the top of all the furring strips. When the rod stops at somethig solid, pull it out and measure how much when up the wall. You might get lucky and have been hitting the roof deck.
If you have enough room and are ambitious. Try and drill down through the top strip with a side angle drill and a 5/8" auger bit from the attic. In one instance I was able to drill down through the edge of the block behind the top strip at a slight angle and came out below the wood.
Otherwise its slot and patch.

Gene
__________________________________________

Remember - Speed Kills and its not always you.

 

[Mr. Wizard]

Lets say you have a block home.
Now the 1st thing you have is the Block, then insulation( which we call r-Matt).
Then the ferrying strips. Last but not least, the dry wall.
So you go to this persons house. And He wants an outlet on this wall on the inside.
What is the best way to install your ckt down that wall?
One way I have done it in the past was from the outside off the house. Drill a hole blow the lintel. Drop a wire down. cut a hole in the drywall. bust a hole in the concrete then install a cut in box. Go back outside install an lb a little piece of pvc then take the ckt through the soffet back to the panel.
Is there an easier way???

How deep are the fer-out strips? Add that to the thickness of the drywall and you may be able to get a shallow handy box in there without too much destruction. I read a response to use a drop cord. That's fine, but I'd use MC or romex for that application :wink:.

 

[Curtis4President]

Cut and patch is the only way to go.

 

[LarryFine]

Is there an easier way???

Is there a crawlspace or unfinished basement?

Back when I was a helper, I was trusted to do a job alone. A customer wanted six receptacles added, all on outside walls, in a small 1-story house that was old enough to have furring strips on cinderblocks, and new enough to be finished with drywall instead of plaster.

I started by cutting the old-work-box-size holes in the drywall, and found the same 3/4" furring-strip gap between the drywall and cinderblocks you have. I used a hammer and brick chisel to make the holes in the cinderblocks deep enough to fit the boxes and cables.

I measured horizontally from each hole to the nearest window,went outside and measured from each window to the nearest crawl vent, then under the house, measured from each vent to what should be directly below each hole in the walls, adding and/or subtracting as I went.

I then drilled up through the diagonal-planking subfloor with a 1/2" auger and poked one end of a piece of 14/2 NM up each hole about two feet. When I went back inside, every hole had the NM centered across the hole. I made them up and joined the other ends in a J-box.

In other houses, I've fished wires from basement or crawl to the attic between furring strips, often without having to drill. I usually push a fishtape up from the bottom, tie the cable on in the attic, and pull down, because the roof is usually too low to do it the other way.

 

[LarryFine]

Cut the hole for the box where you want it and try to push a glow rod up between the sheet rock and the block. Some of the older houses do not have the the top stringer running across the top of all the furring strips. When the rod stops at somethig solid, pull it out and measure how much when up the wall. You might get lucky and have been hitting the roof deck.

It helps to have a helper D) in the attic (or crawl or basement) with a flashlight and 2-way radio, spotting and giving you progress info. White tape on the tip of the rod or fishtape helps, too.

We're lucky enough to have an unlimited-airtime plan, so we use our cellphones and Borg implan, I mean, BlueTooth earpieces for hands-free 2-way communication during work like this.

 

[LarryFine]

Cut and patch is the only way to go.

I disagree. I've done some amazing fishing where it was supposed to be impossible. I can do great drywall work, but I don't break the surface if I can avoid it. Mid-wall firestopping is the worst. I'll occasionally make a 1/2" wide, 2" long slot in drywall, notch the firestop, place the cable in the notch, and patch the slot.

Years ago, I installed some track lighting on a long sloped ceiling, each track separately switched. There was one track across the bottom of the slope, and the rest along the slanted sides. To cross the rafters, I made slots beneath each rafter that the bottom track would cover. (I never even patched the slots. )

 

[GUNNING]

cut to the chase

cut to the chase

I would try to push a fish tape up the outlet hole. Sometimes if you push up next to the ferring strip it will push up all the way to the roof line if there isn't any insulation. If you put a slight bend on the end you can get the fish tape 6 to 15 feet out from the eve of the house. Take your rule up with you and use the end to hook the fish tape pulling it to you. Tape a wire onto it and down you go. Its a lot of up and down. If time is a constraint, cut to the chase.
Cut and patch is the quickest route for sure. Make sure you have a 1x4 and keep your holes few and well placed. I use drywall joint compound. Looks good when I leave. There is a 1 1/4 inch switch box. Perfect for 1/2 drywall and ferring strip. Not good for GFCI's though.
I round to the nearest hour, it takes about 20 minutes to patch. Its the sort of thing home owners remember, no patch no paint, makes for a clean job and makes you look good. Clean up afterward, dust pan and brush.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Lets say you have a block home.
Now the 1st thing you have is the Block, then insulation( which we call r-Matt).
Then the ferrying strips. Last but not least, the dry wall.
So you go to this persons house. And He wants an outlet on this wall on the inside.
What is the best way to install your ckt down that wall?
One way I have done it in the past was from the outside off the house. Drill a hole blow the lintel. Drop a wire down. cut a hole in the drywall. bust a hole in the concrete then install a cut in box. Go back outside install an lb a little piece of pvc then take the ckt through the soffet back to the panel.
Is there an easier way???

furring strips are usually 7/8" 1 5/8"..... if they are 1'5/8" hatrack, that plus
1/2" sheetrock is enough for a cut in box... then use a greenlee carpet fishing
tape, ($20 at home dipsnit) to get into the ceiling....

if i need a larger box, i'll cut a 4x4 hole, bolt a 4s box directly to the block,
and use a 2 gang ring to get to finshed wall surface. a jumbo plate covers
it nicely....

 

[SiddMartin]

Anyway you can fish the block?? Don't know if they pour them or not, but drop a chain down from the attic, bust a hole where you want ur device, and wa-la

 

[jmsbrush]

Anyway you can fish the block?? Don't know if they pour them or not, but drop a chain down from the attic, bust a hole where you want ur device, and wa-la

The block can not be fished unless you go below the lentil.

 

[brantmacga]

Cut and patch is the only way to go.

giggity goo :wink:

 

[Mr. Wizard]

Cut and patch is the only way to go.

Any electrician worth his/her salt is a formidable drywall technician :wink:

 

[220/221]

Cut and patch is one thing. Legal cut and patch is another.

If you want to fish around the furring/blocking, the notch works well and patches easily. If you need to get back the required distance or install nail plates....not so much.

Older houses (pre late 60's) may not have a bond beam at the top and you can pull off a bird board under the eave and drill the top plate. Newer homes, it aint gonna happen so you can cut/patch inside or run conduit outside.