# Minimum distance between drywall and water pipe



## bryanp22 (Nov 2, 2011)

What is the minimum required distance between drywall and a water pipe? I have a pipe in a stud cavity that would basically be flush with the drywall on a wall with my 2x4 studs. Would this pass inspection or do I need to leave some space? Do they make a nail plate that goes across the stud cavity for this purpose?


----------



## SquishyBall (Mar 19, 2013)

I don't think there's a restriction there, only where it goes thru the stud. A nail going thru drywall and hitting a pipe in free air will just tweak to one side or the other... it won't be forced to go straight into the pipe like if you are driving it thru wood where the nail can only go straight and the pipe has no give.

Imagine if such a pipe went vertical... you wouldn't need to sheet metal the entire cavity... and drain pipes in particular often go vertical and fill an entire stud cavity nearly drywall to drywall and that's fine...


----------



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Any pipe within 1" of a framing surface needs a nail plate.
This includes plates and studs

Sent from my iPhone using DIY Forum. Watch out for spell check


----------



## Beepster (Oct 19, 2009)

Where water pipes or electrical wires go through a stud close enough to the face that a drywall screw could pierce, a nailing plate needs to cover the whole pipe the width of the stud. Your big box stores have the nailing plates.

In the space between the studs, there is no code against being right up against the drywall. If you can help it though, try and get a little distance.

B


----------



## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

I've seen plenty of drywallers shave the back of the drywall to go around a pipe that sticks into the room to far and they even do not shave it and there ends up being a hump in the wall that I have to fix later


----------



## GBrackins (Apr 26, 2012)

is this a load bearing wall? does the pipe go through the top plates?


----------



## bryanp22 (Nov 2, 2011)

Not load bearing. Top plate is cut out for pipes in this spot. Inspector looked at it and is fine with it as long as I address the fire blocking issue it created removing the top plate. He was fine with filling cavity with roxul to address fire blocking issue.


----------



## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

I put a screw through a vent stack in my new house. If it's a pvc pipe it could easily get pierced.


----------



## bryanp22 (Nov 2, 2011)

It's galvanized pipe for water service. I know it's old but I have no pressure issues and I'm only covering 5 ft of it.


----------

