# Drilling through wood support beam in basement



## Breakingcustom (Mar 17, 2010)

I have a wood support beam running the length of my basement and it is actually 3 wood support beams equally 5" wide and 7 1/2" length (I would've assumed it was should be a 2x8). There are support beams every so many feet and underneath the beam runs a wall about 3/4" the length of my basement (about 40').

Because it not being on solid piece I'm assuming drilling a hole through it is a no/no. I have a bundle of data/coax cables that need to come down through it, but I just get the feeling I won't be able to.


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## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

Breakingcustom said:


> Because it not being on solid piece I'm assuming drilling a hole through it is a no/no.


incorrect. a modest sized hole (or more) carefully placed will be fine.



> I have a bundle of data/coax cables that need to come down through it, but I just get the feeling I won't be able to.


perfect example of where a 7/8" hole should be no problem at all


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

If you are drilling through it vertically you may not,if you are drilling through it horizontally you may drill it.


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## Zanfirico (Dec 31, 2011)

Though you could drill through it vertically, I agree that it isn't advisable. Maybe if you have vertical posts close on either side of the hole to be sure the house above maintains consistent support. Horizontally, yes, but stick to the middle third on principle. If there is a wall beneath it, how would you drill it vertically anyway? Are you trying to get the data bundle into the wall below?


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

Zanfirico said:


> If there is a wall beneath it, how would you drill it vertically anyway?


That is done all the time,it's called fishing.
Take the baseboard off and drill through the plate.
I would _*NOT*_ drill your beam vertical (*Edit:* I said Horizontal originally)


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## cortell (Nov 27, 2010)

I'm with ravenworks. Code allows notching and drilling horizontally through a beam, with very specific limitations. I don't know of anything in code that allows doing the same vertically through a beam, and I would thus avoid it.


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## AlanCivDesign (Apr 20, 2012)

I wouldn't go through it. Is there no way to go under it?

Cutting structure just rarely ends well in my opinion.

Can we get a photo?


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

Ravenworks said:


> That is done all the time,it's called fishing.
> Take the baseboard off and drill through the plate.
> I would _*NOT*_ drill your beam XXXXXXXX


I meant to say Vertical


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## Breakingcustom (Mar 17, 2010)

I have to go vertically through it. Basically I have 4 1 1/4" conduits running from my backroom to the attic. Then they route through the floor joists. Attached to the studs is a sheet of plywood. I have both sides of the wall exposed right now since I'm remodeling my basement. There is no gap between the ductwork and the beam so I can't go between it. If I'm unable to drill through the support I might just have to route around the ductwork which I don't really want to do because I'm "anal" and won't like the way it looks.

If worse comes to worse I might see if I can have my buddy when he redoes some of the ductwork in the basement to possible move it out a bit. I will have quite a bit of cables being punched down. Just the upstairs alone has 13 data, 13 phone/data, 13 coax. I will be adding quite a bit more in the basement.

I've attached a few pictures.


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## Ravenworks (Oct 31, 2010)

I understand your reasoning for the conduit down through the wall,but why not separate the CATV and Data, then bundle them together and just run them through the joist.


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## Breakingcustom (Mar 17, 2010)

They will be running through the floor joists but to get behind the plywood (wanted to make a service loop and not to have to wrap around the ductwork, I would have to go through the support beam; which seems like not an option.


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

see if this helps


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## Breakingcustom (Mar 17, 2010)

Appreciate the help. Sorry for the delay on responding to this. I actually decided to put up another 4x4 sheet of birch on another wall to run all the cables too instead of dicking with drilling through the header. Again, thanks for the help.


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