# Removing drywall for wiring



## Klawman (Nov 10, 2009)

I am wiring my garage which is semi finished, meaning the drywall is hung but barely. As I don't like the look of emt hung on the walls, I am tempted to remove the lower 4' of drywall which should allow me to wire the walls pretty much as though it were new construction. After passing a rough in inspection, I plan on replacing the same panels. This should fishing to a minimum as I will only need to route some circuits above a door way and a lighting circuit into the ceiling. Fishing all the circuits with the drywall up would be a nightmare, as I may run as many as seven.

Does this make sense or am I buying a lot of trouble?


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

if you don't want it exposed or in conduit, removing the drywall is an option.

Is the ceiling open? if not, would it be easier for you to run it overhead above the ceiling and down the walls as needed?

if it is an open ceiling, maybe run conduit up above the bottom chord of the truss or even up higher if you like and then to boxes at the walls and fish the walls with NM (romex).


the one thing you need to be concerned with though is if you have a fire rated wall and repairing it to the required standards so it will still be rated. The common wall between the garage and living space generally must be a rated wall.


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## Klawman (Nov 10, 2009)

nap said:


> if you don't want it exposed or in conduit, removing the drywall is an option.
> 
> Is the ceiling open? if not, would it be easier for you to run it overhead above the ceiling and down the walls as needed?


The ceiling is closed. It seems to me that if I dropped wire down I would use up a lot more cable and also have to deal with fire blocks. Also, it is all the more difficult since there isn't any attic access to the top plate above the garage of this two story. The front half of the garage is covered by what I call a hip roof and the back half is covered with the second story. Hence, any holes to be cut in the first story top plate and second story bottom plate are best drilled from below. I think.



> if it is an open ceiling, maybe run conduit up above the bottom chord of the truss or even up higher if you like and then to boxes at the walls and fish the walls with NM (romex).
> 
> 
> the one thing you need to be concerned with though is if you have a fire rated wall and repairing it to the required standards so it will still be rated. The common wall between the garage and living space generally must be a rated wall.


It is definitly a firewall but I don't see why it would be difficult to rehang the drywall and seal it up even better than the builder. (They did a crap job on sealing the bottom where it interfaces with the concrete footer.)

Besides, there are some water stains on the garage side of the wall shared with the house and, why it alone isn't enough to warrant tearing into the wall, I wouldn't kind trying to get a peek at what is going on or if the inside of the wall is damp.

I like your suggestions and only wish they applied to the way this place is laid out.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

> Klawman;415817]The ceiling is closed. It seems to me that if I dropped wire down I would use up a lot more cable and also have to deal with fire blocks. Also, it is all the more difficult since there isn't any attic access to the top plate above the garage of this two story. The front half of the garage is covered by what I call a hip roof and the back half is covered with the second story. Hence, any holes to be cut in the first story top plate and second story bottom plate are best drilled from below. I think.


ok. it was just a suggestion.






> It is definitly a firewall but I don't see why it would be difficult to rehang the drywall and seal it up even better than the builder. (They did a crap job on sealing the bottom where it interfaces with the concrete footer.)


there are rules to properly building a fire rated wall. there is a guy around here that does this stuff regularly. He would be better at making sure you have the correct methods so I'll leave that to him.





> Besides, there are some water stains on the garage side of the wall shared with the house and, why it alone isn't enough to warrant tearing into the wall, I wouldn't kind trying to get a peek at what is going on or if the inside of the wall is damp.


a good idea.




> I like your suggestions and only wish they applied to the way this place is laid out.


I tried.


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## Klawman (Nov 10, 2009)

nap said:


> there are rules to properly building a fire rated wall. there is a guy around here that does this stuff regularly. He would be better at making sure you have the correct methods so I'll leave that to him.


What you said spurred me to poke around the internet a bit and I now have an idea of the special issues and treatment for a firewall. Not to say I know it all, but that I best look into the matter of fire rated wall penetrations more, including locating a sub panel rated for insertion into a fire wall.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Well--Hello again!!

Stripping the drywall is a good idea. Much easier to run a few seams than to fill a bunch of small patch holes.

My only suggestion---Buy new drywall to replace the stuff you are removing.

Drywall is cheap--trying to remove the old so it can be re-used will be a lesson in frustration.

You might want to look on Youtube--see if there is a video on using a Roto-Zip---This makes cutting around electric boxes easier.Not worth buying for one small job,however.

If you have a larger Dremmel tool it will hold a Zipper bit--Otherwise just use a ruler and a square to cut out your electric boxes.


I've posted the basics of mud types and blades needed several times--if you need that knowledge
please look up some of my old posts.

I do enough drywall to have a special tool just for this job--His name is Carlos--Makes my part of the job as easy as writing a check! HaHa.---Mike--


Edit---if all the boxes are at the same height--Say 48"--Then removing a band 12 or 16 inches might be easier and look O.K.--

If you do this--And you have access to a Saws-All--

Snap your cut lines with a chalk line--Put the Saws-All blade into the tool
UP-SIDE DOWN---This will allow you to make a very shallow cut ----

Done properly your cut will not even skim the studs--or any other scary thing that might be hiding behind the drywall.---M---


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

oh'mike said:


> Edit---if all the boxes are at the same height--Say 48"--Then removing a band 12 or 16 inches might be easier and look O.K.--
> --


good point!


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