UK DIY - Install Cat6 through rigid insulation glued to Drywall

[dvymac]

I'm looking to data points for Cat6 in a couple rooms through out my house. Plan is Patch Panel, though brushed panel, through eaves, terminating in a gang faceplate. I've got easy access to eaves so getting the cables from one wall to another should be easy enough.

The walls are plasterboard/drywall. But a few years back they had rigid insulation glued to back of them. The Kingspan foil-backed insulation type stuff.

Hasn't been any wiring done since. The existing wiring seems to either be cut into a channel in-between the wall and the insulation, or the insulation is mounted off the wall with an air-gap. That's in different places, not all the insulation was the same job.

Any advice for best way to feed cables through without compromising the insulation.

If i Do cut a square straight through the plasterboard and the insulation, I could stuff the square hole of the insulation with some pieces of soft blanket insulation used elsewhere.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[telectrix]

could just cut a 1/4" channel in the plasterboard.

 

[Pete999]

I'm looking to data points for Cat6 in a couple rooms through out my house. Plan is Patch Panel, though brushed panel, through eaves, terminating in a gang faceplate. I've got easy access to eaves so getting the cables from one wall to another should be easy enough.

The walls are plasterboard/drywall. But a few years back they had rigid insulation glued to back of them. The Kingspan foil-backed insulation type stuff.

Hasn't been any wiring done since. The existing wiring seems to either be cut into a channel in-between the wall and the insulation, or the insulation is mounted off the wall with an air-gap. That's in different places, not all the insulation was the same job.

Any advice for best way to feed cables through without compromising the insulation.

If i Do cut a square straight through the plasterboard and the insulation, I could stuff the square hole of the insulation with some pieces of soft blanket insulation used elsewhere.

Cheers,
Dave

Get hold of some push rods, a difficult process but not an impossible one, I got some you can have for a price I aint posting them so it's a collect job.

 

[telectrix]

Get hold of some push rods, a difficult process but not an impossible one, I got some you can have for a price I aint posting them so it's a collect job.

op is in jockland, so think collect is out the window.

 

[Pete999]

op is in jockland, so think collect is out the window.

The local wholesaler will sell them.

 

[Megawatt]

The local wholesaler will sell them.

If your going to install it in a wall I recommend you use plenum rated cable

 

[davesparks]

If your going to install it in a wall I recommend you use plenum rated cable

What exactly is plenum rated cable? It's not a term we use but I'm sure we have an equivalent if you can explain what the difference between plenum cable is and normal cable.
For cat 6 we have a few options, the most common are:
PVC sheathed for normal use such as this scenario.
LSF sheathed (low smoke and fume, produces minimal smoke in a fire) for use in public buildings, buildings of high occupancy etc
Duct grade, has a tough, water, weather and UV resistant sheath for use outside or in ducts.

 

[Megawatt]

What exactly is plenum rated cable? It's not a term we use but I'm sure we have an equivalent if you can explain what the difference between plenum cable is and normal cable.
For cat 6 we have a few options, the most common are:
PVC sheathed for normal use such as this scenario.
LSF sheathed (low smoke and fume, produces minimal smoke in a fire) for use in public buildings, buildings of high occupancy etc
Duct grade, has a tough, water, weather and UV resistant sheath for use outside or in ducts.

Plenum rated is good for outdoor use and don’t have to be in pipe. It has a blue jacket on it and is rated for 2 hours in case of a fire
[automerge]1582652038[/automerge]

Plenum rated is good for outdoor use and don’t have to be in pipe. It has a blue jacket on it and is rated for 2 hours in case of a fire

I guess it’s LFS in the UK

 

[dvymac]

I'm in the UK and have LSZH (low smoke zero halogen) cable, which sounds similar to
plenum cable.

I've got some pull rods, although, I think most of the places I want to install there is not a airgap between drywall and insulation. I'll probably end up cutting a hole in the insulation anyway, so there's room for the gangbox.

I could cut a channel in the board but that seems messier. and would need more coving up after.

I was looking into it, so the wall is either drywall or plaster skim (uk or plaster veneer us)

 

[Megawatt]

I'm in the UK and have LSZH (low smoke zero halogen) cable, which sounds similar to
plenum cable.

I've got some pull rods, although, I think most of the places I want to install there is not a airgap between drywall and insulation. I'll probably end up cutting a hole in the insulation anyway, so there's room for the gangbox.

I could cut a channel in the board but that seems messier. and would need more coving up after.

I was looking into it, so the wall is either drywall or plaster skim (uk or plaster veneer us)

Dvymac welcome to the forum and since you have to cut into the wall to install your box and if you have an attic you could fish the wire down through the wall to each box. Not sure if you have an attic. How thick is the drywall, ours is either 5/8 or 1/2 thick

 

[mattg4321]

Can’t believe you still use inches over there!

We have 12.5mm and 15mm. Also 9.5mm, but this is only generally found in slightly older properties on the ceiling in my experience. Walls will nearly always be 12.5mm if they have plasterboard in their construction.

 

[Megawatt]

Can’t believe you still use inches over there!

We have 12.5mm and 15mm. Also 9.5mm, but this is only generally found in slightly older properties on the ceiling in my experience. Walls will nearly always be 12.5mm if they have plasterboard in their construction.

Matt 1/2 is equivalent to 12.5mm so I know the metric system

 

[dvymac]

Dvymac welcome to the forum and since you have to cut into the wall to install your box and if you have an attic you could fish the wire down through the wall to each box. Not sure if you have an attic. How thick is the drywall, ours is either 5/8 or 1/2 thick

ATM I'm just looking at adding drops in the upstairs of a bungalow. So I have access to eaves (attic), in the walls around each room. I've got space to walk/crawl the cable arround. I've got the pull sticks in case i try drop it to the ground floor later.

Drywall is like 1/2 inch, but the rigid insulation glued directly onto the reverse is like 4.5, or 5 inches thick inspots on top of the drywall.

 

[Megawatt]

ATM I'm just looking at adding drops in the upstairs of a bungalow. So I have access to eaves (attic), in the walls around each room. I've got space to walk/crawl the cable arround. I've got the pull sticks in case i try drop it to the ground floor later.

Drywall is like 1/2 inch, but the rigid insulation glued directly onto the reverse is like 4.5, or 5 inches thick inspots on top of the drywall.

It can be done and good deal on having the sticks they can be very helpful. Good luck

 

[mattg4321]

If the insulated plasterboard is fixed onto battens you’ll probably do it easily. If it’s ‘dot and dabbed’ with adhesive then it’s probably not possible without damage to the walls.