Do you have to use capping?

[Guest112]

i bought some capping nails theyre not bad rather use clout nails

 

[mackers]

Yeah i often do a similar thing - a screw, plug and penny washer. Capping can be a such a pain, with such a little flat edge to get a nail through, and silly little nails too that are so short that they are recessed behind the plaster! You often nail one in and two fall out!! I find capping generally drama free when the brickwork is flat and the brick/mortar likes my nails! and the plastic stuff often just splits vertically!!

Can you tell i'm not a fan of capping!!

Anyone ever tried capping uneven stone brickwork??? oh my god.... i remember drilling it and it shattered just like flint!! in the end we had to make some builders slop to fit all the back boxes in!!

best thing for stone walls is cut short bits of t&e 3"ish then use 2 clout heads one either side then fix like a strap saddle. if seams are old lime drill and plug for the nails best way ive found.

 

[Rockingit]

If I've got a really rough chase (like stone or hollow block) then sometimes I use a big penny washer and CAREFULLY bang the nail in between two cables, so that the washer grips both of them either side - two cables with one nail.

 

[1Justin]

What about trying to hold the cables flat and parallel while fixing capping? Fettling around behind the capping to fix crossing or turned-sideways cables while trying to get it fixed nice and flat seems a time consuming way to mess about.

I have tried taping the cable bundle together in a flat band with masking tape, but they still don't stay put very well.
Clipping would hold them, but add thickness and width to the bunch of cables.

Any tips on that one?

 

[Mark Pound]

i use capping in new builds even behind dot and bab only because the builders expect it and doubt your capabilities if bare cables are left on walls

 

[i=p/u]

im all for pipe in walls, but that just cause im a professional

 

[Amp David]

Pipe is great, but i'd rather not use it and get the job. Trouble is the cost soon mounts up.

 

[1shortcircuit]

Capping nails or clouts will split plastic capping which is why I always put the point off to the side so that the head of the clout or washer of the capping nail catches the side of the capping. I thought this was how you were supposed to do it?

I've not yet use oval conduit but can definitely see the logic. Didn't know it could be easily secured with 16mm clips. Might have to give that a try:thumbsup

 

[1shortcircuit]

im all for pipe in walls, but that just cause im a professional

Gas or water? lol

 

[CrazyScozzese]

Capping nails or clouts will split plastic capping which is why I always put the point off to the side so that the head of the clout or washer of the capping nail catches the side of the capping. I thought this was how you were supposed to do it?

I've not yet use oval conduit but can definitely see the logic. Didn't know it could be easily secured with 16mm clips. Might have to give that a try:thumbsup

I agree, the only way, nail outside the capping, with the edge under the washer. Then if you get the nails in the right places, you can take the capping off and put it back, with a bit of dexterity of course.

Never nail through the capping! The only problem is if in a chase, the chase has to be bigger than the capping or the nail is either in the trough of the angle grinder or too near the edge. Oval is better in a chase.

And I try to put the oval end up into the void to make access easier if you need to change the cable.

 

[telectrix]

an alternative to clout nails is to use the nails out of cable clips. these don't split the capping. all depends on how good the mortar is. iv'e often stuck capping in place with a few gobs of bonding.

 

[mackers]

when i did alot of house bashing never had much trouble with capping splitting only in the cold ,but it was prob alot better quality then!
never understood why people found it sutch hard work capping wires, the number of so called sparks that came from agencys who could not do it was unbelievable! we sent more back than we used,
striaghten cable with palm of hand down to back box, insert cable into back box then cap! nothing more to it!

 

[telectrix]

striaghten cable with palm of hand down to back box, insert cable into back box then cap! nothing more to it!

apart from the nails falling out of rotten mortar, crumbling bricks, cold cable refusing to be straightened, bent nails, hammered fingers, give me ega tube drilled and plugged every time.

 

[ezzzekiel]

always tended to screw and plug at a decent fixing point top and bottom then couple clout nails inbetween to keep it flush back through the middle, tend to use oval mostly and recently due to the additional chasing time to get decent depth cables are being clipped direct.

 

[ritchiehulse]

i have always nailed straight through the plastic capping unless its cold then will just stick with metal