Burying pipes - tips

Hi all,

We're having a new central heating system installed including all new radiators and pipework - removing old microbore pipes and replacing with plastic stuff.

Downstairs has a solid floor and the bolier is going upstairs, most of the pipe work will run under the upstair floorboards and drop down for the downstairs radiators. In the living room and kitchen i want to bury the pipes in the walls, then when we have the rooms skimmed they will be covered.

So really i'm after any tips form people who have done this before. I was thinking of just using a chisel and making a 2" channel, then after the pipes have been installed (should i clip them in ?) covering with a thin peice of wood / plastic (maybe use the 'lid' from some square conduit) ready to plaster over. Is this a sensible thing to do ?

Many thanks for any advice
Alistair

be sure that when you chisel them in, you don't damage the wall on the other side. easily done.

the one problem with plastering directly over pipes is the heat cracking the plaster. this effect can be lessened by dabbing plasterboard over the pipes making sure you have decent lap each side, or indeed the whole wall if it isn't plastered already.

Chiselling out can be very hard work. I used an angle grinder with a diamond blade and cut several grooves, which made chiselling out much, much easier, and neater with a constant depth groove all along the wall. In my opinion you will need to mount the pipes in some way, be it pipe clips or expanding foam filler, or else you will get some movement and then 'clanging'! The foam filler will need the pipes supporting while it sets and can then be easily cut to make it a flush fit with the wall surface ready for plastering, although I am not sure how plaster takes to foam? My guess would be that it would be ok. Agree that boarding out would be a better solution though.