how to handle coving when chasing electrical cables

wonderwire · 10 Feb 2017

Hi,

I need to chase a few cables into a brick wall. We have coving across the top between the wall and the ceiling; any recommendations on how to handle this without removing it or cutting through it?

Thanks

ban-all-sheds · 10 Feb 2017

What access do you have from above?

Is it plaster coving, e.g. Gyproc, or uPVC, polystyrene...?

wonderwire · 10 Feb 2017

I have access from the loft (hopefully), although not certain.

It's plaster coving.

sparkymarka · 10 Feb 2017

Drill up behind it !

wonderwire · 10 Feb 2017

Is there a technique? No guarantee I could find it on the top side if I am going up the middle of brickwork?

DetlefSchmitz · 10 Feb 2017

However - not tried it in brick!

Taylortwocities · 10 Feb 2017

I've tried a couple of times with drills and groove chisels, but the only easy way is to use a plunge saw and cut a groove in the coving, you can patch back in the removed segment easily with a few dabs of Easyfill 45.
A bit of care and some sandpaper and you won't see it.

ban-all-sheds · 10 Feb 2017

DetlefSchmitz said:
However - not tried it in brick!

Nor have I, but somehow I just know for sure that it wouldn't work.

sparkwright · 10 Feb 2017

You should be able to drill behind the coving without damaging it.

Chissel a 10mm notch into the plaster just below the coving.

Get a long 10mm drill bit, and drill upwards into the notch, keeping the drill as vertical as possible.

You may need to open the hole up with a 20mm bit, if you have two or more cables.

TIP - if the plaster is soft, avoid using hammer action on the drill, as it may go off course and damage the coving.

wonderwire · 10 Feb 2017

Thanks everyone. I am planning to put 2.5mm in PVC oval conduit (within 50mm of the surface and protected by RCBO). Is this still best practice?

ban-all-sheds · 10 Feb 2017

wonderwire said:
I have access from the loft (hopefully), although not certain.

Sparkwright's method is what I've done. You will probably damage the bottom of the coving a bit, but it will be repairable.

Plan B, if you have access to the top of the wall from above, and can pinpoint where to drill

is to drill straight down through the wall to below the level of the bottom of the coving, then from within the room just open up the wall to get to the hole, and continue a chase downwards. Might be more trouble than it's worth if it's just regular coving, easily patched, or worst comes to worst a length replaced.

crystal ball · 10 Feb 2017

I have used the long drill method and it works ok, but I favour using a knockerbehind, a short length of rebar with a point ground on one end and bent into a gentle curve

Iggifer · 10 Feb 2017

Taylortwocities said:
I've tried a couple of times with drills and groove chisels, but the only easy way is to use a plunge saw and cut a groove in the coving, you can patch back in the removed segment easily with a few dabs of Easyfill 45.
A bit of care and some sandpaper and you won't see it.

This is my preferred method too.

Drilling behind is fine if the plasters deep enough, if it's not and you've got to chop the brick, you gotta remove the coving

333rocky333 · 10 Feb 2017

Peirce a small hole in the ceiling in front of the coving, then when you go in the loft you know the location.
As said drill up behind it, if its posh coving fix a wood batten to the wall so the drill hits that rather than the coving.
Go in the loft find your hole then chip into the brick to find your upcoming hole, if you leave the drill bit in if you like and then you know when you hit it, after fill the hole in the cieling

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how to handle coving when chasing electrical cables

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