Boxing and Passing services inside rsj web

[ThrottleHappy]

Hi all.

I have question regards to passing services from one side of my extension to the other.

I have a 203 x 203 uc beam that will need boxing in. My question is can i use this space to pass my hot and cold feeds from one side to the other? Floor joists run in different directions so i wanted to avoid drilling the safe zones of the joists. I originally planned to counter batten the ceiling.

Only reason i ask is, is there a requirement to insulate inside the box of the beam? I read somewhere about double plaster boarding it.

If it dont need insulating this would serve as a clear run for some utilitys. I could even use lagging on the hot feed.

 

[^woody^]

A beam don't need insulating if its not on an external wall.

But how you get pipes in a web along with the noggins for the plasterboard fixing, is the challenge.

 

[ThrottleHappy]

A beam don't need insulating if its not on an external wall.

But how you get pipes in a web along with the noggins for the plasterboard fixing, is the challenge.

Hi woody.

The web is pretty deep, i could get around that. But i guess id need to make sure it cant get nailed or screwed.

What do you suggest in terms of plasterboard covering. Single layer of 12.5mm?

Thanks as always!

 

[tony1851]

You don't have to 'insulate' inside the beam. Just run your pipes along it (wedge some timber uprights against the web to screw pipe clips to. The exterior of the beam needs protecting to 30 mins fire protection; use 1 layer Fireline board, or I think 2 layers 3/8th plasterboard also suffices.

 

[ThrottleHappy]

Ah, so thats where it comes from. I did that above my livingroom door frame.

I figured that would be the reason behind it!

Thanks guys.

 

[^woody^]

12.5mm should do but some BCO's don't accept it because of the joints - which should all be backed by timber, else double boarding is required. 15mm single layer of fireline (pink) board is normally accepted but the BCO's tend to forget about the principle of the joints! Otherwise two layers of 9mm will do with staggered joints.

The thing is with noggins, is that they are normally wedged in. Now, if you are putting heating pipes in there then there is the potential for them to shrink and loosen after a while.

 

[ThrottleHappy]

Thats a good thing to consider. Il take note of those points. Thanks woody.