Concealing copper water pipes

[Yukster]

I would be grateful for a bit of advice. I plan to install a concealed mixer tap and fixed shower head for my bath/shower. I need to install it on an external wall of a Victorian house. As far as I can tell, it's a solid wall. so I would need to cut a channel for the pipes and tap. Are there any particular precautions to take given that i'm digging into an external wall?

 

[Richard C]

You really need to construct a false wall & run behind that; much less work & far easier to install. If you take account of around 15mm plaster depth channelling for the pipes is not so bad but it would put the pipes very close to the surface & encasing them in plaster is not a good idea as it’ll most likely crack. The bigest problem you will have is that concealed mixer valves require a hole anywhere between 90mm – 120mm deep. With a cavity wall that would put you inside the cavity but with you solid walls, you’ll be half way though it; not a good idea. Don’t know what you’re planning but it’s not a good idea to cut deep horizontal chases as that could weaken the wall.

 

[Yukster]

I lifted more floorboard to track the water pipes and realised that i don't really need to conceal the pipes. Instead, I can actually cut the pipes before they branch up and along the external wall and extend it at a straight line under the floorboards between the joists all the way to the wall where the tap is.

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• Yukster
• 21 Sep 2011
• 2

My plumber thought it would be fine to cut vertical channels for the pipes and a hole for the concealed tap in the brickwork (It's a solid external wall as far as I can tell). The hole for the tap is 120mm x215mm x 60mm. HOWEVER, Richard C, who's opinion I respect, advices against installing a concealed tap he thinks it's not a good idea. What are other people's views?