couple of questions

[nobackwheel]

Have sorted out some very bad wiring in the bedroom - a spur on a spur, using bell wire, among other things...anyway, I've added these onto the ring now. Trouble is, I'm replacing singles to doubles. I have 2 issues.

1 - Two of the sockets are on a party wall, and seem to be not made of brick or breeze block, more like a concrete material. I've attempted to knock holes in/drill to make the hole bigger but it's just solid. The original single socket was in a 16mm box. Is it possible to get a double box which is 16mm deep. The actual hole is more than 16mm deep, it's more like 20mm. If that's not do-able can I put 2 16mm singles together?

2 - The other issue is the plasterboard walls. They aren't quite stud, they are made of a cardboard mesh sandwiched together between plasterboard. I hate the stuff! Anyone had any experience with them? The trouble is you can't use the usual dry-lining boxes because the cardboard gets in the way. Can you use metal boxes no-nailed in the holes?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1) Problem with back-boxes: have you considered the use of 1 to 2-gang converters:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/CPE25SLASH1C.JPG

Obviously they protrude more than a standard flush socket, but they aren't too bad.

2) Cardboard walls: is there a void, or is the whole thing a two-faced sheet with each face being a wall surface in a room?

 

[nobackwheel]

for the quick reply

1) Have already bought a job lot of double sockets for the whole house, so don't particulary want to have to buy new ones - it's a thought though.

2) no void, it's just strips of interconnected cardboard. I found a mention of it in my readers digest DIY bible, but I've never seen it before. Trouble is, it's everywhere in the house. It's very annoying stuff. Obviously it has it's advantage - very thin walls, so bigger rooms.

 

[brian.tabernor]

Hi

I'm guessing from your description, that you are talking about something like this: http://www.lafargeplasterboard.co.uk/pdfs/panelplu/H3674_1.pdf

When I have seen it used, in the offices at the place I used to work at, they used dry lining boxes: http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp;jsessionid=XEFR2DZNCMS2FCJO2C5CHPQ?id=36960&ts=85707
and simply "pushed" the cardboard honeycomb out of the way to allow the tabs to sit properly.

Hope some of that helps.

 

[nobackwheel]

as it says on the instructions - Electric cables should be installed as system is erected !!

I think i'll try that method on the rest of the rooms when I come to them - these one's i'll have to try and fix in some other way as the holes i've made are a little large

 

[ban-all-sheds]

for the quick reply

1) Have already bought a job lot of double sockets for the whole house, so don't particulary want to have to buy new ones - it's a thought though.

Get drilling and chiselling then....

2) no void, it's just strips of interconnected cardboard. I found a mention of it in my readers digest DIY bible, but I've never seen it before. Trouble is, it's everywhere in the house. It's very annoying stuff. Obviously it has it's advantage - very thin walls, so bigger rooms.

Looks like a real quality product....

If Brian's right, you should be able to use dryline boxes. You could also try asking the manufacturer (or Lafarge, even if it isn't theirs)

If you are installing any cables in these partitions, pay very close attention to the rules for concealed cables:

http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/C5-43.pdf

http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/concealedcables.pdf

particularly where thin partitions are involved:

http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs...les_concealed_in_thin_walls_or_partitions.pdf

and whether the presence of an accessory really would be obvious on the other side of the wall. I note that although they don't explicitly say so, the drawings on the Lafarge site clearly show the use of conduit....

I wonder as well what installation method installing cables in that cardboard matrix would count as....? Method 6 or 15, maybe?

 

[bonebill]

1 - Two of the sockets are on a party wall, and seem to be not made of brick or breeze block, more like a concrete material. I've attempted to knock holes in/drill to make the hole bigger but it's just solid.

Have you tried an SDS drill?

2 - The other issue is the plasterboard walls. They aren't quite stud, they are made of a cardboard mesh sandwiched together between plasterboard. I hate the stuff! Anyone had any experience with them? The trouble is you can't use the usual dry-lining boxes because the cardboard gets in the way. Can you use metal boxes no-nailed in the holes?

I've heard it called "Paramount board". No problem, just prise the cardboard out, with a pair of pliers/screwdriver/whatever, in and around the hole until you have sufficient space to put in a dry lining box.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I've heard it called "Paramount board".

Is that as in "it is of paramount importance to build real walls in your home"?

 

[arctic]

That stuff is painfull.

Just been asked to quote on a kithen refit, but the wall the wall units are hanging on are that type of board.

Every time you close a cupboard door the units shake......


Good luck with it!

Kev

 

[nobackwheel]

The kitchen will be next! Not sure if it's the same downstairs as well as up. Probably is though. It's very rigid, but like you say it wobbles more than a Neighbours TV set. Will take on board everything. Thanks for the replies. As regards to wires etc. I won't be running any new cable up the walls, just half a foot from the skirting - which I presume is safe? - that's where it was originally.

I have the general masonry drill bits, are they not the same as SDS?

 

[brian.tabernor]

SDS drills are percusion drills that make light work of drilling into masonary. I bought a cheap one from ALDI (£29) a while back because I was burning std bits out trying to drill into a concrete lintel for a curtain track. The SDS went through like butter and was well worth the cash to get the job done. You can pay £250 and up if you want but for the average diy job the £29 jobby will get a lot of work done, when it breaks throw it away and get another.

SDS & SDS plus drill bits have a special shank, it's the drill that does the work.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp;jsessionid=GLTYSFIM3VQPVCJO2C5CLMQ?id=10771&ts=63457#

 

[nobackwheel]

so they are different to your usual 'hammer' drill? I could do with getting one of those ALDI jobies, the GF will be much more happy than the £300 plus for the bosch ones

 

[nobackwheel]

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=119748

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the GF will be much more happy than the £300 plus for the bosch ones

More than that... http://ukptocs.bosch-pt.com/boptocs...4DF1DFAF0995574B5935?division=gw&prod_id=5765