Laying cables

[mmcmahon]

I'm replacing a ring circuit in my flat and am also replacing all the skirting board. Could I lay the cable in conduit behing the skirting board or am I better laying them beneath the floorboards.

I'd like to do this the proper way, behind the skirting board just seems easier. Any opinions?

Thanks

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Couldn't you use your old wiring to pull the new through especially if removing skirting?
You use a galvanised steel cladding to protect cable runs buried in plaster, That way in the future just in case anybody drills into the wall the drill will "scream" when it hits the cladding.
I can't see any reason for not using this behind skirting but not sure on the regs about this, cables got to go somewhere if you have a concrete floor.
I do know that cable runs should only be horizontal or vertical, never diagonal.

 

[eric_cartman]

Not sure of the legality of putting the wiring behind, as Scoby_Beasley says, but personally I like to rout the backs of skirtings for tv coax, speaker wire etc.. for that clean look.

EC
.

 

[jamesy]

The correct way is under the floorboards. I have just rewired my whole flat and I went below the boards.

However this can be a lot easier said than done. Especially if your boards are tongue and groove like mine were.

Behind the skirting will just work the same and provided you remember where it is and don't nail or screw your skirting on then there should never be a safety problem.

You also have to realise that when floorboards are lifted it can be hard to get them as firmly fixed as they were to start with so you could end up with squeaky boards.

Not really an answer just a few points to consider.

 

[mmcmahon]

Thanks for the replies. I actually rewired the rest of my flat recently and lifted the boards for that, it was a nightmare with the tongue and groove and some of them do squeak now. I have one more room that I didn't do at the time but now feel that I should (It's going to be an office so needs lots more sockets) I suppose I was just being lazy as I've just built three huge bookshelves in there and filled them with books.

 

[breezer]

look at it from the next persons point of view "what silly person did that"

all cables should go under the floor, they are out of harms way, and you know they are there, but what if some other trades person (or diy) puts a nail through the skirtig board, if you have "clading" it will just be harder to hit the nail but hit it they will