Garage Wiring

[SPIKER]

My pole barn outlets are ALL set so a 4' sheet of OSB/PLYWOOD or DRYWALL will go UNDER it and the upper sheet is notched to drop OVER it. Same reason it makes installing outlets and panels easier as well as conforms to codes when gas is in the building to keep outlets off floor. My place has insulated concrete so most are GFI protected & color coded with WHITE ones for GFI but some outlets require equipment that will trip a GFI on start up so I also have black/brown outlets for NON-GFI use. For some reason a lot of equipment will trip GFIs on startup? My LED light and a Florescent light will trip GFI if they are 1st thing to START however if something else is running on that circuit they are fine/dont trip?

Mark

 

[farmer2009]

I don't have anything to add for the wiring but I do for the finishing part. Consider using a 5/4 treated decking board edge ways around the bottom of the wall. Then setting your sheeting on top of it. This way you can wash the floor without swelling the edges of your sheeting. Also stops it from picking up moisture from the concrete.

 

[B7510HSD]

I don't have anything to add for the wiring but I do for the finishing part. Consider using a 5/4 treated decking board edge ways around the bottom of the wall. Then setting your sheeting on top of it. This way you can wash the floor without swelling the edges of your sheeting. Also stops it from picking up moisture from the concrete.

Hey nice idea that makes sense as mine will be a mono slab and no stub walls..Thank you for the suggestion.

 

[AHNC]

NFPA 54 has changed as to the height of water heaters. Previous codes required 18" height. Due to the sealing of the combustion chambers (I'm blanking on the technical description) that 18" requirement has been waived on those water heaters. All other gas appliances require the 18" lift. In my new shop/garage if I did not cover the walls, I would have had to put all wiring in conduit. I chose to insulate and cover the walls with 1/2" plywood. I set it vertically so I can get into any section of the walls easily.

 

[ClaudDKLyons]

I'm doing research now on the web. Appears I need to make up my mind as to the walls being covered or not on how the wires are run.

 

[Oldpath05]

I skimmed through the posts and read one good tip on outlet height, going by how wide plywood is leaning against the wall, 48", I'm in the middle of wiring my garage so I'm going to keep that in mind. I was just going by how far I didn't want to bend down to plug a tool in.
I read IMO, one bad idea for a working garage, putting wiring on the outside of the studs, I'm leaving my 2x6x14' studs uncovered and I'm running the 12-2/14-2 wire through 5/8" drilled holes here there and everywhere. I'm always banging something against the walls, I don't want to be worried of hitting the wire's, and then what if the next land owners a 100 years from now want's to hang aluminum sheetrock on the walls.

 

[B7510HSD]

They say some places code requires the wires on the studs if you aren't going to close the walls in....

 

[bearskinner]

I just built a tool room across the back of my shop, 24' x 12' with half a 8' ceiling and the other half at 12'. I did the walls out of 2x6's and ceiling with 2x8's so I can deck the top of the 8' ceiling for bulky storage. I put pressure treated 2x4's on their sides along the bottom around the whole interior, then 36" of OSB than another 2x4" above that. its great to act as a bumper, or to attach cabinets to, as there mounted to the studs in the walls. I also spent the extra coin to have the walls and ceiling spray foamed. the room is a sealed envelope, and stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I have a dehumidifier installed to keep it dry, and will add more lighting and a ceiling fan. Make sure you use a QUALITY primer on the OSB or you will never seal it, and the paint will just soak in. I went so far as to get a case of caulking, and seal every panel, and where they meet the 2x4's before priming. do it once, do it right.

 

[bearskinner]

With 2x6' walls, the wiring is safely in the center of the wall and ceiling studs as the 2 1/4" sheeting nails cant reach it with OSB on the face also. I put in way too many outlets, but once the foam went in, nothing can be moved or changed. all wiring along the inside of the studs needs to be stapled at the boxes and every 2'.

 

[bearskinner]

with the wiring in place, and encased in foam, I added the 2x4's, OSB walls, and caulked it all, including around the electrical boxes, for Zero air infiltration. Get a quality oil based primer, specific for OSB. I used a semi gloss to brighten up the room. trimmed the front wall the same way. eventually I'll add shelving to the front side. with the dehumidifier inside, its a climate controlled, dry room for toole etc. Its probably overkill for a room inside the shop, but in my opinion, "OVERKILL IS UNDER RATED" I don't think it will ever fall down.