CAPPING hate putting on this stuff (is it just me?)

[darren bergin]

make it sound dead easy but not in reality when your trying to drive your nail into engineering brick or rock hard mortar

 

[maltaron]

I use cable clip pins in the mortar joints. If thats a problem drill small holes and bash in bits of wood to pin to.

 

[Richard C]

IEE Wiring regs 522.6.1

“522.6.1 Wiring systems shall be selected & erected so as to minimise the damage arising from mechanical stress, e.g. impact, abrasion, penetration, tension or compression during installation, use or maintenance.”
I don’t see anything in there that specifically requires the fitting of capping (steel or otherwise) or any mention of it being necessary to protect against a plasterer’s trowel. It’s more to do with cable management & that can easily be achieved either by covering loose cables with a cap or physically fixing them to the wall. You can’t just plaster over a bunch of cables dangling against the wall but as long as they are secured in some way a plasterer plastering over cables will not damage them with his trowel; it’s an urban myth or maybe sparks simply don’t understand the process & skill involved with plastering!

 

[stunlawless]

I use roofing sheet nails - about 3" long, 1" diameter head, galvanised.

Bang 'em into a convenient mortar joint - plenty of length to find something vaguely solid, big head to sit on the edge ofthe capping. Don't even think about nailing through the capping - put it in alongside a usethe head to clamp the edge to the wall

Works a treat on old houses with crumbly lime mortar. Probably a bit OTT on a more modern wall.

Slightly OT, I can verify that metal capping does work - I was chasing out recently when I found a cable not in a safe zone, but covered with steel capping. No damage to cable !

 

[sparkyspike]

maybe sparks simply don’t understand the process & skill involved with plastering!

Sorry Richard, I was just pulling your leg! I work with plasterers all the time and they're generally excellent at what they do.

They do like to 'hide' outlet boxes from time to time though....

Plumbers on the other hand...

 

[RMS]

When working with metal capping I use galv clout nails. I hammer these either side of the capping into the mortar lines. Never through the capping edge.
If the mortar lines are too hard then I drill 5.5mm or 6mm hole either side and plug them with red plugs then drive the nails through the plugs. If the nail heads do not overlap the capping then nail into the side of the plug closer to the capping.

Its all about making sure the chases are deep enough and the cables run straight with no kinks. I also fold the edges over at the end with some pliers leaving no sharp edges.

 

[starspark]

u go mr methodical!!!

 

[RMS]

I try my best

 

[Richard C]

Sounds good RMS & not much different to me. I also fold the edges over; it just pays to take a little more effort sometimes.