# Shop wiring and walls



## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

Ok so I've finally scrapped together enough money in my secret stash to finalize my garage walls, I already have the R13 wall insulation it's 2×4 studs. Now my question is should I use 1/2" plywood or 3/4" plywood on the walls and should I run conduit on the outside of the walls or leave the existing runs in the walls…yes I will be hanging stuff on the walls.


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## Iguana (Jun 22, 2011)

Putting electrical in the walls is cheaper and keeps your walls free, but conduit or surface mount gives you the flexibility to make easy changes down the road. In something the size of a typical 2-car garage, I'd just put in-wall outlets every 6 feet and be done with it.

The real question is 120 or 240 

If you want to hang stuff on the walls without bothering to look for studs, use 3/4" plywood. That extra 1/4" makes a huge difference in holding a screw. For heavy stuff, you'll still want to look for a stud, though.


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## welcon (Dec 3, 2012)

Just went through the wiring thing in my new shop. I had far to many circuits to run on the outside of the wall, so they are all buried in the 2X6 walls. looks a lot neater too.


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## BArnold (May 20, 2013)

I ran all of the electrical in my 2×4 stud walls (16oc) before adding insulation. I spaced duplex 120V outlets at 4' intervals on each wall, 50" above the floor and put each wall on a seperate breaker at the panel. I ran individual 220V circuits to locations where I knew I needed them or might need them, each one on a seperate breaker.

For wall covering, I used 1/4" white pegboard on the upper 4' and 1/4" lauan ply on the bottom 4'. If I need to hang anything really heavy on a wall, I can hit a stud very easily. Using white pegboard brightened the shop considerably without having to paint the walls. I left the lauan unfinished - this is a shop, after all.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

nick.. look in my blog/projects to see how i did electrical in my garage.
i opted to go wiring in the wall because romex 14/2, 12/2, 10/3 was noticeably cheaper than purchasing conduit and THHN (?) wire.
if you decide to go thru the walls, there are do's and dont's, things to expect, pro's and con's.
definitely consider writing down a map of machinery location and future locations to add 220v wiring. i have 4 220v outlets. and consider putting a alternative outlet in the ceiling for drop cords. and lighting. and bleh bleh bleh  the list goes on forever.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

If you decide to go with wiring in-the-wall, take some pictures for future reference in case you want to cut an opening in the wall for a window or a DC pipe.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

If you decide to go with wiring in-the-wall, take some pictures for future reference in case you want to cut an opening in the wall for a window or a DC pipe.


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

Totally agree with MikeK above.


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## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

I have both 120v and 220v I have 100amp service and I have about 5 220v lines spread around the garage only 2 used at anyone time (DC and whatever tool I happen to be at) so no danger there, I think I'll just draw layout lines of the wire paths and the studs and put up 3/4" and keep the in wall stuff.

Thanks guys


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

if going thru the studs, like what i did…

get a heavy duty right angle drill to drill your holes in a straight line all the way across if possible. 
you maybe have single and double 2×4's studs to go thru.
might hit a nail so will have to go up or down 1/4" 
remember to drill dead center of stud with a 1/2" bit or upto 5/8" bit (i forget which is max).
if you foresee some future nails or screw penetrations near the pathway on the 2×4, install nail-guard.
you can fit a 10/2 and 10/3 thru a single 1/2" hole, or 2 12/2's thru a 1/2" hole.
wear gloves  i had lots of cuts and slices from the exterior stucco wall nails poking at my hands.


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## jackthelab (Jan 10, 2011)

I went through the studs for my wiring. I covered my walls with 1/2" OSB and painted it. Everything came out pretty well. IMHO - don't really like to see the conduit unless in a pole shed.


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## JADobson (Aug 14, 2012)

Remember that plywood wall covering won't pass code in a lot of areas and it can be a serious fire hazard compared to drywall.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

I went with drywall and put conduit in the walls. Now if I decide that I need heavier or more circuits I can just pull new wires through the conduit. It made the electrical inspector happy also, he said it wasn't often he sees conduit in residential garages.
Mike


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I prefer conduit on the wall surface but in either case I recommend four-plex instead of duplex outlets.


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## tefinn (Sep 23, 2011)

+1 on what JADobson said. If you have an attatched garage shop you can't use wood on the walls and pass code in most areas. Sometimes outside walls can get away with wood covering. If you have living space above the garage that's an even bigger no-no.


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## UpstateNYdude (Dec 20, 2012)

My garage is detached and one of my friends is the code enforcement officer for the town, I already asked and he said it is fine so long as the building is detached and more then 10ft from another structure which it is in both cases.


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## todd1962 (Oct 23, 2013)

I used OSB on my walls as well with the wiring through the studs. Did it all myself and had it inspected with no problem. I painted my OSB with oil-based Kilz (white) to provide better light distribution. I found there was no need to paint over the Kilz as it looked just fine. Now I can pretty much hang anything anywhere and don't have to worry about knocking holes in sheetrock.


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