Installing wall cupboard over electrical conduit

[seanf]

I am installing a couple of kitchen wall cupboards for storage in my garage workshop. One is now up, but the second will go where there is currently some round conduit leading to a power socket I want to keep. Is there a preferred option for this as I can either cut the back of the cupboard to fit around the trunking or cut out a section of trunking and have that part of the cable run in the small void at the back of the cupboard

Thanks

Sean

 

[Spectric]

I would leave the conduit alone and the easy way is to just use battens to bring the cupboard out so it clears the conduit as it is in the garage and not the kitchen. The other way is just cut the cupoard as you said and again it is in the garage and not the misus's kitchen.

 

[mwinfrance]

Paint a red line inside the cupboard where the conduit is covered and "mark electrical conduit underneath" ,for the safety of anyone coming along after you and trying to drill directly on top of it, or put a screw in, or might even be yourself in later ( forgetful times as one gets older ) 10 minutes to save a life, which might be yours, or one of your family.

 

[Bingy man]

Notch out or drill the cabinet sides affected with a little clearance and as above don’t cut the conduit-you will almost certainly damage the cable or worse your hand .- stay safe

 

[SDev]

Hang cabinets on French cleats? Should give clearance and easy access in case required in future. Mark cabinet indicating conduit position as already suggested.

 

[seanf]

Thank you all. I was thinking of taking the conduit down to cut it but looking again it actually runs up into the plastered ceiling, so I think I will go with the suggestions of cutting the cupboard to fit. I used metal brackets to fit the first wall cupboard, so want this one to match and sit flush against the wall. It may only be a garage, but I want it to look its best! Good suggestion to mark it for safety as well

So now I'm decided I just need to find some time to actually get on with it, which is always the hardest part for me

Sean

 

[Bingy man]

Thank you all. I was thinking of taking the conduit down to cut it but looking again it actually runs up into the plastered ceiling, so I think I will go with the suggestions of cutting the cupboard to fit. I used metal brackets to fit the first wall cupboard, so want this one to match and sit flush against the wall. It may only be a garage, but I want it to look its best! Good suggestion to mark it for safety as well

So now I'm decided I just need to find some time to actually get on with it, which is always the hardest part for me

Sean

Brilliant- taking your time is the best approach, not wishing to teach you to suck eggs but don’t assume all the electric cables are in nice visible conduit ( unless it’s a solid brick wall with no plaster or plasterboard ) cables can be hidden anywhere and then lie in wait to catch you off guard . Take all necessary precautions and there are some decent cable detectors available.

 

[seanf]

not wishing to teach you to suck eggs

Always happy for any advice thank you. Fortunately all three garage walls are made of blocks and the electrician ran all cables for power and the light switch down from the ceiling in the round style conduit. He even went as far as ensuring every clip was perfectly aligned with the rest, so it does look tidy. I had to plan for sockets before the garage was built, otherwise I would have had this one installed a meter over to avoid having the cupboard in front of the cable but there we go, can’t think of everything when planning things!

Sean

 

[toolsntat]

Sometimes the backs of wall cupboards are best left alone.

If this is plastic trunking why would you not pop the cover, move the cable to one side, trim it suitably and then have the cable in the void (assuming there is one) ?

Nice tidy job with full strength of cabinet retained.
EDIT, JUST SEEN YOU HAVE ROUND CONDUIT....

Cheers, Andy

 

[trvlr]

Many wall mount cabinets have a recessed back panel which even after the cabinet is mounted, by whatever hardware (metal usually) provided, retrains that recess/clear space and yet the sides of the cabinet are flushh fitting to the wall. The top panel may/may note often also "open - i.e. there is small gap between that top panel and the wall itself. If there is that gap then it's often aroind 20mm or so and thus surface condtuits etc. can pass safely behind. If the top ss flush but there is a recess cavity behind it then all one has to do is to notch the top panel to accommodate the conduit pass through.

That recess is more often there than not and allows for any surface mounted pipes to pass behind en-route to wherever.

All depends on the make and style of the cabinet involvded.

Whichever..., as others advise, clearly mark inside the cabinet that is there is live cable installation behind sed installed cabinet; perhaps a Dymo label at the the top of the cupboard inside, or some other reasonably permanent marking to show where the cable is.

 

[seanf]

why would you not pop the cover

Unfortunately it's not one with a cover, it's a round plastic pipe type with the wire directly inside. I would need to take the socket off and remove the conduit entirely to cut it without risking the cable

EDIT: Whoops, I just saw your edit where you spotted the conduit type!

Sean

 

[seanf]

Many wall mount cabinets have a recessed back panel

The cabinets do have a small amount of space once mounted but not enough for the conduit. It could be used to hide the cable behind but I am wary of trying to remove the conduit now I have seen it has been plastered around for the ceiling

Sean

 

[okeydokey]

just notch the cupboard and mark inside - its done by the time you stop thinking about it
or position the cupboard to avoid covering the conduit

 

[DRC]

I am installing a couple of kitchen wall cupboards for storage in my garage workshop. One is now up, but the second will go where there is currently some round conduit leading to a power socket I want to keep. Is there a preferred option for this as I can either cut the back of the cupboard to fit around the trunking or cut out a section of trunking and have that part of the cable run in the small void at the back of the cupboard

Thanks

Sean

I'm confused with the different descriptions, is it "round conduit" or is it "trunking???

 

[RogerS]

I'm confused with the different descriptions, is it "round conduit" or is it "trunking???

Round conduit is exactly that....round ! Trunking is square or rectangular with a removeable cover....(usually).

 

[TomGW]

Round conduit is exactly that....round ! Trunking is square or rectangular wit he removeable cover....(usually).

 

[TomGW]

Surely the best option is to reposition the ‘back’ to create a deeper void. It might involve dismantling the original cupboard but shouldn’t be beyond the capabilities of anyone here. If the existing back is just hardboard in a slot it can usually be unfastened and slid out. Replace it with 18mm MFC for a stronger cabinet

 

[Spectric]

I think a lot are overlooking the fact this is in a garage and in this case making the task as simple as possible by just using battens to bring the cupboard forward to clear the conduit has to be the easiest solution so as you can fill the cupboard and actually get on with doing the actual planed jobs in the workshop. If it was a kitchen then you would question why there was conduit running down the wall in the first place.

 

[mwinfrance]

I think a lot are overlooking the fact this is in a garage and in this case making the task as simple as possible by just using battens to bring the cupboard forward to clear the conduit has to be the easiest solution so as you can fill the cupboard and actually get on with doing the actual planed jobs in the workshop. If it was a kitchen then you would question why there was conduit running down the wall in the first place.

Our house the french sparkies at the time ( old house ) just buried the cables in the plaster which was applied to the walls. Surprises galore, I eventually decide it was simpler to remove all plaster and rewire, doing the kitchen at the moment, oh what fun.

 

[Spectric]

Just burrying cables in plaster was just all to common once upon a time in the Uk, what made it so much worse was they did not just run vertical but also horizontally and diagonally. It does still happen, I have seen places where they have cliped cables to a wall and then the plasterers have slapped there dot and dab boards over the top.