Newbie trying to run a cable behind dog and dab

[Paul Jennings]

hello all, hoping someone can give me some advice please. I’m trying to add another socket into the corner of my living room on an outside wall. The house was built in 2013 and the wall is dot and dabbed. There is a socket directly above in a bedroom that I thought I could take the fed from. Once I finally got the chipboard floor up (after reading some posts on this forum, bloody glue ) I found a gap between the block wall and the ceiling below plasterboard. I thought I could simply knock through using a chisel in the gap Into the cavity below and using my super rods to fish the cables, but when I tried this the plasterboard downstairs started to swell.
I know the wall is dot and dabbed as I have removed another socket in the other corner of the wall, and there are 10mm diameter heating pipes that run down the wall presumably also in the cavity. Has anyone tried to do this in a modern house? And could there be two layers/thicknesses of plasterboard around the top of the wall?

 

[SJD]

Yes quite a few times, but you will often find at the top of the wall below, a horizontal solid few inches of e.g. plasterboard. A builder I sometimes work with always does that.

So you might have to either drill through it with a long drill bit from above, or use an SDS channelling tool.

Just to add, instead of lifting glued-down boards, I tend to cut a 100mm dia hole with a rebate to take a steel cover plate. Much easier and wont squeak afterwards.

 

[rsgaz]

There is supposed to be a continuous bead of dot & dab adhesive around the edges of a wall, so that's what you are hitting at the top...

 

[buzzlightyear]

LOL ,when is this op post run a cable wall dog &dab. me was thinking the planted a dog with with cable behind the wall. after he P** on it .

 

[Strima]

Around sockets etc there's also supposed to be a solid bead of bond IIRC for fire stopping and to stop insect ingress etc. Not sure if this is written into building regs anywhere.

Pot luck as to where your dabs are though.

 

[buzzlightyear]

fire stopping and to stop insect ingress

me don't think so

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

time for the multi tool and a bit of filler i think!!
I have one of them gecko tools which is basically a magnet and piece of string which you can move using another magnet the other side. works quite well for behind plaster boards.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I have one of them gecko tools which is basically a magnet and piece of string which you can move using another magnet the other side. works quite well for behind plaster boards

try one of these they do wonders .

 

[Strima]

me don't think so

I'm not watching all of that but Tommy must be right... Hence why I said I didn't know if was written into any regs anywhere...

 

[Paul Jennings]

Hi all many thanks for your replies! There was already a 100mm hole in the floor and armeg cover so I made the mistake of telling the wife this would be easy
I too had seen those plastering videos of how to dot and dab (not dog and dab ) so thought it would be hard but after looking at the cold chisel I was using it appeared to be white like plasterboard so maybe drilling would be better. Only issue with that is access due to skirting board etc. Does anyone know of a decent pivoting drill adaptor?

Strima thanks for your comment I will seal around the socket when I finally get a cable down there

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Can you not spur from a socket in the room, rather than trying to spur from a socket upstairs?

 

[Midwest]

You'll never completely 'fish' any cable across or down a section of dot dab wall, always be a lump of adhesive in the way, sods law. It will require removal of small sections (50mm x 50mm e.g.), to negotiate your route. Tap the wall to find the best route, avoiding the adhesive. And of course keeping within the prescribed zones

Keep the cut bits, for re-instatement after you've done, along with some filler or plasterboard adhesive.

 

[Paul Jennings]

Hello, thanks again for all your comments and suggestions. I’ve finally got the socket installed and working (pic attached), DIY takes a back seat these days to entertaining a toddler! I had to purchase a super rod flexi drill kit in the end to drill through the first layer of dabs at the top of the ceiling then after that it was a straight run to the socket with no dabs in the way drill cost £50 but worth it as I didn’t have to remove the wall paper! Next time decorating is last.

Cheers
Paul

 

[Midwest]

Thats shocking wallpaper by the way

 

[Paul Jennings]

Haha I can’t take any credit good or bad for the decor, I’m the one who knocks the place about

 

[Midwest]

By the by, there's some ocd'ers are gonna pull you up on your faceplates screwheads not being in the same orientation.

 

[telectrix]

all looks the same after the plastic inserts have been put in.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The slots are not vertical.

 

[telectrix]

i'm still searching the OP's pic for the dog.

 

[Paul Jennings]

screwheads

My OCD is kicking in now....none of the screw heads in any socket or switch in the house are the same and definitely not vertical! Time for the screwdriver.....