Groove in Drywall

[telecomguy]

I'm trying to route a small wire thru the house and was considering how I could conceal it (home entertainment/not power). A thought I had was to use a router or other tool to run a shallow groove in the ceiling adjacent to molding or ceiling/wall intersect. I'd then mud the wire into the groove and touchup paint. Is this a totally stupid idea? Am I going to kill the structural integrity of the drywall? Would it depend on whether I'm running parallel vs perpendicular to ceiling joists?

 

[berkshire]

You need to find out if that drywall is also a firewall.Why not remove the molding and run it underneath?
B.E.

The good engineer does not need to memorize every formula; he just needs to know where he can find them when he needs them. Old professor

 

[jittles]

With tape and mud the fire wall issue is irrelevant - it's just like any other joint that gets tape and mud to form a fire rated assembly.

I don't think this would even register on a list of structural concerns -- it's not like you are a plumber with a hole saw...

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Possibly look down - pull the molding off just so slightly and put it in there??

 

[msquared48]

I'd go with Mike's suggestion - pull the floor molding and put it behind that.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[woodman88]

An unlikely problem is if this is on the roof/ceiling level and the building has a gable roof. The building designer may have (not likely IMHO but possible) used the ceiling sheathing to brace the end wall. In this case cutting the edge if along the exterior wall would reduce diaphragm value and could leave the wall unbraced.

Garth Dreger PE - AZ Phoenix area
As EOR's we should take the responsibility to design our structures to support the components we allow in our design per that industry standards.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Install self-stick foil tape cable over the drywall and paint over it.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[TXStructural]

The drywall may provide bracing along the studs, but a groove will not impair that. However, you will be creating a discontinuity, and if there is any stress on the drywall in the future, due to movement of the foundation, or shifting or shrinkage of wood members, you will get a crack along the weakness. This is why good drywallers don't extend seams from the corners of windows and doors.

There should be no reason you cannot simply put a pair of holes in the drywall near the top and at the bottom and fish the wire. There may be fireblocking in the wall, about mid-height. Across a ceiling, I'm guessing you don't have an accessible attic space. If you have crown molding, there is probably a gap behind the molding. Drill a pair of holes where you need them, then vacuum a string with a cotton ball tied in the end from one hole to the other (works if the drywall is properly closed.) Pull your wire through with the string. Another thing I have done is to add a small molding to the edge of an existing one. The slight change in profile adds to the look.