How deep should wires be chased in to walls?

If you’re running wires up or along a wall, the neatest option is to chase them in – or, in other words, bury them in the surface of the wall. But how deep should wires be chased in to walls?

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If you’re running wires up or along a wall, the neatest option is to chase them in. Or, in other words, bury them in the surface of the wall. But how deep should wires be chased in to walls? Read on to find out.

How deep should wires be chased in to walls?

Wires need to be chased in to walls at a decent depth. Otherwise, the plaster that covers them can easily crack. So, is there a minimum depth?

Well, this depends. If your wires are chased in at depths of less than 50mm then they must be either enclosed in steel tubing or RCD protected.

On the other hand, if your wires aren’t enclosed in steel tubing or RCD protected then they’ll need to be buried at a depth of at least 50mm. Just bear in mind that there is also a maximum depth. This is 16% for a horizontal run or 33% for a vertical run.

Find a trusted electrician to chase your wires

If you need wires chased in to a wall then be sure to find a trusted electrician to complete the job for you.

An experienced electrician will know how deep they need to chase in order to conform to building control and regulations. They’ll also be able to complete the job to a high standard that looks great as well as being safe.

Check out our tips on how to find the best electricians near you.

And to get going right now, simply enter your postcode in the box below and search our online directory of approved tradespeople: