ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Plaster and Brick - no framing

I've got a kitchen remodel here. Brick covered with plaster. They are not going to fur (fir? fer?) out the walls at all...

Does that mean I am to channel out plaster and break out brick in order to install boxes and wire??

What are my limitations here? MC? EMT? Am I really supposed to try and install under cabinet fixtures using MC cable? I certainly would not be permitted to use romex in this installation would I?

Any suggestions? This is extremely atypical in my experience. I can't for the live of me figure out why they wouldn't demo the plaser and frame out the brick...

Wiremold is one option. Actually I did a farmhouse that was all brick and plaster on the first floor, and they weren't furring the wall. We channeled the brick for the wire and boxes. I don't remember many details though (1990 or 91) They DID fur ou the kitchen though. How do they plan on mounting cabinets-right to the brick?

There used to be an Article in the NEC tha was called "Under Plaster Extensions" and they took it out in the '93 edition. The wiring methods that you would be looking at will need to say suitable for embedding in plaster. AC, MC and MI cable are the cable wiring methods and of course you have numerous conduit wiring methods. Check Uses permitted,

suggestion:

Wait until the cabinets are up, run from the space below, and install plugmold along the cabinet top edge, or even along the upper cabinet, behind the under counter lighting.
Everything is supported by the cabinets, no channeling the plaster. NM is now OK.

PS, upper cabinets would be accessed from the ceiling.

That is a common scenario in the Southwest on the older homes. A lot of times they don't want to fir out because the rooms are already tiny.

I use a 4" grinder with a diamond blade to cut the channels, mostly behind where the base cabinets will go. You only have to channel from the recep to just below the top nailing strip on the cabinet. Don't forget to rig up some nail plates where the cable will pass behind the nailing strip.

Score out the holes for the boxes with the diamond blade, then use a core bit on your rotary hammer to remove most of the material, clean it up with a chisel. You can plaster the boxes in place with 20 min mud after you have installed the cables. Here we use MC cable or UF cable, we don't embed Romex in a brick wall. We are required to dig the channel deep enough for the 1.25" of cover.

At least on the old homes, the brick is real soft. We also do this on Mud Adobe, which is a real mess.

Don't forget a good respirator.