# Nail plates on both sides of 2x3 stud regardless?



## TLinSTL (Nov 28, 2011)

I just roughed in an apartment that had caught fire because of the aluminum wiring. I demoed what was left and replaced everything with Romex. A lot of the studs were 2X3. I drilled towards one side so I would only have to put nail plates on the one side. 

One of our estimators met with the inspector the next day because he wouldn't go into a vacant unit and he said that every wire through a 2x3 stud had to have nail plates on both sides, regardless. I thought the nail plates were required only when the hole was within 1.25" of the edge of the stud. Is this code or another inspector with his own code?

He did pass it but only after my estimator promised to go buy the nail plates and put them on every 2x3.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

what do mean by towards one side? the out side where nothing is changing, or what. if you drilled toward the out side and no work is being done there, then you you should be more than the required clearance from the insidebesides the 1.25 clearance should suffice unless the drywallers use longer screws, then not your fault


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

If the hole is not closer than 1¼" from the edge, then no nail plate is required.


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

papaotis said:


> what do mean by towards one side? the out side where nothing is changing, or what. if you drilled toward the out side and no work is being done there, then you you should be more than the required clearance from the insidebesides the 1.25 clearance should suffice unless the drywallers use longer screws, then not your fault


Even then you should be careful, I've had to slide flattened nail guards between stud and outer wall to satisfy inspector. I believe he was right, people change exterior of homes at some point, which could present a problem then unless it brick, eg siding, hardy board, etc.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

480sparky said:


> If the hole is not closer than 1¼" from the edge, then no nail plate is required.


CEC has the same rule. We drill to one side and only plate the shallow side (at least here in Manitoba)


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

GEORGE D said:


> Even then you should be careful, I've had to slide flattened nail guards between stud and outer wall to satisfy inspector. I believe he was right, people change exterior of homes at some point, which could present a problem then unless it brick, eg siding, hardy board, etc.


I see his point, but the siding screws and nails are out of our control.
That being said, I can truly say, I've never seen 2x3s on an exterior wall. 
If I was an inspector, I would be more concerned about the cabinet installers when they hang the uppers. Those guys like 4" screws. 
We usually run in the 18" between the counter top and the uppers. Otherwise, we run about 2 feet from the floor.


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## TLinSTL (Nov 28, 2011)

papaotis said:


> what do mean by towards one side? the out side where nothing is changing, or what. if you drilled toward the out side and no work is being done there, then you you should be more than the required clearance from the insidebesides the 1.25 clearance should suffice unless the drywallers use longer screws, then not your fault


I just mean not right in the middle like I do with 2x4 studs. I offset the hole knowing I'm using 1 nail plate on that side, but not having to use one on the other (or so I thought).



wcord said:


> I see his point, but the siding screws and nails are out of our control.
> That being said, I can truly say, I've never seen 2x3s on an exterior wall.
> If I was an inspector, I would be more concerned about the cabinet installers when they hang the uppers. Those guys like 4" screws.
> We usually run in the 18" between the counter top and the uppers. Otherwise, we run about 2 feet from the floor.


In this apartment, they actually used 2x3s on the exterior wall, but it was up against cinderblock so that wasn't a problem. I also run in that backsplach area for that same reason. I've seen those cabinet guys with huge screws too many times.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

But doesn't the inspector believe that the miracle AFCI breaker that he enforces will protect these cables from bursting in spontaneous combustion in the event a nail or screw does hit them?


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## TLinSTL (Nov 28, 2011)

Shockdoc said:


> But doesn't the inspector believe that the miracle AFCI breaker that he enforces will protect these cables from bursting in spontaneous combustion in the event a nail or screw does hit them?



Haha. No kidding. 

I'm getting a little tired of each of these municipalities having their own inspectors and all of them having their own, non-published, ideas about what will pass.

Our boss has us drilling a hole for every single Romex all of the time because a couple of the inspectors have failed us for having two in one hole. He would rather just not take the chance.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I've found the majority of nail penetrations happen low, along the floor, where the trim guys are shooting 2" nails in, & we use stackers almost everywhere there is more than one wire ....~CS~


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## ElectricJoeNJ (Feb 24, 2011)

TLinSTL said:


> Haha. No kidding.
> 
> I'm getting a little tired of each of these municipalities having their own inspectors and all of them having their own, non-published, ideas about what will pass.
> 
> Our boss has us drilling a hole for every single Romex all of the time because a couple of the inspectors have failed us for having two in one hole. He would rather just not take the chance.


That's just ridiculous and a complete waste of time. Your boss needs to grow a pair.


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

TLinSTL said:


> Haha. No kidding.
> 
> I'm getting a little tired of each of these municipalities having their own inspectors and all of them having their own, non-published, ideas about what will pass.
> 
> Our boss has us drilling a hole for every single Romex all of the time because a couple of the inspectors have failed us for having two in one hole. He would rather just not take the chance.


Go in the office and shake your bosses hand while thanking him for being part of the problem ! The reason those inspectors, that you complain about, get away with crap like that is because people like your boss allow it.


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