# Rewiring 2nd floor from the attic; wires and attic floorboards



## Breakfasteatre (Sep 8, 2009)

In 2 weeks i will be rewiring a 2nd floor that was left knob and tube.
The plan is coming up a chase that goes from the basement into the attic with the feeds and then feeding everything from above in the attic.

The only thing im not too sure about is what to do in regards to the attic having floorboards. 
Have you guys just stapled the romex directly to the floorboards?
Routed laneways for the romex to run through?

The homeowner has just moved in and the attic is empty but i would assume he would be using the space for storage


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## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

if it is floor boards, I would pop up one or two rows of boards and drill the joist then put the floor boards back


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## RGH (Sep 12, 2011)

Any reason you can't pull up to the rafters and run through the rafters?


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## Breakfasteatre (Sep 8, 2009)

disregard, homeowner is going to remove all the floorboards in the attic


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

Breakfasteatre said:


> disregard, homeowner is going to remove all the floorboards in the attic


 You may be lucky, and be able to use the holes the tubes were in to rewire!

That is if you are removing the K and T.

If the floor boards are removed, that makes the whole job that much easier!

GOOD LUCK!

And..... HAPPY NEW YEAR.


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## kbatku (Oct 18, 2011)

There are usually, if not always, blocks in the wall above the K&T (held the tubes in place). They can be a real bear to get around.


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## zwodubber (Feb 24, 2011)

I'm doing the same thing, attic floorboards were loose above the cluster.

After and before this splice all wires were stapled to the joists...


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## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

Remember that for fishing down lathe and plaster walls, nothing beats a length of lion chain. That and when cutting in boxes, always make your first vertical cut on the side that does not attach to the stud, so that when you make your second cut the lathe is supported by the stud.(I hope that made sense).


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## kbatku (Oct 18, 2011)

...and carbide grit sawzall blades are excewllent for cutting P&L. They are marketed for tile, but excellent for this use.


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## Breakfasteatre (Sep 8, 2009)

hyey, those are great suggestions, thanks guys!

happy new year!


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## MasterE (Dec 31, 2011)

Did a rewire one time, I drilled a hole next to the sewer vent pipe in the attic and one in the basement. I was able to drop a length of small jack chain from the attic to the basement and pull a new wire in with that.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

Oscillating multi-tool. Best thing for cutting in lath and plaster. Ill never use a sawzall on that stuff again.


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

i always chip out plastic with a big screw driver and a hammer and then cut the lathe with my jab saw, works every time.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Rudeboy said:


> Oscillating multi-tool. Best thing for cutting in lath and plaster. Ill never use a sawzall on that stuff again.


agreed, but the blades are so $$$$$$$......~CS~


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## Whatevva (May 18, 2011)

Haven't tried the multi tool yet, but I've had good luck cutting the lath with a RotoZip (yes, the multi tool blades are wicked expensive...I add a line item for expendable tools when I have to use them)


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