Chased pipes into wall.

[Andrew Stride]

What is the minimum depth of plaster required to cover central heating pipes chased into a wall, my plumber has left about 1mm of space from the surface of pipes to the surface of the plaster, I'm doing the filling but I'm not an expert and 1mm don't seem enough to me. Can someone please advise me.

 

[Aire]

Too shallow, the heat from the pipes will cause expansion and it will crack.

 

[chris watkins]

Deep enough so that with the expansion & contraction of the heating system the plaster will not crack & fall out.
IMHO Heating pipes should not be chased into walls, I don't even like it when they put the plastic pipes behind dot & dab plaster board!!
Whats the mater with surface runs & if you must then box them in or use a cover system, at least you know where they are in the future .

 

[Sharp Point]

Too shallow, the heat from the pipes will cause expansion and it will crack.

Actually depends on the protective surface. If it’s 1mm above foam/ horsehair lagging.... it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference. If it was 1mm above copper or tape wrapped copper then yes it would.

I thought I would clarify that for you again Craig

 

[Aire]

I thought I would clarify that for you again Craig

Clarify it for me again? Have we had this conversion before?

1mm is too thin regardless of what the pipes are wrapped in. It's simply too thin of a skim not to crack in any scenario.

 

[Andrew Stride]

Too shallow, the heat from the pipes will cause expansion and it will crack.

 

[Andrew Stride]

Clarify it for me again? Have we had this conversion before?

1mm is too thin regardless of what the pipes are wrapped in. It's simply too thin of a skim not to crack in any scenario.

Thanks Graig, much appreciated, looks like I will have to recall the plumber.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Where’s the chase located

 

[AMGasServices]

What finish do you want to achieve for this area.

 

[Rob Foster]

This one comes up often. Pipes expand and contract with heat and pressure. Simply chased into the wall and plastered over
is not correct. the finish will be compromised crack and eventually fall off. I always have
pipes put into deep buried trunking ,then covered. Thats the best way re walls
centralheatking

 

[WC1]

Definitely too shallow as above, I'd speak to the plasterer youre getting in and ask exactly what he wants. Last thing you need is him not liking it when he comes to it after plumbers re done it.

 

[Best]

Pipes in plastic sleeve pipes if possible and I would say buried at least flush with the actual block/brick wall so you can have maximum depth of plaster.
So typically minimum of about 12 or 15mm plaster imo

 

[Andrew Stride]

Where’s the chase located

The chase is located in the lounge, from ceiling to just above the skirting board.

 

[Andrew Stride]

What finish do you want to achieve for this area.

After it's been filled and smoothed over we were hoping for a painted finish.

 

[AMGasServices]

After it's been filled and smoothed over we were hoping for a painted finish.

It’s best to sleeve the pipe and skim the wall and then skim over the pipes.

 

[offgridman]

Having just spent 1 1/2 days locating and replacing leaking pipes buried in a plastered wall and also into sub-floor screed, my vote is deffo for sleeving or ducting. The copper pipes I dug out were corroded to hell. Also agree, 1 or 2mm of gypsum plaster will crack up.

 

[richard978]

Too shallow, it will crack. Fact is the pipework should not be in direct contact with plaster.

It can run behind plaster board but stucking it in render will create all sorts of issues. Firstly it will crack and it could also attack the copper, what happens

if you get a leak or you hit it hanging a picture. Repair could be a night mare.

Think of future maintenance and hiding pipework looks great now but in 5 years when a leak starts what then. It's bad enough taking up floor boards and a plumber will charge you a big premium for finding a leak in a wall and he won't guarantee his work from future leaks. Plus your insurance might not pay out

 

[Aire]

Too shallow, it will crack. Fact is the pipework should not be in direct contact with plaster.

It can run behind plaster board but stucking it in render will create all sorts of issues. Firstly it will crack and it could also attack the copper, what happens

if you get a leak or you hit it hanging a picture. Repair could be a night mare.

Think of future maintenance and hiding pipework looks great now but in 5 years when a leak starts what then. It's bad enough taking up floor boards and a plumber will charge you a big premium for finding a leak in a wall and he won't guarantee his work from future leaks. Plus your insurance might not pay out

There's is nothing wrong with burying pipes in rendered/plastered walls. They just need to be protected.

 

[richard978]

Yes we used to do it on new builds but when you have to repair them it's a right ordeal. Chasing out render and then cutting away tape and fitting a slip socket because there is no give in the pipework

 

[Aire]

Yes we used to do it on new builds but when you have to repair them it's a right ordeal. Chasing out render and then cutting away tape and fitting a slip socket because there is no give in the pipework

Tape isn't a proper method of protection though is it, it offers no form of protection from abrasion caused by expansion and contraction. Pipes should be sleaved with either felt sleaving/wrap or use plastic coated copper.