Pipes into stud walls

[Danielxxx]

Hi, our doer upper currently has radiators that have been fitted with pipes running down the walls. We would like them to be hidden in the stud walls. Reading up, some people say use plastic, others say do it with copper. I think I'd prefer copper but would that mean my plumber would have to make lots of joints in the wall or is it done in one piece of pipe with a bend at the end? Should these be insulated in the wall as well?

 

[Scott_D]

Are you removing plaster board etc to get access?

 

[Danielxxx]

Well, not me but I'm happy for the plumber to take off plasterboard etc as it's getting a re skim.

 

[Scott_D]

It would depend on how the wall was built - noggins etc
It may be possible to get a full length of copper in but it’s probably going to be more work and so more money than useing plastic.

 

[Aire]

It isnt really necessary to have more than one join when running copper pipes in stud wall. Depending on the stud wall and whats above it, you can sometimes feed a full length of copper up and then drop it back down the wall. If not then feed half a length up, half a length down and join in the middle.

 

[Danielxxx]

I think I'd prefer them to use copper, maybe I'm old school.

 

[Riley]

Nothing old school about it. There’s a right and a wrong way to do things. In 99% of cases when you run plastic in a wall you end up with at least 1 fitting in the wall or in plaster

 

[hammers4spanner]

Prefer plastic myself only reason like less effort and hate cold hands

 

[hammers4spanner]

Oh and other reason is with copper I have to open my pipe rack and can never find key for padlock.

So its plastic for me

 

[OffshoreGas]

One thing to be aware of before you start taking big chunks out of stud walls is that they can be structural too. Some stud walls are just partitions, others may be holding parts of your house up. If it’s the latter I’d think twice about weakening it by notching, probably OK if you drill but then again depends where and how much.

 

[Stu-B]

Planning is the key. Plastic comes in much much longer lengths than copper so the need to joint is much less, and is much more flexible to route through stud walls if you need to drill noggins and upright timbers.

 

[SimonG]

Copper.

 

[Best]

I only use copper.
Anywhere you drill through noggins etc, be sure to wrap something around the pipe to prevent creaks when pipes are heating and cooling.

 

[Welder]

Copper. Less air ingress = less corrosion.