What is a chase in a brick wall
Isabella Harris
Updated on March 22, 2026
When running cables or pipes up (or along) a masonry wall, the neatest method is to bury (or, in builders terms, chase) them in the wall surface. … Chases on opposite sides of a wall should not be in line, i.e. ‘back to back’.
What is a chase wall?
A: Chase walls are typically comprised of a double row of framing studs, providing extra depth of wall that serves as a vertical and horizontal shaft for plumbing and other service installations. … These aligned studs are then cross-braced with gypsum board. The braces are a nominal 24 inches long by 12 inches wide.
What does Chase mean in construction?
A chase, as it pertains to new home construction, is a vertical space in a wall that provides an area for pipes or wires to run through.
What is chases in masonry?
Electrical chase is a technique used for cutting proper channels in masonry or concrete. Chasing is a continuous recess within the floor, ceiling and walls for the required pipe work and conduit.How do you chase brickwork?
- Vertical chases should not be any deeper than one third of the total wall thickness.
- In a cavity wall, vertical chases should be no deeper than one third of the thickness of the skin they are being placed in.
- No chases, horizontal or vertical, should be made back to back.
How do you chase a single brick wall?
What is a chase cutout?
How deep should a chase wall be?
The document states that, vertical chases shouldn’t be deeper than 1/3 leaf of the wall, and horizontal chases shouldn’t be deeper than 1/6 of the leaf.
Shafts are Fire Protected chases. Chases are vertical and hide pipes, wires, ducts, etc.
How do you cut a chase in concrete?Chase cutting The builder simply sets the depth gauge, then runs the grinder up/down, or across the wall making two parallel cuts, the waste between the cuts is then knocked out used a cold chisel.
What is the difference between a chase and a shaft?
During concrete chasing, we use a hand-held cutting machine with a diamond blade to carefully create an opening in the material being cut. The blade and guard can be set to cut the width and depth required. Parallel cuts can be created dependShould electric cables be in conduit?
Article first time published on9 Answers from MyBuilder Electricians All cables should either be contained in steel conduit or protected by 30mA RCD. If these two cannot be met, then the cables should be installed at least 50mm (2") from the surface.
Will cement damage electrical cable?
It is not damaging to the cable, but it does mean re-threading is impossible, so any repair involves a chisel.
How wide are wall chases?
Horizontal chases should be no deeper than one sixth of the wall thickness - with standard 100mm blocks, that going to be 16mm which is usually quite sufficient – that's not allowing for any plaster coating.
Do cables in walls need trunking?
"The trunking you are referring to is called capping, this is there as a means of protecting the cable when it is being plastered, it is not essential but good practice.
Is surface wiring legal?
It is important to realize that surface wiring is only an acceptable practice indoors, and poses many safety concerns when implemented outside.
What is a chase drawer?
A bathroom vanity pipe chase is, most commonly, a cut-out in the drawers underneath the sink that allow room for the sink drain, like below.
What is a mechanical chase?
Mechanical chases are large openings in the attic plane that allow ducts, pipes or wire bunches to pass from the living space into the attic area.
What is a chase in a kitchen?
A Chase Scene Trope. Our hero flees the pursuing bad guys through a back door which leads to a kitchen, usually a commercial kitchen, like the kind you see in restaurants, though writers have used an ordinary home kitchen or the kitchen set o
What is a shaft wall?
Shaft wall systems are a specific category of interior fire-rated partitions designed to be installed from only one side. ... A vertical shaft wall system starts at one corner or up against an adjacent column or wall using a vertical segment
How do you chase breeze blocks?
Decide socket box placement.Mark placement.Chase out the socket box. Attach the Extreme Diamond blade to your multi-tool and begin to cut the notch. Find your local SMART stockist today to get your hands on the Extreme Diamond bl
Can you chase concrete walls?
The concrete wall may be a structural component, chasing it is a no as the wall will be weakened by the chase and the stability of the wall may be affected.
Can you chase concrete?
With high floor saws, it is possible to work hard concrete floor slabs. ... Through this, you can easily chase Floors, walls, and ceilings for any necessary pipeworks.
How deep do cables have to be buried?
Buried cables Where it is decided that cables will be buried in the ground, the cables should be routed such that they are not likely to be damaged by any foreseeable disturbance and should be buried at sufficient depth (normally taken as n
Does Romex need conduit?
Code and common sense both dictate that Romex shouldn't be left exposed but must run through conduits. If you are running it through the basement or attic (or both), the wire must past through studs or be secured on top of joists or trusses.
Can you run cables horizontally in walls?
Yes you can,the 17th regs says cables should be run verticaly or in safe zones you can also run horizontaly between two live points,in other words socket to socket.
Does concrete damage PVC cables?
If your asking if you can pour concrete over electrical wire and will it damage the insulation, probably yes, wires in the ground are usually inside of PVC tubing or pipe, unless the wires are meant for direct burial, meaning, it can be burie
Do electric cables need capping?
Technical discussion forums·Other and general engineering discussionsArchived categories
Can UF wire be buried in concrete?