Protecting Communication Cable
Use this trick to avoid accidentally cutting cable when installing drywall.
When you rough in nonmetallic sheathed cable, you can tuck it into the very back of the box so the drywallers avoid it when cutting out the boxes. But TV and communication cable is not as stiff and can fall out and get cut by the drywall router.
To solve this problem, we have our electricians run the cable into the top of the box, where the top staple holds the cable snug. The cable then continues out the bottom of the box where it’s held in place with a staple that’s not quite tight. They leave about 1 ft. of extra cable on the loose side that can be pulled back into the box when it’s time to install the jacks.
Click here to enlarge the illustration
—Jake Bruton, Columbia, Mo.
Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #291
More electrical tips:
Easy-Read Wire Strippers – A simple modification makes stripping wires faster and more reliable.
Get a Grip on Light Bulbs – A DIY tape handle simplifies swapping blown bulbs.
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