I am adding electrical circuits to my garage in order to use it for shop space. Is it okay to notch corner studs to get wire around them? Studs are 2×4 and going above through the top plate gets me into the roof rafters.
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Usually, if you study it a bit, you can drill a couple of holes rather than notch. Drill one from each side so they intersect, with the drill held tight against the sheathing, so you're getting the best angle possible, rattle the bit around a little to enlarge the hole, and then bend a hook in the very end of the romex before you fish it through.
What Dan said ... also ... I THINK it's OK to notch ... just put in a protective plate on both sides, too.
Yeah, nail plates are probably a good idea even if you drill. You are apt to get the wire a little close to the face, and there will be a fair number of nails/screws going into those studs.
We're all assuming this is old construction, right?
If it's new construction in an unsided garage, you can bore holes from the outside through the sheathing and studs.
The quandry
You need to get the wire near the center of the studs to be safe. To do that, you compromise the maximum allowable depth of a notch cut into a bearing wall which is 25% the depth of stud. You should drill your holes. Using a nail on plates for protection only takes care of the wire covered by that plate. It's still possible to nail or drill that wire if not fully protected.
Have I done what you propose? More than likely, but I don't recommend it.
You could also do surface mount and forget notching alltogether. Easier to change later too.