ᐅ Procedure for Installing Electrical Outlets in an Unfinished Wall of a Timber Frame Structure

Hello everyone,

I have some questions for experienced electricians or DIY enthusiasts working with timber frame houses/wood frame construction:
How do you prepare outlets and switches on walls that are not yet covered or insulated, meaning interior walls that are still open on one side, or the installation level on exterior walls?
For example, on the installation level that will be insulated later: Do you attach the cables to the exterior wall and let them extend into the room where an outlet will be installed? When insulating later with wood wool, do you push the cable through the wood wool and leave space for the flush-mounted box in the wood wool? Or how is this usually done?
I would appreciate any experiences or photos.
Thank you very much.

Just leave the cables hanging in the right place in front of the insulation, for example, fix them with tape. After installing the drywall or sheathing, you drill your hole and pull the cables out.

Lumpi_LE schrieb:
You simply leave the cables hanging in front of the insulation at the right spot, for example securing them with tape. After sheathing, you drill your hole and pull the cables out.

But you do mean that the insulation is installed first in front of the cables, and then you pull the cables through at the desired locations?
What I've always wondered is how to avoid accidentally drilling into cables that are already in place behind when installing outlets later [emoji6]

No, the cables go in first; otherwise, you would have to stand right there the whole time while the drywall installer is working and keep routing the cables through, which is unnecessary.
You should have a bit of care when drilling, but usually nothing happens.

Since I will be doing the electrical installation and drywall work myself, I will probably attach the cables directly to the installation level first and then install the insulation in front of them. Otherwise, it will be difficult to fix the cables to the insulation because my battens for the installation level run horizontally. I still need to test whether I can press the flush-mounted boxes into the wood fiber insulation; if not, I will cut the insulation with a cross-cut. I will drill the holes in the gypsum fiber boards before mounting the boards on the wall.

We installed the cables before the insulation and did not secure them anywhere along the route from the ceiling/floor to the junction box. You should still be able to drill holes afterward without damaging the cables. We had to do this for all ceiling outlets (about 60 in total) and did not damage or nick any cables.

You’re making a lot more work for yourself if you place the cables behind the insulation and then have to thread them through it. Simply pushing them through won’t work. Even if you drill the holes beforehand, it will likely require considerable measuring effort.

By the way, we were able to press the junction boxes easily toward the insulation material. We also used deep boxes everywhere.