I have a finished basement that's mostly underground, and I'm considering cutting a shallow channel, about 1 inch deep, into the face of my concrete retaining wall that holds back roughly 4 feet of soil. This channel would be placed around 18 inches from the bottom of the wall. My main worry is that this could weaken the wall since it's not just a retaining wall but also a perimeter wall supporting the upstairs level. I suspect it's a reinforced concrete wall since I had to drill into another part of it for a vent and it was solid. I'm hoping to install an electrical outlet in a section of this wall that currently has none. Alternatively, I'm also thinking about routing the conduit across the ground and surface mounting it instead.
3 Answers
I really wouldn’t recommend cutting into a wall that’s holding up your house. It could definitely weaken it, which is a bad idea. You might want to consider running conduit for the outlet instead. There are nice-looking options out there. If you absolutely have to make a cut, definitely consult with a structural engineer first.
You should get a real engineer to check this out. This isn’t something to figure out based on internet opinions. It’s about the integrity of your home!
Instead of cutting into the wall, why not just surface mount the conduit? It might be more work to cut the channel, and it could risk the wall’s stability. Trust me, surface mounting can look good without all the effort. Just check out paintable raceways like those from Wiremold if you want a cleaner aesthetic!
I know what you mean about wanting a cleaner look. I have mine surface mounted now, but I might consider doing that too since I don’t want to risk the wall’s stability. If I do channel, I’ll probably just go about 1/2" deep since there’s about that much plaster.