atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring backboard question

The contractor for this build out is putting in the backboard in my closet.

He seems cool so far. I told him 3/4 or 5/8 but he's putting 1/2 inch board.

I came in too late for design and just grabbed this room and put my "flag" up TTB!

Currently I have a 48 port patch panel, 24 port switch, a handful of RG-6 runs, ADT security control unit, Dell 1900 server (not rack), a few 18/2 cables for future sound system, possible phone system in the future, etc. I can't think of much else. Oh yeah...Demarc too...

How much backboard should I have him put up?

He just called and said he put up 2 foot. The closet is about 4ft wide x 4ft deep x 10ft high.

I have to go check it out.

I would go with a 4x8 sheet and lay this out for what I need now and expansion. Not sure how big the battle would be but i would ask for 3/4" as that is what it is supposed to be (according to the standards anyways) . This also needs to be coated with (2) coats of fire rated paint. They should leave a sticker on the backboard with the paint manufactures fire ratings on it.

What are you mounting your equipment in/on? The backboard or a rack? Floor mounted or wall mounted?

How big an area is the customers space?

4'x4' seems awful small, unless the customers space is pretty small.

You were right - a 1/2" backboard is too thin. We never hang anything - even 66/110 blocks with anything less than a 3/4" screw. A 1/2" backboard is barely able to support that. A 1" screw will start pushing the backboard off the wall.

2' x ? Even 2x10 is too small. It should have been at least 4'.

Sam

I'm going wall mounted. They are cramped for space and no one ever thinks of the "comm room".

2400 sq. ft office!

I can't see myself getting a rack in there plus it's too much anyway.

I told him it should be 5/8 or 3/4 and he looked away saying, "Aww... 1/2 inch is fine...I'll put 1/2 inch."

I'm about to throw that shit in the garbage and put my own stuff up. I think he just wants it done before they paint...WEEKS from now.

I don't think there will be too much of a problem if I get stuck with 1/2 inch. It wouldn't push the board off the wall if there is no block behind it. It's just your standard 4 inch dry wall type of wall.

Always wondered why they require fire coating...

Never seen them check...

I have some of these in a couple of places and they work great for a small switch for a wall mount.

https://www.chatsworth.com/Product_Docs/11583_CUT.PDF

Here is a picture of one I put in one of our clinics with a 48 port Cisco switch in it.
https://www.geocities.com/mikeydidit2007/after.JPG

Just have him do floor to ceiling on two walls. And 1/2 inch is fine as long as it's real plywood. No reason at all for 3/4 unless it's right smack on concrete and you don't want your screws to go through into the concrete. You're not talking about supporting any real weight here.

-Hal

If you have drywall behind it you could get by with 1/2 inch so long as you don't put much weight on it and you use a high quality plywood not pressboard. Screws have little grab in pressboard. What I would do is let mr. cheap install the 1/2 inch wood, at least a 4x8 sheet. Then, where the weight will be, the wall mount rack, beef it up and lag bolt on a section of 1/2 inch at least 4x4. Or use 2 inch screws to tie it in to the wall studs. Use a screw ever 8 inches. That should give you plenty of strength and enough wood for your lag bolts to secure the rack to the wall. You should easily get 200 pounds of support with that arangement.

Geeze, all I heard was a 48 port patch panel and a security panel. :read:

Now we are hanging racks...

-Hal

Switch and server will need to be in a wall mount rack. Thats why I suggested to him to go ahead and hang the 3/4" stuff and have something secure to work with.

You can find the studs (metal or wood) on the existing wall and lay lines out on your sheet the same. Then shoot drywall screws through the sheet of plywood into the wall and not have to worry about it coming down on you later. You may want to predrill the sheet to make the screws hold good and tight.

Not sure how many pairs you have coming in for your demark, but the protectors get heavy too.

why Mike ?

looks to me like it would all fit nicely in a 7' floor rack

It doesn't sound like he will have enough floorspace to mount a 7'rack. You know how they want to cram everything in a 4x4 room and expect you to get it all in there.

missed that post mike

I would probably still go with a floor mount


4x4 still plenty of room for one 19" 7' rack

Certainly if you are going to hang a wall mounted rack you need to do more than think about how thick the backboard should be. Partitions constructed with light gauge steel studs, even with 5/8" rock on each side and 3/4" plywood on one side does not provide much in the way of support. Often heavier studs need to be used, blocking provided or that partition needs to be framed with real wood, if that's allowable under the fire rating.

-Hal

If you put in a two-post rack, make sure you have at least three feet of space between three sides of the rack and the opposing walls. I am not sure if its part of regulations but its my standard practice. I just think a person in a wheelchair or one of the big IT guys should also be given access around the data rack.

...make sure you have at least three feet of space between three sides of the rack and the opposing walls.

Gonna be real tough to do in a 4x4' room.

-Hal