How to Run Electrical Conduit

CONDUIT is the backbone of a professional-grade garage or workshop electrical installation. Unlike running cable behind finished drywall, surface-mounted conduit allows you to build out your power needs without opening up walls, giving you the flexibility to add outlets or lights exactly where your workflow demands them while keeping wires protected from impact. Done well, a conduit run is dead straight, securely anchored, and cleanly connected to metal junction boxes. It transforms a chaotic tangle of extension cords into a permanent, safe infrastructure. Focus on your layout and spacing, and you will end up with a system that looks like it belongs in a high-end commercial shop.

1. Map Your Route First. Mark the exact path for your conduit run using a level and a pencil. Identify where your junction boxes will sit, ensuring they align with studs or blocking to provide a solid mounting surface.
2. Anchor Boxes Solid. Mount your metal junction boxes to the wall surface using screws appropriate for your substrate. Use a drill to create pilot holes if mounting into concrete or masonry.
3. Size and Deburr Tubing. Measure the distance between the boxes and subtract the length of the conduit connectors. Use a hacksaw or a conduit cutter to cut the EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) to size.
4. Strap and Tighten. Insert the conduit into the connectors on the junction boxes and tighten the set screws. Install conduit straps every three feet and within twelve inches of every box to prevent sagging.
5. Thread Wires Through. Push your THHN/THWN electrical wires through the conduit from one box to the next. Use a fish tape if the run has several bends or is longer than ten feet.
6. Connect and Ground. Strip the ends of the wires and make your final connections to outlets, switches, or lights inside the junction boxes. Always verify that the conduit system is properly grounded by tightening all fittings.