Antique twisted wire. Stylish retro wiring for a wooden house

Dachas and country houses most often built from wood. This construction material has many advantages. It is distinguished by its naturalness, environmental friendliness and relative cheapness. However, wood has a serious drawback - it easily catches fire. According to statistics, more than half of fires are associated with incorrectly selected or installed electrical wiring. To avoid troubles, it is recommended to give preference to retro wiring, which is best suited for wooden buildings.

Decorative retro wiring - device and photo

Vintage wiring wires consist of two or three strands twisted together and decorative external insulation, creating a retro style effect.

• The number of cores depends on the presence or absence of grounding in a wooden house.
• The insulation is made of silk impregnated with a non-flammable composition.
• Electrically conductive cores in retro wiring are usually copper, with additional protection made of PVC insulation. The cross section of the cores is from 0.75 to 2.mm2.

Quite often you can see a wire on sale that is covered with crumpled fabric, paper, fiberglass or even silk. There is no need to be alarmed, as the manufacturers have thought of everything and have installed reliable insulation under the coating.

Pros and cons of retro wiring

Before you begin installation open wiring, you should weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of this option.

Technical and aesthetic advantages:

1. Retro wiring will fit perfectly into the interior of a house designed in styles such as retro, vintage, loft, country.
2. It is convenient to install open wiring where it is difficult to install hidden wiring. To hide electric wires in a wooden house, they should be carried out along metal pipes, which must be tightly connected to the distribution boxes. This work is quite labor-intensive.

Has such electrical wiring and its disadvantages:

1. The cross-section of its wires does not exceed 2.5 mm2, and this is not enough to connect powerful electrical appliances, since the conductors will not withstand high loads.
2. The main disadvantage of retro wiring is that there is enough of it high price. Products from manufacturers Bironi and Fontini are especially expensive.

We can conclude that if the electrical wiring is not used to connect powerful household appliances, and with sufficient funds available, this option is for wooden house will be the most reasonable and original.

Retro wiring in a wooden house - selection and installation

In order to make electrical wiring in a wooden house, should be purchased:

Selection of parts and photos of retro wiring

All these parts are sold in different colors. But you should know that they can differ significantly in price. For example, gold color switch costs much more than the same switch Brown.

• Fittings and wires are purchased in Italy. The most popular Italian company is Fontini, which produces vintage wiring distribution boxes, various switches, videos and much more.
• All elements are made of porcelain and have an antique look. The parts are made in accordance with fire safety standards.
• Cables should be selected according to the color of the braiding that matches the design of the room. You can choose calm tones or bright, contrasting ones. Rollers, boxes, etc. are selected to match the color of the conductors.
• Since vintage wires are not cheap, some of the wiring can be done in a “retro” style, and some can be hidden behind the casing or in a cable duct to match the color of the surface.

After all are completed Finishing work and purchased necessary materials, installation can begin vintage electrical wiring.

• First of all, you should draw a diagram in which you need to mark the installation locations of switches, sockets, and lamps.
• In accordance with the scheme, the sketches are transferred to the surface. In this case, using a level it is necessary to check the horizontality of all lines.
• Porcelain rollers are installed along the markings using wood screws, the distance between which should be fifty centimeters.
• The distance between the first roller and the switch or socket must be at least five centimeters.
• According to the diagram, distribution boxes, switches and sockets are installed.
• Electrical wiring is stretched between the insulators, the wires of which are fastened together using terminals or soldering. IN wooden houses Twisting of conductors is not recommended for safety reasons.
• The wires should be pulled so that there is a gap of at least one centimeter between them and the surface.

How to make stylish retro wiring yourself. Photo

For vintage wiring made by yourself, you will need to purchase:

From several conductors it will be necessary twist one tourniquet. If a wooden house is grounded, then three cables can be connected; if not, then the bundle consists of two.

• Insulators are attached to the surface at selected locations. They are installed by sticking or using a drill.
• A heat-shrinkable tube matching the color of the cable is attached to the wires. It guarantees long cable life and installation strength.
• The wires are placed on rollers or insulators.

The remaining installation conditions are the same as for wiring specialized retro cables.

You can install retro wiring not only in wooden houses, but also in modern apartments, if it fits the interior of the room. Vintage lovers will definitely appreciate its presentability. Unfortunately, materials, even those made in China, are quite expensive.

Vintage wiring in wooden houses

Open electrical installation using porcelain insulators looks most advantageous in a wooden house. Electrical wiring on porcelain insulators along the walls country cottage or at home can be wonderful design solution For exclusive interior and give it a look of completeness. You can see examples of completed work in the Photo Gallery section.

Old-fashioned electrical installation looks especially beautiful in wooden log houses, however, we must not forget that wood is a highly flammable material and therefore the installation of electrical wiring must be carried out in accordance with all standards. Porcelain rollers today can be bought in almost any specialized store, and the installation wire can be used with a sheath made of varnished cotton threads, such as BPVL or GPVOp, or the more expensive Italian-made Gambarelli.

If you have any difficulties installing electrical wiring, our specialists are always ready to help implement your projects and ideas.

Tips for installing open electrical wiring on insulators.

The insulators are fastened at a distance of 4 cm from the edge of the socket, switch or junction box.

When installing sockets and switches, leave approximately 20 centimeters of cable for further wiring.

Tighten the wire harness with a clamp to prevent them from unraveling.

Use a knife to cut and remove the fabric braid, but do not throw it away; it will be useful in the future.

It should look like this:

The remaining fabric braid.

The procedure for tying the wires is mandatory (the node must be located on the side of sockets and switches). In a similar way, the cable is attracted to the corner insulators. Bandaging serves to eliminate tension on wires in junction boxes, sockets and switches. Only after this can you begin to disconnect the wires in the junction boxes and connect switches and sockets.

When going through walls, use porcelain bushings.

Use the remaining fabric braid removed from the wire to bandage. The photos show the cable being tied with white cord for better contrast.

Materials related

Designers often use to create spectacular interiors vintage details: wallpaper, paintings, souvenirs. We suggest you consider how exposed retro wiring is installed in a wooden house, where to buy suitable wires, as well as photos for ideas.

General information about vintage wiring

What is retro wiring? This is decorative wiring in residential and production premises, which was used to supply electricity to homes in the early twentieth century. It was performed using two single-core wires, in which the fibers were connected in a spiral manner. At that time there were no junction boxes; cable connections were made on porcelain or ceramic rollers. So that individual fibers were not visible, they were carefully hidden under the wiring insulation. Of course, in modern apartments this wiring option will not only be ineffective, but also dangerous. Therefore, now only improvisation and creation of wiring a la vintage is possible.

Photo – Retro wiring Salvador

Most often, wiring in retro style external or external, because located on the wall or ceiling. This is necessary in order to give your home the necessary style, because if it were hidden under layers of plaster, it would not be clear that it is original.

Photo – Retro wiring in a wooden house

To give the wires required type, manufacturers use special insulation materials. If the outside of the cable is covered with crumpled paper, fabric, or twisted, then most likely there is fire-resistant insulation under the layer of interior materials. Basically, such stylistic solutions are used in a private house, country house or cottage, although in a vintage-style apartment, such a detail will also look quite impressive in the interior.

Types of retro wiring

There are several options for giving your wiring a vintage look:

1. Retro wiring on insulators or rollers. Very often used to decorate wooden buildings. Now such wiring can be seen in old houses built from 1920 to 1940;
2. Using wires special type. As we said above, twisted or stylized as antique.

Photo – Retro wiring in the interior

To install vintage wiring yourself, you will need to purchase special insulators and junction boxes. Electrical retro wiring is often organized using spare parts Russian production(say, “Gusev”), but we can also recommend that you buy Bironi, Salvador, Villaris, or find a craftsman who will do custom work.

Photo – Retro wire

Wiring installation

How to make stylish vintage wiring yourself:

1. Bundle several single-core cables into one small bundle. If you do not have grounding installed in your home, then it is better to use 2 pieces, but if there is earth, then you can connect three;
2. On the wall, in selected places (it is better to consult with specialists so that you do not touch the real wiring), you need to attach insulators. They are mounted using a drill, some are even attached by sticking (mostly imported models);
3. Before you put the wire on the insulators or rollers, you need to attach heat-shrinkable tubing to them. Try to match it to the color of the cable so that everything looks neat and beautiful. This detail guarantees the installation strength and durability of the cord.

Photo – Decorative retro wiring
Photos – retro videos villaris

If you buy ready-made harnesses, then make sure that the components are made in accordance with the standards for this type of wiring. A special role must be given to flammability and smoke emission. For example, classic Italian retro pigtail wiring should have the index non-flammable or NG. The Fontini and GI Gambarelli brands are very well known, which produce not only individual parts (rollers, wires, switches, sockets), but also wiring kits (fittings, shrink tubes, etc.). If you decide to do real wiring with a twisted cable, then it is best to use the services of specialized stores to protect yourself from fires and short circuits.

Video: variety of retro wiring

In the modern rhythm of life, people try to find time to travel outside the city. You can spend time there quietly, sitting in a wooden house and enjoying the sight of old things dear to your heart.

Recently, open electrical wiring in retro style has become fashionable, and with it the entire range of retro components.

If there was demand, a supply appeared, and quite large-scale, given the specifics and small size of this market segment.

We can find both restored real antique wiring and fittings, and “remakes”, stylized as antique with varying degrees of authenticity and produced under Italian, Spanish and Russian brands.

If you are determined that the finishing touch in the design of the premises old style If the wiring is retro, then in this case you have four options:

• purchase modern replication;
• buy restored antique wires, sockets and switches;
• do the wiring yourself, but to do this you will have to crawl through abandoned houses in search of coveted artifacts. In this case, as a modern alternative, you can purchase RKGM wire in brown insulation; it looks quite organic against the background of log walls;
• make a prop: use modern hidden wiring, and lay decorative wiring on top of the walls.

How to make electrical wiring in retro style with your own hands

First, let's take a closer look at the main methods of purchasing components.

1. The simplest, but at the same time the most expensive financially, is to buy everything in a specialized store. Today, several companies offer antique electrical wiring in a variety of models and shades.

It is worth noting the products of Villaris, Salvador, Fontini, Bironi, Gusev. In essence, these are modern cable products that have PVC insulation and are packaged on the outside in a non-flammable silk stocking, as well as modern sockets and switches designed in the style of yesteryear.

When drawing up an estimate, you should focus on the following prices:

• 5 - 15 thousand rubles for a hundred-meter cable bay;
• 20 - 50 rubles for each roller - insulator;
• 600 - 3600 rubles for each switch or socket;
• 550 - 1800 rubles per unit of substrates, corner and rotary insulators.

With such wiring, “Loft” style lamps and Edison lamps will look natural.

Among the “pluses” are electrical safety and compliance modern requirements, simplified installation compared to hidden wiring, the ability to change routes during operation. In addition, there is a wide choice of both ebonite and porcelain with copper styling.

The disadvantages will be noticeable to anyone who understands the topic. Although, if such wiring is initially positioned as “similar to the real thing,” then there is nothing wrong with using modern products.

2. If you don’t like compromises and you need to maintain the style of the times of the birth of household electricity, your path lies in specialized forums. There they will help you assemble a completely authentic set of copper-rubber-fabric wires, porcelain insulators, ebonite or copper substrates, switches, sockets and sockets.

The cost of retro wiring in a wooden house will not be cheap, because you need to pay for the search and restoration of components from the beginning of the last century.

The main positive point is complete authenticity. No one can blame you for using a modern “antique stamp.” Only true retro without compromises. In addition, “twisted pair” on ceramic insulators is quickly installed and relatively safe.

The negative aspects of such an installation are obvious: although highly original, such wiring does not fit into modern ideas about the safety of electrical installations, because grounding was not yet provided for in those days, and the cross-section of the old wires is clearly not designed for modern power.

Moreover, fifty years old copper wire, most likely, has already suffered from oxidation, the rubber insulation has dried out in places, and old sockets and switches were made using phenol-formaldehyde resin, which emits an unpleasant and harmful odor when heated.

By the way, distribution boxes began to be used relatively recently, but in the old days, wires were woven together, wrapped around rollers and hidden under the outer insulation fabric.

3. If you are limited in funds, but have free time, then you can independently find everything you need for installation. To do this, you need to patiently look for missing elements in the ruins of old houses, wash, restore, and possibly solder contacts.

It is useful to visit rural stores in remote areas, where you can still find porcelain insulators, ebonite junction boxes, and even switches with sockets.

Sockets and switches from the beginning of the last century, retro-style electrical wiring, and photos of vintage cars and mechanisms will help you immerse yourself in the past.

4. The last option is more suitable for designers. Its essence is to lay a dummy overhead wiring parallel to the existing hidden one.

As we noticed, the symbol of retro wiring is 2 wires twisted together in a silk braid and placed on a roller - an insulator. This is used to create an ambiance.

Insulators are screwed onto the wall, any suitable length and appearance a piece of wires, the free ends of which are attached to existing sockets and switches by any available means.

To enhance the effect, you can resort to “patination” by spraying the socket with an appropriate coating from an aerosol can.

Installation

After all materials have been purchased, you can begin laying the wiring.

If the cable needs to be twisted from wires, we will use a drill or screwdriver. If the cable is already ready, we attach rollers - insulators - to the wall.

1. To create a finished look, set aside the self-tapping screws and screws with a Phillips or Torx head. We will use flathead screws or nails. Carefully mark the position of the rollers so that the distance between the rollers is the same. The distance from the wall and ceiling should also not differ - only in this case our wiring will look aesthetically pleasing.
2. After the rollers are installed, carefully attach them to twisted pair. We make sure that the wires do not twist or sag.
3. The wire in the corners can pass either through rollers or through rotating ceramic tubes. To pass the wiring through the wall, we use a ceramic or copper tube.
4. We make branches and connections either by twisting and then wrapping them with fabric insulation, or we use ebonite or ceramic distribution boxes. It is preferable to use boxes with screw terminals.
5. We attach sockets and switches to the wall through the backing. In addition to originality, this is also required for safety.

Loft style

At the end of the article I would like to touch on another style of retro wiring that is rapidly gaining popularity - Loft. The main difference between this style is the location of exposed wiring inside the pipes.

They can be stylized as copper, brass or even aged ebonite. An emphasis on urban design is typical for residential premises converted from utility rooms - attics and attics.

On sale you can find both the tubes themselves and connecting and fastening elements.

We looked at all the main ways to make your country home “closer to the roots” with the help of the right electrification option. Do-it-yourself retro wiring in a wooden house can give comfort to the inhabitants of the house and a feeling of admiration to the guests.

Video on how to properly make retro wiring

It is very, very difficult to do wiring in a wooden house according to all the rules. According to standards, hidden laying of cables in metal cable ducts or plaster with a thickness of at least 2 cm is allowed. Both options are difficult to implement, require a significant amount of time and are expensive. There is another way out - open wiring. To make it more decorative, they use not ordinary, but special wires in a decorative braid, interesting shape insulators, sockets and switches. All this is done in an antique style and fits perfectly into the decor timber house and log house. Often this type of open wiring is called “retro”, since this is how light was once wired. So retro wiring in a wooden house - a great opportunity make your owl's home original and safe.

For open wiring, stranded copper wires with a cross section of 1.5 mm 2 and 2.5 mm 2 are produced. No other sizes available. The conductors have a double PVC sheath, over which a decorative braid of technical silk or cotton is applied. These threads are impregnated with special anti-feather compounds, and some are additionally filled with varnish.

Features of designing decorative open wiring

Cables come in two, three and four cores. To install retro wiring in a wooden house, according to all the rules, a three-core cable is required, since grounding is mandatory according to the new standards.

Since the cross-section of a retro cable is never large, when designing electrical wiring it is necessary to ray diagram. This means that each line is drawn separately. Accordingly, you need to carefully think through where and how the routes will go so that it looks nice. In this case, one must be guided by the following considerations:

It’s worth thinking carefully about retro wiring in the kitchen of a wooden house. Firstly, the thread braid will get dirty and it will be problematic to return it to its original appearance. Although, if desired, you can use a vinyl or rubber sheathed wire. Only the coating must be light-stabilized. These wires must be suitable for outdoor use.

Secondly, finishing working area most often - tiles, and this is where the main number of sockets are located. Therefore, it makes sense to sneak the cable into the kitchen secretly ( best option- under the floor), place the sockets along work surface also secretly, with an ordinary cable in a metal cable channel. And for lighting and switches use retro wires. So that the kitchen also does not stand out from the general style.

Manufacturers and prices

If you plan to install retro wiring in a wooden house, the question arises where to purchase components and which cable is better. On the market there is a twisted decorative cable for open installation of Russian and European production. Europeans are represented by several companies. Fontini, Gi Gambarelli, Cordon Dor, Bironi are considered the best. From this quartet best cable at Gi Gambarelli (Gambarelli). It is rigid enough to sit well on the insulators, and comes in many different colors. But its main advantage is that it does not burn and has a fire certificate. It is worth remembering that retro wiring in a wooden house will be accepted by the fire inspectorate without problems only if you have a fire certificate.

The cheapest European wire is Fontini, but it is too soft and does not adhere well to the insulators. To avoid sagging, you have to install them more often. But the biggest disadvantage is that it burns. Retro wiring from Cordon Dor has many colors, but it doesn’t look very good and also sags. With all this overall quality wires are good. But we must take into account that the cost of one meter of three-core cable is about $2-4 for a cross-section of 1.5 square millimeters and $3-5 for thicker conductors.

With Russian manufacturers it is even more difficult - this topic is popular and new manufacturers are constantly appearing. Many of them are available only in regional markets, so no one has yet been able to track the quality and find a leader. The price of Russian-made retro wiring is changing in a pleasant direction. Competition is increasing, prices are becoming more acceptable.

Several companies have been present in this market for a long time - VILLARIS (Russian-Spanish), Gusev, Gemini Electro. They have already earned a certain reputation and the quality of their products can be trusted. Pretty good wiring. But the prices are slightly higher than average. There are also young companies: Lindas, Retrika, Rybinskkabel, OTMgroup, Zion (Zion) and others.

Insulators

When laying retro wiring, the wires are fixed on insulators (they are also called “rollers”). Most often they are made from ceramics, to which a coloring pigment is added. But there are also plastic ones (made of non-flammable plastic, you can find metal ones.

The shape of insulators for retro wiring is characteristic - in cross-section it resembles the number “8”, but there are differences that affect the ease of operation. This is the size of the top. It can be smaller or larger in diameter. If you use two-wire wiring, you can use any - the wires will fit well in any case. If the wire is three-core, it is better to take insulators with a large radius of the upper part - laying three wires can be problematic.

The parameters of insulators for retro wiring are as follows:

• base diameter 18-22 mm;
• height - 18-24 mm.

There are many colors and choosing them is not always easy. They can be taken to match the color of the wire braid or the color of the walls, they can be the same shade as the switches/sockets, or they can be just white. In each case, you have to decide based on the interior and how decorative you want to make the wiring.

Number of insulators for open wiring

How many insulators may be needed? It is necessary to calculate by the footage of open retro wiring. Use 1-3 pieces per meter. There are no norms, but everyone is guided by one parameter: to make it beautiful. The main task is to prevent the wires from sagging.

When you pull a retro wire horizontally, you have to install insulators more often; vertically, you can do so less often. In general, if retro wiring is in a wooden house, then you need to focus on the number of logs. If they have a diameter of 30 cm or more, they are placed across a log; if they are smaller, they look more beautiful across two.

Prices and manufacturers

Insulators for vintage exposed wiring should be looked for at the same time as the cable. Usually they are matched to the wires, so you can select both wires and insulators from the same manufacturer at the same time.

The cheapest insulators are made from special plastic. They build for up to 10 rubles (about 10-15 cents). So the price is more than affordable. Ceramic rollers for retro wiring cost about twice as much. In addition to the “regular” models, there are options with painting and various ornaments. But the price is far from small.

Switches, sockets, junction boxes in retro style

External wiring involves the use of sockets and switches for external installation. Many manufacturers that produce retro cables and insulators also produce these devices in a special, vintage style.

There is a decent range in prices, but this can be explained by the origin of the devices. European products are made with high quality. Excellent external data and high-quality electrical parts. But prices for single sockets/switches start at $30 per unit. And these are the cheapest. But it is worth saying that they will serve for decades. Nice models Available from Thomas, Aldo Bernardi, LLinas.

There are electrical sockets, switches, and distribution boxes in retro style, which are made in Russia. The most famous factory in this area is “Gusev”. Their products are available both in the loft style and with paintings using Khokhloma, Gzhel and other techniques. There are very interesting models. The price of this product is comparable to similar European products, but the design is unique.

The cheapest segment is Chinese-made products. Many look very good in appearance, but the electrical part is not always up to par. But this is nothing new for Chinese products. It can work for a long time without problems, or it can become a source of problems.

Electrical installation products in retro style from Gusev





This series is called “Russian estate”
Hand painted...

Another way out is to find options that match the style among the standard collections. This is not an option for colorful interiors, but for neutral ones modern styles It will be very suitable. YFghbvth? tcnm e LeGrand, Elso Contura,

How to save money

Although open retro wiring in a wooden house costs much less than hidden wiring made according to all the rules, it also requires a lot of money. The wiring diagram, as already mentioned, is radial, which significantly increases cable consumption.

Mixed gasket type

If your budget is limited, you can save money by wiring mixed type. Where possible, conduct it secretly - under the floor or in ceilings, using a regular cable of a suitable cross-section. Install junction boxes on it and raise/lower power lines from them using retro cables. The costs of installing open retro wiring in a wooden house will be significantly lower.

Make your own twisted wire

You can reduce costs even more if you do not buy a special decorative wire. You can twist it yourself by purchasing a copper wire in a non-flammable thread braid. It's certainly not silk. It looks much simpler, but this simplicity is suitable for some interiors.

When purchasing, keep in mind that the wires will have to be twisted, which eats up approximately 25-30% of the length. But the price for this type cable products so small that with such an increase in consumption it is still profitable to do it yourself.

To make your own twisted cable for open wiring, you can use the following wires:

The good thing about a homemade version of a retro cable is that it can be made of a larger diameter. These wires have a cross-section of 4 and 6.5 square millimeters. Another plus. You can approach the matter of weaving creatively and weave, for example, a pigtail.

At self-production retro cable made from a flexible cord, it is better to twist it “in place”. First nail the insulators, then cut the pieces of wire to the required length (do not forget about the additional expense). Weave them immediately on the spot. If you decide to only twist the conductors, then it is advisable to change the direction of the turns after each insulator. This way, when the house shrinks, it will be possible to quickly eliminate sagging by removing a section from the insulator and making an additional few turns. Then install the cable in place.

Retro wiring in a wooden house: rules

There are no modern rules and regulations specifically for open wiring, but you can certainly use the old ones. Old textbooks state that:

In general, retro wiring in a wooden house is a painstaking task. It is necessary to think through the installation of each insulator in advance. They are fastened with long self-tapping screws through through hole. If they fixed it in the wrong place, they ended up with a hole in the wall. It can then be covered with wood putty, but this will take extra time.

There are always debates about open wiring in retro style about whether to route cables to sockets and switches from below or from above. They are increasingly being made very low above the floor and with lower cable routing, less cable is wasted. But in this case, there is a possibility that the unprotected cable may be damaged. In general, everyone chooses for themselves.

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