I’m Rick Callahan—Master Plumber, 25+ years in the trenches, and Product Expert at Plumbing Supply And More (PSAM). I’ve run pipe through schools, food plants, healthcare facilities, high-end homes, and tight crawlspaces where a rat wouldn’t volunteer. Whether you’re pulling THHN in EMT for a retail buildout or threading RMC for a fuel station island, conduit and raceway choices can make or break your schedule, inspection, and budget. That’s why I put together The Supply House Electrical Guide to Conduit and Raceway Choices—practical, brand-specific, code-aware advice you can use today.
Before we dig in, I’ll say this plainly: electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, and property teams come to us because materials and answers matter. Unlike generic big box retailers, Plumbing Supply And More stocks professional-grade components and we back them with people who’ve installed this gear themselves. When a GC gives you a start date and the inspector gives you a red tag, you need a real partner. That’s us.
Understanding Conduit Families: Metal, Nonmetallic, and Flexible
When choosing a raceway, start with environment, code requirements, and pulling conditions. NEC (NFPA 70) sets the rules; we help you apply them.
- Rigid Metal Conduit (RMC), NEC Article 344: Steel or stainless. UL 6. Maximum toughness and physical protection. Corrosion-resistant, especially when PVC-coated (Calbond/Atkore). Threaded. Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC), NEC Article 342: Lighter wall than RMC but still threaded and strong; good for structural runs where weight matters. Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT), NEC Article 358: UL 797. The workhorse for dry locations and some damp, indoors and outdoors with proper fittings. Compression or set-screw fittings from Bridgeport, Appleton, or Crouse-Hinds. PVC (Rigid Nonmetallic Conduit), NEC Article 352: NEMA TC-2; UL 651. Schedule 40/80 (Carlon/Atkore). Great for underground, corrosive, or coastal. Use Schedule 80 for areas subject to physical damage. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), NEC Article 353: Great for long underground pulls; fused or coupler-joined. Typically used with telecom and site lighting. ENT (Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing), NEC Article 362: “Smurf tube.” For in-wall residential/light commercial, not for plenums. FMC and LFMC (Flexible and Liquidtight), NEC Articles 348 and 350: Ideal for equipment connections, vibration, rooftop units, and tight turns. “Sealtite” (AFC Cable) is a go-to.
Pro tip: If you’re new to specifying metallic conduit on the coast or industrial sites, ask us about PVC-coated RMC (Calbond PVC-coated) and stainless fittings. It’s more upfront cost, but it eliminates surprise corrosion callbacks.
Where Each Conduit Shines: Indoor, Outdoor, and Underground
I see too many projects overspend on strength where flexibility is better—or choose flexibility where durability should win. Think use-case first:
- Interiors and retail buildouts: EMT with compression fittings. Wheatland Tube EMT or Atkore Allied EMT cuts clean and threads easily. Pair with THHN/THWN-2 conductors (Southwire SIMpull). Underground to a detached garage or lot lighting: PVC Schedule 40 below grade, transition to Schedule 80 at risers. Pay attention to NEC 300.5 for burial depth—usually 18–24 inches depending on cover and voltage. Food plants and wastewater sites: RMC or IMC with corrosion-rated fittings. Calbond PVC-coated RMC earns its keep here. Add anti-oxidant compound on aluminum lugs. Rooftop HVAC connections: LFMC (AFC Sealtite) with listed liquidtight fittings, UV-rated jacket, and steel core for strength. Keep LFMC to the equipment connection lengths as required by code. Long rural feeds: HDPE for expansive underground runs with fewer couplings. Use mule tape and proper mandrels; you’ll thank me at pull-time.
Prices vary by market, but here’s a working range: EMT 3/4" around $0.60–$0.95/ft; PVC Sch 40 1" around $1.00–$1.60/ft; RMC 1" often $3.50–$6.00/ft; LFMC 3/4" $1.80–$3.20/ft; PVC-coated RMC can be 2–3x standard RMC. When you compare lifetime costs—especially corrosion resistance or damage risk—cheap rarely stays cheap.
Choosing Fittings and Accessories: Don’t Let a $2 Part Fail a $2,000 Run
The right fitting prevents water intrusion, galvanic corrosion, and failed continuity. Stick with proven names: Bridgeport, Crouse-Hinds (Eaton), Appleton, Thomas & Betts (ABB), and Arlington.
- EMT: Use compression fittings for wet locations; set-screw typically dry interiors. Bridgeport 256-DC2 compression connectors are a steady favorite. RMC/IMC: Threaded couplings and rigid nipples; use thread compound rated for electrical threads. PVC: Carlon solvent-weld fittings; NEMA TC-3. Always use primer and the right cement for schedule. LFMC: Straight and 90° liquidtight connectors—Crouse-Hinds LTB series, Appleton LT series.
Insider secret: For aluminum enclosures with steel conduit, use insulating bushings and bonding jumpers to manage dissimilar metals and maintain grounding integrity. Little dollars, big protection.
Surface Raceway and Wireway: Clean Installs Without Breaking Walls
Not every job justifies opening drywall. That’s where metal wireway and surface raceway shine.
- Wireway (NEMA 1 or 3R), typical brands: Hoffman (nVent), Eaton B-Line. Use for industrial distribution along walls or in mezzanines. Keep conductor fill and derating per NEC 376. Surface raceway: Legrand Wiremold V500/V700 metal raceway for commercial interiors; plug-and-play fittings that look clean and pass inspections when used with listed components. Cable tray: Ladder or ventilated trough (NEC 392). Great for data centers, large mechanical rooms, or process plants where rework is constant. Think Cablofil (Legrand/Ezeflow) or Eaton B-Line.
A typical retail retrofit using Wiremold V700 can shave 30–40% off labor compared to demo-and-rebuild, and it makes future tenant improvements painless.
Spec Bench: Brands, Models, and Materials I Trust
If you ask me what I trust my name on, here’s a tight list. It isn’t about hype—it’s about what survives jobsite reality.
- EMT: Wheatland Tube and Atkore Allied, 10’ lengths with precision weld seams; look for UL 797 mark. Pair with Bridgeport compression fittings (ex: 263-DC2 3/4" couplings). RMC/IMC: Wheatland RMC; Calbond PVC-coated RMC for corrosive sites. Standard 3-mil urethane topcoat plus 40-mil PVC jacket on Calbond holds up on coastal jobs. PVC: Carlon Schedule 40/80 (models E977, E978 series junction boxes), UL 651. Use Carlon E346 fitting series for secure solvent welds. LFMC/FMC: AFC Cable Systems “Sealtite” Type LFMC (steel core, PVC jacket) and Type UA for nonmetallic. Use Appleton LT series connectors. Underground pulls: HDPE conduit with pull tape; Dura-Line is proven, with ribbed interior options for lower friction.
Ask for spec sheets—we’ve got them on hand. And yes, we’ll cross-ref what the architect put in the submittals to avoid RFI ping-pong.
Code, Burial Depths, and When Inspectors Red-Tag
Run it right the first time. Here are frequent gotchas I see:
- Burial depths (NEC 300.5): Rigid metal under a driveway may be as shallow as 6" with GFCI protection and concrete cover; PVC to a detached structure often needs 18", and direct burial cable typically 24". Always verify conditions. Support and spacing: EMT typically every 10’ with within 3’ of a box (check Article 358). PVC support closer due to sag, often 3’ per manufacturer and code guidance. Expansion couplings: PVC expands roughly 3.6" per 100’ per 100°F rise. Use Carlon E945 or equivalent expansion fittings across long sunlit runs and building transitions. Bonding: Metal raceways often serve as the equipment grounding conductor when installed with listed fittings—unless conditions or length demand a separate EGC. Verify continuity. Hazardous locations: RMC with sealing fittings (Crouse-Hinds EYS) where classified by NEC 500–516. Don’t try to sneak EMT where Class I Div 1 demands rigid.
If you’re unsure, call our technical desk. We’ll pull the relevant NEC articles and manufacturer installation instructions and talk you through it—no lecture, just solutions.
Pulling Wire Smart: Fill, Bends, and Time Savers
Your conduit choice touches conductor count, ease of pull, and rework. Keep these in play:
- Conduit fill: Use Chapter 9, Table 1, and Annex C for conductor count by size. THHN/THWN-2 from Southwire SIMpull reduces friction in EMT. In PVC, use a quality lube like IDEAL Yellow 77. Bend limits: No more than 360° between pull points. If you’re stacking multiple 90s, add a junction box or LB. Future-proofing: Step up one size where tenant improvements are common. The extra $0.10–$0.30/ft often prevents a second run later. Prefab: Pre-bend offsets and 90s on the ground; bundle with color tags for circuits. I’ve seen 20% labor savings on mid-size retail projects this way.
Installation timeframes: A seasoned two-person crew can install 300–500 ft/day of 3/4" EMT with standard boxes in open ceilings; underground PVC with trench/backfill varies wildly—expect 200–400 ft/day with a mini-excavator and good soil.
Why Contractors Buy Electrical Conduit at a Plumber’s Supply (Here’s the Truth)
Trades overlap—grounding, bonding, equipment feeds, boiler rooms, plumbing supply and more rooftop units, well pumps—and the jobsite doesn’t care which license pulled the permit. That’s why our electrical aisle is built for real-world cross-trade work. And here’s the kicker: our pricing and stock depth beat the usual suspects when timelines go sideways.
- While other suppliers focus on quantity, Plumbing Supply And More prioritizes quality and expertise—meaning we’ll tell you when Schedule 80 is non-negotiable or when EMT with compression will pass that rooftop inspection. Compared to standard plumbing supply houses, Plumbing Supply And More offers unmatched technical support—we read the spec, call the rep, and get you an approved equal fast. When Home Depot and Lowe’s fall short, contractors trust Plumbing Supply And More for Wheatland EMT, Carlon PVC, Calbond PVC-coated rigid, and Bridgeport fittings—on the shelf, not “ship in two weeks.” Unlike Ferguson, Grainger, or SupplyHouse.com, Plumbing Supply And More backs every sale with jobsite-savvy guidance and same-day solutions when your crew is burning hours.
We’re serving contractors throughout our region with same-day delivery inside a 60-mile radius and emergency pickup options. If you’re searching for a real partner, we’re the nearest plumbing supply with people who’ve been in the bucket truck and the crawl.
Finding Us and Getting the Right Material—Fast
However you shop, we make it easy:
- If you’re looking for a plumbing supply near me or a full-service plumbing supply store, our counter team actually knows the trade. Need a plumbing supply store near me that stocks Carlon Schedule 80 and Bridgeport compression, plus RMC nipples and Appleton seals? That’s us. We act like a general plumbing supply for the building, not just pipes—think conduit, wireway, strut, and hangers. Call it plumbing and supply, a plumbing supply shop, or the rare plumbing supply house that carries EMT by the bundle—if it powers, drains, heats, or cools, we stock it. Managing facilities? Our commercial plumbing supply and wholesale plumbing supply programs include bulk conduit pallets and box-out fittings. We also offer plumbing supplies direct ordering for scheduled drops. Searching for a local plumbing supply or the one plumbing supply company that can fill your PO this week? We’re that call. For pros, our contractor plumbing supply desk sends spec sheets with your pick ticket; if you need plumbing parts or a plumbing shop near me that pairs LFMC with the proper NEMA 4X fittings, you’re covered. If you need a heating plumbing supply near me to feed rooftop units, we’ve got LFMC and whips with the right temperature ratings, plus disconnects. Prefer to browse? Our plumbing supply online catalog shows real-time stock; ask about discount plumbing supplies on full bundle EMT or pallet PVC. We aim to be the best plumbing supply option whether you prefer will-call, delivery, or curbside. GC in a rush? Check plumbing wholesale near me—or come straight to the plumbing supply house near me that stocks rigid elbows, not just EMT. Value-focused buyers appreciate economy plumbing supply pricing on commodity EMT, while spec builds get our premium corrosion solutions. Renovating? Our decorative plumbing supply and bathroom plumbing supplies live just aisles away from the electrical gear—you’ll save trips. On a budget? We’ve got cheap plumbing supplies without cheaping out—still code-compliant, still warrantied. Late-night outage? Our 24 hour plumbing supply support line can stage materials for emergency pickup. Old-school pro? You might know us as plumbers supply co—either way, the counter is hot and the advice is real. Hydronics and power under one roof—our plumbing and heating supply selection solves boiler feeds and pump circuits in one stop. Need the “closest”? We’re the closest plumbing supply with EMT, LFMC, and strut on the same ticket. We’re one of the few plumbing supply places that cross-carry electrical raceway and mechanical supports. For folks who used to rely on standard plumbing supply houses that only sell pipe and valves—come see the difference. Kitchen buildouts? Our plumbing kitchen fittings sit right by GFCI covers and stainless flex. Maintenance techs who search plumbing spares near me can add EMT connectors and LB bodies in the same cart. As a wholesale plumbing supply company, we protect your margins with contractor pricing. We welcome homeowners too—think of us as your consumer plumbing supply with pro gear and straight talk. Coastal GCs: yes, we’re your coastal plumbing supply for PVC-coated rigid and stainless fittings. We’re also a trusted internet plumbing supply with live chat support. If you like browsing SupplyHouse, try our supplyhouse plumbing assortment with faster pickup. Large facilities appreciate our city plumbing and electrical supply depth—wireway, disconnects, anchors. Budget-driven portfolios? Ask about economy plumbing and heating supply bundles. Fire and MEP contractors use us as their contractors plumbing and fire supply source—grooved, valve, and rigid in one run. Direct ordering? We manage POs through direct plumbing supplies for scheduled project phases. Bottom line: if it falls under “ plumbing supplies supply” and touches conduit or raceway, we’ve got a lane for you.
Visit our showroom to see the quality difference. Or call ahead—we’ll stage your order and load you out fast.
Real-World Scenarios: What I Recommend and Why
- Restaurant tenant fit-out: EMT 3/4" for general circuits, compression fittings for wet mop areas, LFMC to hood controls, Wiremold V700 for POS station relocations. Time is money—surface raceway wins over opening tiled walls. Ask about our prefab box assemblies to save a day on rough-in. Coastal condo garage: PVC Sch 40 underground, Sch 80 at risers, Calbond PVC-coated RMC for exposed runs, Appleton LT liquidtight for pump stations. Corrosion eats profits; coat it once, be done. School expansion: Mix of EMT in corridors with pull boxes every 150’, cable tray in mechanical rooms for future IT expansion, color-coded Southwire SIMpull THHN feeders. We provide labeled submittals for easy approvals. Light industrial: IMC for toughness without full RMC weight, Hoffman NEMA 12 wireway along production lines, bonding jumpers across expansion joints. We stock B-Line strut and spring nuts so you don’t wait on hangers.
Have a different scenario? Call our technical team for project-specific recommendations. We’ll tailor a bill of materials and flag any inspection risks before they cost you.
FAQ: The Supply House Electrical Guide to Conduit and Raceway Choices
- What’s the easiest conduit to install for a solo tech doing a small commercial fit-out? EMT with compression fittings. It bends cleanly with a 1/2" or 3/4" hand bender, supports THHN pulls, and inspects easily. If walls are finished, consider Wiremold V500/V700 surface raceway for clean runs without demolition. When should I use Schedule 80 PVC instead of Schedule 40? Where there’s potential for physical damage—risers, exposed parking areas, or anywhere a weedwhacker or pallet jack can hit it. Many AHJs require Sch 80 above grade for added protection. Underground Sch 40 is fine; transition with a coupling at grade to Sch 80. Is LFMC allowed outdoors on rooftops? Yes, when it’s listed for outdoor/wet locations and sunlight resistant. Use proper liquidtight connectors (Appleton LT or Crouse-Hinds LTB) and keep runs to the minimum necessary to reduce conductor heating and meet NEC 350. Do I need expansion fittings on PVC runs? If you’ve got long, sun-exposed runs or building transitions, yes. PVC expands with temperature. Use Carlon E945 series expansion couplings and follow their expansion charts. Support properly to prevent sag and misalignment. How deep should I bury conduit to a detached garage? Commonly 18" for PVC with individual conductors in conduit and GFCI protection, but verify NEC 300.5 and local amendments. We’ll help you check with your AHJ and suggest the safest, most efficient method. Can metallic conduit serve as the equipment grounding conductor? Often yes, if it’s a listed metal raceway with proper fittings ensuring continuity, but many pros still pull a separate EGC for reliability and future modifications. We’ll advise based on your environment and inspector preference.
Why PSAM Is the Right Partner for Conduit and Raceway
I’ve built “Rick’s Picks” at PSAM around products that pass inspections and live long lives. We carry Wheatland EMT by the bundle, Carlon Schedule 40/80 by the pallet, Calbond PVC-coated rigid for coastal/industrial, and the fittings that tie it all together. And we keep it in stock, not on a wish list.
- Unlike generic big box retailers, Plumbing Supply And More stocks professional-grade components—the same brands and models I’d install on my own projects. While other suppliers focus on quantity, Plumbing Supply And More prioritizes quality and expertise—you’ll get answers, not just aisle numbers. Compared to standard plumbing supply houses, Plumbing Supply And More offers unmatched technical support—spec sheets, submittals, and code guidance at the counter. When Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ferguson, Grainger, or SupplyHouse.com can’t meet your timeline, Plumbing Supply And More delivers same-day and solves problems on the phone.
Check our current inventory online or call ahead. Ask about our contractor discount program, bulk pricing on conduit bundles, and delivery windows. Need the nearest plumbing supply with real knowledge? You’ve found it. Our experts can walk you through the installation process, coordinate with inspectors, and make sure your material shows up when your crew does.
Use The Supply House Electrical Guide to Conduit and Raceway Choices as your baseline—then swing by and let’s tailor it to your job. We’ll keep your projects moving, your inspectors happy, and your budget in line.