When passing through a wood stud, what thickness of steel plate must PVC be protected by?

The correct answer is 1/16 inch. When conduit, such as PVC, is passing through wood studs, it is important to protect the conduit from damage that could occur due to the movement or pressure applied to the studs. The use of a steel plate helps to shield the conduit from nails or screws that might be driven into the studs, potentially puncturing or otherwise damaging the conduit.

In building codes and best practices, a steel plate of this specified thickness (1/16 inch) is typically sufficient to provide that protection. It strikes a balance between being durable enough to prevent damage while not being overly cumbersome to install or excessively thick for the intended use. Thicker plates, while also providing protection, may not be necessary and could introduce additional costs and installation challenges.

Choosing a thicker plate than required, such as 1/8 inch or higher, would generally be unnecessary and could cause issues in terms of fitting or adjustments during installation since the intention is to provide just enough safeguard against potential hazards.