spray foam insulation and running wires (1 Viewer)

Not sure if this is in the right place...

So we are moving into a new build house and it has a room dedicated to as a "media room" that is pre-wired for 5.1...in the wrong orientation. The room is 9X18 (I will have to treat for the room modes) and it currently is wired for the screen to go on the 18' wall. I want to change the orientation so the screen goes on the 9' wall. It is on the 2nd floor with the attic above, so I figured I would get up in the attic and run the wires up there and drill in drops for the 5+ speaker locations. Basically drill through the wall top plate from the attic and drop speaker wire down the wall, then fish it from a hole in the wall near the floor. I would also run HDMI for the projector.

However, it dawned on me that 2 of the walls are exterior and filled with spray foam insulation. Anyone have experience in running wires through spray foam insulation?

Once I get the all the wires run, can I then fill the other two interior walls with spray foam insulation (i.e. drill access holes from the attic through the top plate and fill it up...??) to help with sound isolation from the rest of the house.

Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

As long as all the speaker wire is CL rated...insulation(foam or fiberglass) is a moot part.

If the pre-existing wire isn't CL, pull it.

My concern is not the CL rating...it is how to get through the spray foam insulation. My understanding is it is not easy.

Stick with a hook. Attach speaker wire to the hook. Send the stick down the wall.

Bryce_H said:

My concern is not the CL rating...it is how to get through the spray foam insulation. My understanding is it is not easy.

Click to expand...

Damn near impossible. You can try fishing down, puncturing through, but I doubt you'll get very far. Perhaps hammering down a 1/2" CPVC pipe to puncture through and then you could use it as conduit for speaker wire.

A stick will work.

Typically ran down the drywall side to give the stick something "other than foam" to run through. There are typically open pockets on the drywall side.

Will it take 5 seconds? Haha.

More like half an hour.

It can be done.

(he got an answer Saturday at Audioholics. Flex bit auger. Overkill...cause a stick will work. And...I'm assuming open cell. Closed cell, which isn't used much around here, is rock solid. Auger won't get through it very easily)

Thanks for the additional info.


How will I know if it is open cell or closed cell?


The house is a new build in San Antonio.


Thanks.

Pop open the spot where you want to put a speaker.

Immediately apparent. You might need to cut along the wall in a thin strip...then refinish the wall. Same thing as redoing studs to mount a TV.