running speaker wire... (1 Viewer)

[Brady B]

hey folks. Been a while since I've posted. This question could probably go to the Building a Theater Forum but the activity on that page is less than here so feel free to kick it over if need be.
Question is this,
I will be moving into a new house probably after the first of the year and will have my den dedicated to my HT set-up. I need some advice on how to run speaker wire under the carpet to the year speakers. Currently my set-up is in my living room and due to the room configuration and where my furniture is there was no need to run the wire under the carpet as it is well hidden behind couches, bookshelves ect..I just don't know how to go about this. Do I have to take up the whole carpet?! My wife will have a fit. Or do you feed it under somehow. I'll only have to run it some 13'or so to the back of the room. (smaller room than my current living room but it is a den)Any help would be great
Brady

 

[Rich G]

Can you go under to the basement?
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Rich G.

 

[BryanZ]

Why not prewire it either through the ceiling or walls? Run the wire through PCV pipe. Have them put in a closet to where you will be able to access the back of your equipment and be able to keep a clean setup. Will that work?

 

[Rich Boykin]

Assuming you don't have basement or attic access (cleanest route, while not that easy

, and that under the carpet is your best bet...there are some options.
1) Pull up carpet, run wires, put carpet back down. Probably the "neatest" way to run them, but not very DIY friendly, unless you have a friend who is a carpet installer (if you were one, you probably wouldn't be posting this ?)
2) Run under base boards...either by tucking the wire in the gap between the carpet and the baseboard - OR - removing the baseboard, running the wire, and then replacing the baseboards to cover the wires (cutting a small channel to accomodate the wire is an option). Make sure you're careful not to use a sharp object to tuck the wire, or if you remove the baseboards, be careful not to nail through the wires when you replace them.
3) Use fishtape. Pull up the carpet slightly in a corner near the "head" end. Do the same near the location for the speaker (might not be a corner, but corners are easier). Carefully feed the fishtape under the carpet (try to stay above the carpet pad...can be difficult) and try to hit the opening near the speaker location. Lots of trial and error...You need to be careful not to rip up the carpet pad as it might leave the carpet looking lumpy...
Personally, I've done 2 and 3 (now I run all cables above my drop ceiling and through the walls) with pretty good success. With all of these methods, once you get the cable to the locations at floor level, you can remove the baseboard, drill a small hole for the cable, and feed it through the wall to an wall plate for the "finished" look.
Cheers,
Rich
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[Oren]

I don't think you should have to pull up the carpeting completely. It's normally attached just where it hits the walls, by boards with nails pointed up. So, you shoul be able to pull it up just on the edge and run the wire underneath. Depending on the distance, you would run it through using a coat hanger or whatever.