wire installation (1 Viewer)

[clement]

What is a quick and fairly simple way to put my speaker and cable wires into the wall. I'd rather not go behind the molding if I can help it. Is there a way I can just cut a groove, stuff the wires in and then just patch it?

 

[Todd Shore]

Can you give a little more detail? Such as whether or not it is drywall construction? Are you going from the ceiling or the floor? Do you have access from the ceiling or the floor?

Yes, you can cut a groove, mud, and sand but it can take practice to get good at mudding. Also, assuming drywall, if you cut too deep then you are all the wall through the drywall and that can cause problems.

Things I have done:
If you are putting in wallplates and jacks then get a remodel junction box (1 gang, 2 gang, whatever) cut a hole that size in the wall and use that hole for access into the wall.

If running up to the ceiling and over and you don't have attic access to the ceiling, drill two holes of the appropriate size at the top of the wall and in the ceiling right next to each other, use a fish to pull the wires up and out of the wall and then up into the ceiling (you can do the same on the other side of the room), dig out a groove at the junction of the wall and ceiling to recess the wires into and then patch. You'll want to make sure that your ceiling joists run the same direction you are wanting to run the wires! Buy a stud finder, they are cheap.

If you have access to the ceiling from above or the floor from below then things get even easier. Drill through the sill plate (2x4) at the top of the wall from above (or at the bottom of the wall from below).

A more detailed description on where you are trying to run wires would help me be more specific and would better answers.

 

[clement]

the cable wire is staying on the same wall, I just need to go up and over the fire place and door. The speaker wires will start on the back wall and work there way around the room. The 2 front speakers on opposite walls and the back speakers on the back wall. OK, I just went into the basement and unless I'm mistaken, I have complete access to run the wires that way. Just a sheet of playwood for the subflooring. Any easy ways to ensure I'm fishing the wires up the right wall and not drilling through my hard wood floors?

 

[Todd Shore]

You can drive a small nail down through the floor near the wall, locate the nail in the basement, and drill up the appropriate distance from the nail. Just make sure the nail is long enough so you can find it. That would only require four small blemishes to your floor in order to locate all four walls.

You can also look to see where electrical wiring runs from the basement up through that wall. That will put you close. Just drill far enough down the wall from the electrical so you don't hit it!

If you have a plumbing vent stack going up that wall that is the best since the pipe will about the same thickness as the wall itself.