Home Improvement Help: Hiding Cables and Power Lines

[JasonRox]

Home Improvement "Help"

Ok, I got myself a nice LCD TV. I have one problem.

I want to hide the cable and power line into the wall. How do I go abouts doing that?

Do I drop a string down a hole down to the lower hole and pull the wires up? Any helpful advice of times you messed up or any heads up?

(I want to avoid putting many holes in the wall!)

 

[WarPhalange]

You should just hire a ghost to give you a hand with it.

 

[Moonbear]

It kind of all depends on the construction of the wall where you want to drop the line. If there are no cross supports between the studs, you're all set, just one hole at the top and one at the bottom, and yeah, you can fish the lines through with a line or dangle them down the other way or whatever. If, however, there's a cross support, you'd have a much harder time drilling a hole through that to feed the wires through.

 

[JasonRox]

It kind of all depends on the construction of the wall where you want to drop the line. If there are no cross supports between the studs, you're all set, just one hole at the top and one at the bottom, and yeah, you can fish the lines through with a line or dangle them down the other way or whatever. If, however, there's a cross support, you'd have a much harder time drilling a hole through that to feed the wires through.

Wow, I never thought of that. If that problem comes through, I think it will be impossible! I guess it would depend on where the cross beam is. If the height of the cross beam low enough to be behind my bookshelf then I can drill the hole above it. Other than that, I'm screwed.

 

[LowlyPion]

Ok, I got myself a nice LCD TV. I have one problem.

I want to hide the cable and power line into the wall. How do I go abouts doing that?

Do I drop a string down a hole down to the lower hole and pull the wires up? Any helpful advice of times you messed up or any heads up?

(I want to avoid putting many holes in the wall!)

You might consider an external cable channel that you can run both cables down and out at ground level.

Here is a link to one possibility on the right of the pictured kit.
http://tv.about.com/od/productreviews/ig/Wiring-Solution-TV-Mount-/Wiring-Solution-Contents.htm

It can be painted the same color as the wall and while not invisible, certainly less unsightly than dangling wires.

 

[JasonRox]

You might consider an external cable channel that you can run both cables down and out at ground level.

Here is a link to one possibility on the right of the pictured kit.
http://tv.about.com/od/productreviews/ig/Wiring-Solution-TV-Mount-/Wiring-Solution-Contents.htm

It can be painted the same color as the wall and while not invisible, certainly less unsightly than dangling wires.

Good idea, but it wouldn't be as good of course. :P

I will consider it if it's my only option. I hope to get it done by Thursday.

 

[Cyrus]

What you need is the new BINFORD wall mounting adpater drill. It comes with 25 man eating horse power and space age titanium allows. HOOO HOOO HOOOO HOOOOOOO.

URRRRRRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?....I don't think so AL.

 

[Gokul43201]

Ok, I got myself a nice LCD TV. I have one problem.

I want to hide the cable and power line into the wall. How do I go abouts doing that?

Do I drop a string down a hole down to the lower hole and pull the wires up?

Open up the TV and disconnect the lines. Then hook the far end to power/modem/whatever and run it down to the lower hole. Grab the wires/cables there and reconnect to TV.

 

[rewebster]

It kind of all depends on the construction of the wall where you want to drop the line. If there are no cross supports between the studs, you're all set, just one hole at the top and one at the bottom, and yeah, you can fish the lines through with a line or dangle them down the other way or whatever. If, however, there's a cross support, you'd have a much harder time drilling a hole through that to feed the wires through.

It also depends if its an inside wall or exterior wall. Exterior walls have insulation usually, and you have to use a metal flat fish---they look like thinner but a little heavier duty retractable tape measures. Most of the time making a hole behind the set, dropping the lines to another hole and then getting the right wall plates, work. Depending on city codes, a lot of buildings don't or didn't put in fire breaks (cross members) to worry about if you choose to run the wire down and out.

Also it depends if and what's on the other side of the wall, if its an interior wall--you can make a hole to the next room for plugging in some of the wires--I wouldn't do it that way.


Some people hard wire the electircal recepticle and the outlets for cable, etc. as outlets behind the TV and plug everything into those plugs directly behind the TV--it costs more but looks the best. I think I've even heard of wireless connections, except for power.

 

[FredGarvin]

Wow, I never thought of that. If that problem comes through, I think it will be impossible! I guess it would depend on where the cross beam is. If the height of the cross beam low enough to be behind my bookshelf then I can drill the hole above it. Other than that, I'm screwed.

Most standard stud wall construction won't have horizontal members like that. It may be different if other work was done there before and one needed to be put in for drywall or something like an extra outlet. You can see if one is in your way by either getting a stud sensor or just tapping on the wall and listening for changes in sound.

The way I did mine was to look for an outlet. That tells you where a stud is. If it's close enough to the floor, pull off the base board molding at the floor and put your lower hole there (the baseboard will cover it back up). It takes some luck and playing around to get the fish tape or string through the two holes, but it's not tough to do.

 

[FredGarvin]

Hi all, I bought a house in 1992, with a small kitchen extension. The conveyance had the plans in the conveyance pack and said it was all in order. I have had some other work done and there are faults with the extension build. It did have planning permission granted, but it was never signed off by the building control. Where do I stand in terms of getting it fixed? Is my conveyance at fault for not checking?

It all depends on where you live, but you are going to be stuck with it. I am surprised that the home sale went through with, what sounds like, an outstanding building permit. When you buy a home, that is one of those hidden things you pay for when they do the title search. They are supposed to make sure you have a clean certificate of occupancy and all permits are cleared. My home on Long Island had this very issue. There was nothing underhanded going on, but the previous homeowner didn't complete a step for the permit and had to before the sale would be allowed to continue. It was a paperwork issue only. Your local building inspector isn't to blame. I would go back through your broker who did the deal for you and hunt down who did the title research. You won't get anything from it, but perhaps someone may be able to give you some pointers. However, since it has been so long since the purchase, I hate to say it, but you are on your own most likely.

Are you positive that there are really things wrong in regards to your local codes? I would be leery of starting this if this is just someone's opinion on how something should be done.

 

[JasonRox]

Most standard stud wall construction won't have horizontal members like that. It may be different if other work was done there before and one needed to be put in for drywall or something like an extra outlet. You can see if one is in your way by either getting a stud sensor or just tapping on the wall and listening for changes in sound.

The way I did mine was to look for an outlet. That tells you where a stud is. If it's close enough to the floor, pull off the base board molding at the floor and put your lower hole there (the baseboard will cover it back up). It takes some luck and playing around to get the fish tape or string through the two holes, but it's not tough to do.

Well, since the TV is already up, the stud is directly behind the TV. The outlet is not too far either underneath the TV.

It is an exterior wall, so I hope I don't hit any insulation. I'll take a look outside to assure I won't hit anything else. It didn't seem to have anything in the walls because I missed a couple times when drilling holes for my painting.

Note: I got a stud finder now! (The plaster in the walls made it impossible to hear differences in sound.)

 

[rewebster]

Note: I got a stud finder now! (The plaster in the walls made it impossible to hear differences in sound.)

Depending on how old the plaster wall is (lathe or not), one of those swiveling cheap magnetic stud finders would probably work.

 

[LowlyPion]

Where do I stand in terms of getting it fixed? Is my conveyance at fault for not checking?

After 16 years? What do you expect you could do? All I can say is that if the building control didn't sign off, you can either hope that they will, or get a building inspector of your own to identify what your remediation costs might be or even if there really is a problem, before getting the building control involved and they potentially put you under the gun to correct it. Not sure what the process is in your area, or what the substandard problem may be, but my experience is that code violations once in the system take on a life of their own that might not be at your schedule. There is also a liability issue if your substandard construction should cause any harm to others now that you are aware of the problem. It's best to deal with it now though, as you may have problems when you go to sell it.