How to Hide Wires Without Damaging Your Walls

Having wires exposed on your walls can look messy and cluttered. Fortunately, there are several effective ways to hide wires without damaging your walls in the process.

Assess Your Wiring Situation

Before deciding on a wiring solution, I first take stock of the situation:

• What areas have visible wires that need concealing? Make a list of problem spots.

• What types of wires need hiding? This may include power cords, speaker wires, Ethernet cables, cable/satellite TV wires, etc.

• How are the wires currently run? Are they loosely run along the baseboards, tacked to the walls, running through holes in the walls?

• What is the wall material? Drywall, plaster, concrete, brick? The wall type may limit your options.

• Is the wiring permanent or temporary? Permanent wiring will need a more permanent solution.

Thoroughly evaluating the wiring situation allows me to choose the best concealment method.

Clean Up and Consolidate Wires

Before hiding wires, I tidy them up:

• Untangle wires and straighten out kinks and twists.

• Check connections to ensure they are secure.

• Consolidate multiple wires into a single bundle using zip ties or velcro straps.

• Remove abandoned wires no longer in use.

Tidying up the wires makes them easier to work with and hide.

Non-Damaging Temporary Solutions

For temporary wire situations, try these non-damaging ideas:

• Tuck wires behind furniture. Push furniture like sofas, TV stands and beds slightly out from the walls to tuck wires behind them.

• Hide wires under area rugs. Wires across open floor spaces can disappear under area rugs and runners. Use rug tape to secure them.

• Conceal with cable management strips. Plastic channels like the Legrand Cable Management System firmly adhere to walls and contain wires inside.

• Use wire covers. Split plastic tubes like Wiremold Cordmate hide wires against baseboards and floors.

Permanent Solutions if Wall Damage is Allowed

For permanent wiring solutions where some wall damage is acceptable:

• Run wiring through walls. Use simple plastic wall plates or more decorative covers to hide the access points.

• Hide wires in molding. Paintable plastic wiring channels paint over seamlessly.

• Conceal wiring in conduits. Use thin PVC tubing like Legrand Wiremold to neatly contain bundles of wiring through walls.

• Recess wiring into walls. Cut shallow channels into walls to recess wiring into before patching, repainting and refinishing the walls.

Choose Safe Methods Suitable for Your Situation

The key is selecting a wire concealment method that is safe, effective, and suitable for your specific situation. With some clever concealment tricks, you can hide wires without the risk and hassle of damaging your walls. Tidying up wires first and assessing your wiring situation allows you to implement the ideal solution for a clean, clutter-free look.