Exposed wires and cables can make any room look cluttered and messy. Fortunately, there are several clever ways to hide wires and cables behind walls to create a clean, streamlined look. This guide will walk you through the basics of in-wall cord management so you can hide wires in any room.
Gather Materials Needed for In-Wall Wire Concealment
Before getting started, you'll need to gather the right materials to hide wires behind walls or baseboards. Here's what I typically use:
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Fish tape - This long, flexible metal tape can be fed through walls to pull wires and cables through. It's the core tool needed for in-wall wire concealment.
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Wall plates - Install wall plates to cover up holes cut to feed wires into walls. Get blank plates or plates with brush ports to hide the wires.
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Wire staples and clips - Use wire staples and clips to securely attach wires and cables to wood studs or joists when running them through walls.
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Conduit tubing - For large bundles of wires, run them through conduit tubing inside walls for protection. Flexible PVC tubing works well.
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Low-voltage brackets - Use these adjustable metal brackets to mount TVs and hide all the cables behind the wall.
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Cable raceways - Plastic raceways let you run cables neatly along baseboards and edges of the wall.
Locate Wall Studs and Plan Wire Routing
Before cutting into walls, the next important step is to locate all the wall studs using a stud finder. Plan out where you want to make cuts in the drywall and map out the path to run the wires through the wall cavities.
Determine where wires will need to enter and exit the walls. Make small holes near baseboards, behind furniture, under carpets or in closets to allow wires to be concealed as much as possible.
Consider running cables through:
- Inside wall cavities between studs
- Under floorboards in the basement or crawl space
- Through the attic and down walls
- Along edges of the room behind trim molding
Cut Drywall and Drill Entry/Exit Holes
Now comes the fun part - cutting drywall! Take a drywall saw or utility knife and cut holes between studs where wires and cables need to enter and exit walls. Make the holes large enough to fit all the wires through.
Use a drill to bore holes through wall studs and bottom plates. Install wall plates over the holes later for a clean look. For baseboards, pry them off gently and drill wire holes behind them.
Tip: Minimize drywall damage by cutting holes in closets or behind furniture when possible.
Feed Wires and Cables Through Walls
Here are the basic steps to feed wires through walls:
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Attach a fish tape to the end of the wires with electrical or gaffer's tape.
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Feed the fish tape through the entry hole, inside the wall cavity, and out the exit hole.
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Carefully pull the wires one-by-one through the wall using the fish tape.
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Leave some slack and use wire clips to attach wires to wall studs to support their weight.
For bundles of thick cables, consider running them through conduit inside walls instead of directly through drywall. Plastic conduit protects the cables from damage.
Reattach Drywall and Conceal Entry/Exit Points
Once all the wires are run through the walls, it's time to patch up the drywall. Apply joint compound over the cut drywall edges and sand smooth. After painting, the drywall patches will be barely noticeable.
Install wall plates over any visible holes to conceal them. Run cables under baseboard trim if needed. For floor holes, use grommets or conduit to protect the wires. Carpet and furniture can also be placed over wire entry/exit points.
The key is concealing where the wires enter and exit as much as possible. With some creative wire routing, the cables can disappear inside the walls for a clean look.
Maintain Organized Cables and Wires Inside Walls
Even though the wires are hidden, it's important to keep them neat and organized inside walls. Here are some tips:
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Label wires - Use wire labels or tape to identify each wire's purpose. This avoids confusion later behind walls.
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Make service loops - When routing wires, leave extra service loops of wire in case they need to be accessed later.
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Use separators - Inside crowded wall boxes, insert plastic wire separators to keep different wire types neatly separated.
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Wrap bundles - Neatly bundle and wrap wires together using velcro straps or electrical tape.
Taking the time to organize wires within walls makes it much easier to access and modify them later if needed.
Hiding messy rat's nests of wires in walls and between floors takes some work, but the results are well worth it. Follow these steps and soon you'll have wires concealed like a pro. Just be careful not to nail or screw into wires hidden inside walls during future remodeling projects!