In-Wall Cable Management

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

I am going to be moving into a place, that most likely will not have this, or I may want to do a second one.

 

I want the nice little box at the top, and bottom for cables, in the wall. Many new homes have this for where the TV goes. So the box  (the opening is what I mean by box, outlet basically) is behind the tv, and the other one down near the power plugs etc.

 

So has anyone done this before, in a place already built/complete? What parts did you use, where did you get them. Or did you get a professional to do it, how much?

 

Frankly, if one is not already done, I will want to do this in two different places in the new home. So I am hoping its not extremely expensive.

 

Thanks :)

[+Fahim S. MVC]

I've done this. You've got two choices really, a brush plate or an outlet.

[HawkMan]

If the wall doesn't have it already, you pretty much need to rip of the drywall, to lay in the tubes for the cables and mount the in wall boxes.

[#Michael]

If the wall doesn't have it already, you pretty much need to rip of the drywall, to lay in the tubes for the cables and mount the in wall boxes.

 

Not really.  DIY in-wall cable management is pretty easy.

 

http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2012/01/10/mounting-your-tv-to-the-wall-and-hiding-all-the-cords/

http://www.legrand.us/residential/diy-project-corner/diy-tv-inwall.aspx#.U1ML0OZdWJk

[HawkMan]

Provided the wall has no horizontal bracing.

[xendrome]

Just use box-eliminators and faceplates, there's no need for boxes in the walls, or conduit for low voltage applications.

[+Thayios Subscriber²]

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=104&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042513&p_id=4652&seq=1&format=2

[scumdogmillionaire]

I have these: http://www.amazon.com/Arlington-LV1-1CS-Voltage-Mounting-Bracket/dp/B000UEAJWU/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1398008587&sr=1-1

and these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00193U3O0/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

and some wire loom tubing that is screwed into to the stud at the top and at the bottom to drop the cables through.

[compl3x]

Provided the wall has no horizontal bracing.

 

 

Isn't there a gap between the bracers and the wall? A gap large enough to slip cables between? We had all of our antennas updated a few years back and the guy was about to just cut out the outlets and feed all of the antenna wire up into the roof to the antenna.

If you don't want to cut holes in your walls you can just use conduit and paint it the same colour as the wall. Admittedly it isn't as cool as hiding the cables behind the walls but it is a drastic improvement to just having them hang everywhere.

[T3X4S]

So, is there any difference between "quality" of cables ?

 

 

Im kidding !  Im kidding !

[HawkMan]

Isn't there a gap between the bracers and the wall? A gap large enough to slip cables between? We had all of our antennas updated a few years back and the guy was about to just cut out the outlets and feed all of the antenna wire up into the roof to the antenna.

If you don't want to cut holes in your walls you can just use conduit and paint it the same colour as the wall. Admittedly it isn't as cool as hiding the cables behind the walls but it is a drastic improvement to just having them hang everywhere.

Not necessarily, if the house is old enough to not have in wall cabling to start with probably not. Depending on the house maybe not even then.

[Aergan]

I wasn't able to recess mine as the entry area for cabling is situated on the inside of the front-side wall and comprised of airbricks. My plastering skills are crap so I opted for 2.5cm deep white "back boxes" to replace the original deteriorated 1980's BT extension box.

 

For mine I drilled a big bloody hole , fed the cables through then covered it with a double face plate, terminating to; 3x CAT6 and 1xBT Phone Socket keystones.

• 1x LAN (Data network)
• 2x LAN-HDMI Extension (From Media Server)
• 1x BT Phone (for Sky Box)

. Took about 3 hours work as I had to run 4x 22 metres of outdoor grade Ethernet cable outside the house. Roughly ?38 worth of components / cables.

[Haggis Veteran]

This is what i am looking at

 

my house is very old so all the walls are solid stone

 

so going to run a LAN cables outside the house, around it then back in

[scumdogmillionaire]

here's what mine looks like without the drywall so you can see exactly what's happening. its very basic, but this is what you're talking about with new homes having it done.

 

find the stud edge

trace the hole for the bracket right on the edge and cut the drywall, repeat on the bottom.

drop loom tubing down and screw it to the stud

attach brackets, attach recessed face plate.

[HawkMan]

That wiring, and those boxes would all have failed inspection over here. All in wall cables must be in those tubes over here and the boxes need to pass certain specifications as well.

[D. S. Veteran]

This is what i am looking at

 

my house is very old so all the walls are solid stone

 

so going to run a LAN cables outside the house, around it then back in

 

There isn't a B option of running CAT6 under the floorboards?

[Haggis Veteran]

nah would have to lift all the laminate flooring :(

 

will be something i keep in mind when we redo the floors though

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Alright, so it's getting closer to that time and I need to find a product. In Canada.

For the TV, it does not matter, one power cable pretty much is all.

 

For the computer though I need something that can handle, 2 DVI, 1 DisplayPort, 3 Power, 1 USB. If not more for it to work.

Everything I have seen I can't confirm it fits that, nor if I can find a cheap enough one in Canada.

[xendrome]

That wiring, and those boxes would all have failed inspection over here. All in wall cables must be in those tubes over here and the boxes need to pass certain specifications as well.

 

For low voltage applications? That's dumb... waste of money.

nah would have to lift all the laminate flooring :(

 

will be something i keep in mind when we redo the floors though

 

I would never do that... Just run the CAT5 through the attic and down the walls, I've done it hundreds of time, even with cross-studs in the wall. Just cut a 1 1/2 inch hold in the top wall 2x4 and then use a long drill bit to drill a hole into the cross-stud of about 1 inch. They make drill bits that are 36-46 inches long. You just have to center it good before you start drilling or else you'll come out the wall. hit it on one side, hit it on the other, in the wall then you'll know where the center is even if you can't see it.

 

Then just cut your box-eliminator hole in the wall, and have someone down there that can catch the wire once you feed it with some glow-rods/sticks and use electrical tape to tie it off to those.

[HawkMan]

For low voltage applications? That's dumb... waste of money.

 

I would never do that... Just run the CAT5 through the attic and down the walls, I've done it hundreds of time, even with cross-studs in the wall. Just cut a 1 1/2 inch hold in the top wall 2x4 and then use a long drill bit to drill a hole into the cross-stud of about 1 inch. They make drill bits that are 36-46 inches long. You just have to center it good before you start drilling or else you'll come out the wall. hit it on one side, hit it on the other, in the wall then you'll know where the center is even if you can't see it.

 

Then just cut your box-eliminator hole in the wall, and have someone down there that can catch the wire once you feed it with some glow-rods/sticks and use electrical tape to tie it off to those.

 

same standard so people don't mess up. and thos solitary 2.5square cables that's just laying freely in the wall don't look like low voltage. 

[Aergan]

nah would have to lift all the laminate flooring :(

 

will be something i keep in mind when we redo the floors though

 

I have the same situation almost, the "laminate flooring" in this house is 3/4 inch thick, polished Oak.

 

Here's from behind the TV:

[Dick Montage]

HDMI?  They look Cat5???

[xendrome]

HDMI?  They look Cat5???

 

HDMI is just the spec/connector, the data can be run over CAT5 to extend it. It's just 0's and 1's.

[Dinggus]

I had a similar question, I plan on moving and renting my house out. Right now I just fished the cables through each hole in my drywall, but I'm looking to have a nice easy setup for the renters to be able to just plug and play. I was thinking about getting this:

2 of these (top and bottom for wiring)

2 of these (1xtop and 1xbottom)

8 of these (4xtop and 4xbottom)

Of course then I would need 4xHDMI, 1xDigital Optical. So, I'm debating going this route or just going with this below:

I just want it simple for renters.