How to overcome wiring a cumbersome room...

avelanchefan · July 2003

I am moving to a new house. And the room where the HT is going leaves it very difficult to get the wiring to the rear surround speakers.

Its your basic square room. But I basically have to go around a few walls to get the speaker wire where it needs to be. Anyone have any suggestions as to what to do? Or what they have done when confronted with this problem? I will post pics tomorrow, but please fire away if you have any ideas.

dorokusai · July 2003

Post some pics surely, and that would help.

I mounted my speakers for the rear, measured, then cut small holes in the ceiling, above the speakers, and used a fish tape to pull the wires over.
To finish it off, I used a 5 way binding post wall plate to cover the hole and hook up the speakers.

It looks real good, perhaps not visually invisible, but I like to see my custom 16" wire from my wall plate to the speaker

Gives me something to point at then touch myself.

Here is an example of the wall plate:

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-5veZtLfeACO/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=9&g=15210&I=1905W2DW&o=p&a=0&cc=01&avf=N

Grimster74 · July 2003

I had a really difficult time getting speaker wire run to my side surronds due to the layout of the drywall in my H/T room also. When I was having my house built I was given permission to prewire for my H/T but never took into consideration of having a 7.1 setup so the rear channel was prewired. Take a look at Grimsters World in the System Showcase, I took pictures of how I ran my side surrounds after the house was built. May not help but might give you some ideas. By the way, is your H/T going to be in a basement, is there a second floor above your H/T room or is it attic space above your H/T room.

gidrah · July 2003

Would you be able to go through the basement? Just drill 2 holes and connect the dots.

avelanchefan · July 2003

I have to post some pics (at work right now). But it's a ranch with no basement. And I have yet to look to see if there is an attic, but I assume there is.

Problem is that I am renting the house. It's brand new and we have the option to buy, but I do not think the owners want holes in their ceilings. Cable guy is coming out soon....so i am wondering if he may give me some pointers or help me out. I will try to get some pics up in the AM.

Dr. Spec · July 2003

I got pretty creative in my slab on grade room when wiring for 7.1.

Fished wire through the floor HVAC ducts.

Tucked wire up under the fireplace mantle lip and behind the gun safe.

Ran wire into a register and up a cold air return between two studs.

You can see it in some spots, but overall I was very pleased with the minimal amount of eyesore. Having natural wood floor, baseboards, and t&g cedar doesn't hurt to camo the copper colored wiring a bit either.

Doc

avelanchefan · July 2003

Here the T.V. and speakers would be on the left, but as you can see the front door is there.

avelanchefan · July 2003

And here is the second pic.

The TV/Speakers will be on the right, but I have the opening to the kitchen to deal with. Unfortunately this is the only room the HT can go in. So I have to work with what I got.

Thanks in advance for the help guys.

Grimster74 · July 2003

I think your best bet for know is to nicely tuck your speaker wire under the base boards if you do not want to drill any holes. Then again, if you drill small enough holes your could go up into the attic then back down to your rear surrounds. Then holes won't be that had to fix if you ever have to move. Atleast thats what I did when I was renting. Hope it this helps.

Fastmerc · July 2003

Hello,

I see a few different scenarios here. Each would depend on your level of confidence as a "handyman". In the last suggestion by Grim he mention stuffing under the base board. This would be the best solution except for the front door.

I would do either of the following. Its a little hard to tell from the pic but it looks like the baseboard and trim are white. If that is the case this method shouldnt be too hard. First look and see if the baseboards have been caulked along the top. If they have you will want to run a utulity razor knife around the top edge to cut the caulk line. Then you would take a small prybar/nail remover and tap down between the wall and the trim...being careful not to damage either(it can be done). Once you get it pulled out a little you should see the next nail...try to only pry and each nail. Do this with the front door trim as well. Once the baseboards and trim are removed you should see plenty of room for the wire underneath. Then reattach your mouldings touch up the white paint and run a new small bead of white caulk around the top. It may seem labor intensive but there will be no holes and no wire showing except at the amp and at the speakers. Also as long as you dont break the moulding your land lord should never even know anything happened...as most people in general dont pay any attention to the baseboards.

I was actually going to go into depth on another route but realized it wouldnt be the best in your situation since it would involve adding a few wall plates and that your landlord would notice. Although I bet if you asked him\her if you could do it they would be happy to let you. Having a room prewired for surround sound is a good selling\renting feature these days. If you find they might be open to the idea I can go into further detail. This would be the most "finished" look and is fairly easy to do.

Good luck

Tour2ma · July 2003

ave,

Drops to the rears should be no problem as they are on an inside wall, i.e., non-insulated. Holes in the drywall can be very small and easily patched if and when you move on.

Consider initiating the speaker wire run to them from your AVR via PVC conduit up the outside of the house and into the attic.

avelanchefan · August 2003

Well we went and looked at the room again last night before we move in. (We move in next Friday) I had my father-in-law come over because he is very good with drywall/and electrical wiring...etc. (He used to ba a contractor)

Anyways he said it would be easier if we drilled holes where we wanted the speaker wire to come out. Then I will get in the attic and he will send a fisher-wire up the drilled holes and I will attach the speaker wire so he can pull it through. He said it should be a very easy job, but one that needs to be done in the early morning since being up in the attic after 10 am is not a very good thing to do here in Tucson. :eek:

The distance between the attic openng and the first hole will be only 10 feet max. Looking forward to getting this project done.

ChrisDurano · August 2003

How bout going through the crawl space and using a long drill bit...just like the cable guys.

avelanchefan · August 2003

There is no crawl space underneath the house. (If that is what you are refering to.)

ChrisDurano · August 2003

How did the cable guys put the wall plates then.......just thru the exterior wall? That doesn't really look that appealing...especially if its black wire.

avelanchefan · August 2003

I read my initial post from today, and I meant to say that we are not drilling holes through the drywall but actually we are going to put it through the cable or electricle outlets.

You think that would be the best way Chris? Would I get any interference from it running through the electricle outlet and or cable outlet?

dorokusai · August 2003

Go thru the cable outlets not the electrical to avoid interference, but it is a good idea. That way you use as much existing construction as possible.

If you route it thru into your cable opening, you could actually then pop a small hole in the wall above that plate and mount a binding post plate above it.....then look in the hole, grab those wires and pull them thru the new hole.

Mount the binding post plate with drywall push-ins on the rear and use your stock plate screws. I did this for mine.

RuSsMaN · August 2003

Flat cable, a coathanger (straightened), and a razorblade.

Run that **** under the carpet, EASY, you just have to pull up on the section you are about to go through, and stay on top of the pad.

Slits will only need to be 1/2" to 1", not even noticeable once you lay it down, you can even comb it a bit if need be.

Cheers
Rooster

(Lots of other great suggestions, just throwing out another option)

Tour2ma · August 2003

Possible to use power outlets, IF you avoid parallel runs of any significant length. Parallel runs to AC wiring will induce a DC current in the speaker wire.

I would avoid under carpet as walking on it will break strands.

avelanchefan · August 2003

Well the Pop-in-law and I wired the room this a.m. It was about a 90 minute job to do. We went up into the attic and lucked out on the reciever side of the speaker wire. The attic has flooring installed aroud the entrance to the furnace. (did not realize the furnace was up there) So getting to that side of the wire was right there, next to the flooring.

As for the surrounds, well that was a mess. We found the area we needed in about two minutes. Fish wired the cable, and I started to run it down. Found some minor resistance, but it "seemed" to over come it. The wire ran right down to the spot my father in law drilled, but the beginning of the fish wire was no where to be seen. Pulled it back up but the fish wire had kinked and would not let me pull the wire all the way through. So we were stuck at both ends. Plus I was balancing on 2x4's because the attic flooring did not reach all the way to were we needed to go.

So my father-in-law started cutting holes in the walls to get the fish wire going. Mom-in-law was screaming, "What the hell you doing!" Freaking funny as hell. I trust him, he's an ex-contractor and has built hundreds of houses, so he knows how to do repairs. Finally found the culprit, it was a water line that "snaked" in the wall. So the wire was getting hung up on it. Got it run through, with a few "added" holes. He came back this afternoon, filled the holes nicely, and to tell you the truth I can hardly see where he cut those holes, and I still have to sand and paint.

Basically I am beat, I sweated so much in the attic that my clothes were so drenched in sweat that I had a hard time taking them off. It was 90 degree's by 10 a.m. :eek: But it is done and I am glad I married into a family that knows what the hell they are doing!!

Oh yeah the H/T sounds great.:D

Frank Z · August 2003

I can relate!! Try spending 6-8 hours in an attic during the summer installing an A/C system!

Glad to hear all went relatively smoothly!

redhouse · September 2003

Here's what I did, I ran the wire around the room then hid it with an add on to the mop board, this way if I need to change the wire the add on unscrews off easy. It's just a piece of L shaped trim from Home Depo. I just drilled a small hole where ever a wire needed to pop out.

redhouse · September 2003

Here's a pic

redhouse · September 2003

One more

VR3 · September 2003

Thats pretty cool and none the least; a great idea! COOL! Thats what I need for my room actually...lol, I use thumb tacks!

Tour2ma · September 2003

Thanks redhouse, should solve a little dilemma I've run into at some ceiling trim.

Another thread for my reference file...

gidrah · September 2003

That looks real good Redhouse. Great idea.

Whereabouts in MI are you located.

redhouse · September 2003

Southwest side just outside St. Joseph

How to overcome wiring a cumbersome room...

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