How to Hide Cables in a Wall

15-07-2023

How to Hide Cables on a Wall

Wall mounting electrical items or appliances means you have to contend with wires.

While you can just leave them, it is both safer and more aesthetically pleasing to hide the cables and cover them.

The best solution for hiding the cables of a wall-mounted TV, security system, or indoor cameras, is to hide them behind the wall itself. You can use a wall chaser to cut out a channel, hide the cable, and fill it in again.

If you have hollow or plasterboard walls, holes can also be cut to feed the cable through, using a masonry wall saw.

There are a few other options for cable management, too. Below is all you need to know about hiding the cables of your wall-mounted appliances.

How to Hide Wires in a Wall

Your TV is mounted on the wall, or the wall lights are finally powered, but the wires are now on show. Not only doesn’t this look nice, but it is also a potential hazard, especially if you have young children.

So, the wires need to be tidied up. The safest way to do this is to hide them inside your wall, so nothing is on show.

The method slightly depends on the material of your wall. If it is brick, you will need to cut a channel for the power cord to run through. If plasterboard, you just need to cut two holes and feed the cord behind the wall.

Whatever the material, you need to wear the appropriate PPE when cutting masonry. A dust mask, eye protection, gloves, and work boots are all essential. You should also wear ear protection when working with power tools.

How to hide cables in a brick wall

You will need:

1. Check for wires, pipes, and cables

The first thing before doing any drilling or cutting work on walls is to check them for cables and pipes. This will tell you how far you can cut, or where to avoid altogether.

Use a rebar and metal detector on your wall. With a pencil, mark any areas which you must avoid, which are detected using a sound from the detector. This includes any studs behind your wall.

You’ve already mounted the TV, so you should have a rough idea of what is behind the wall and where it is, but don’t skip this step.

2. Mark the area to cut

Now you know where to avoid, you can mark where you will be cutting. This line should be straight down to the plug socket or power source.

Ensure the length of your cut section is long enough for the wire.

3. Use a wall chaser

Now is the time to use your wall chaser to cut the channel for the cable. Read our guide on how to use a wall chaser, which contains information on removing the remaining wall using a chisel.

Using a wall chaser is the best option, as it is easy to cut a channel in a straight line rather than having to make two separate cuts, but a masonry wall saw would also work.

You need the channel to be wide enough for the cable, but don’t make it too wide as this just makes it harder to cover up when done.

4. Install the conduit

Conduit or trunking is a length of material which can protect the cabling and the wall. This will give you a base to place the cable.

5. Run the wires

Run the wire down the length of the conduit or trunking, before closing over. You’re now ready to cover up this area.

6. Repair

Use some bonding plaster and filler to fill and smooth out the gap. Hopefully, this makes it quite undetectable. Then to finish, paint over the area.

How to Hide Wires in a Plasterboard Wall

You will need:

Masonry wall saw
String
Small weight (anything which will fit through the gap)
Socket box

A plasterboard wall will likely have a gap behind it. Rather than having to cut a channel the full length of the wall, you can just cut two separate holes—one where the wire will go into the wall, and one where it will come out.

1. Cut out the holes

Once you’ve worked out where the holes have to be, use a masonry wall saw to cut the hole. This will give you more precision than a wall chaser when cutting a small section out of the wall.

2. Tie a weight to the cable

Once the holes are cut, tie your weight to the end of your cable using the string. Pass this through the top hole, and you should be able to get the plug close enough to the bottom hole to reach through and pull it out.

3. Cover

A socket box over the holes will hide them nicely. Use screws or adhesive to fit this over the hole. Then it is just a matter of hiding the small section of cable running to the plug socket, using a plant or console table.

Other options

If you don’t want to cut into your walls, or you want a more temporary solution, you can also use cable covering to hide cables on your wall.

This is usually available in either black or white, but other colours may be available if you need something more specific. This will run down your wall, with the cable behind it.

It is often easy to stick to the wall and comes ready to use with adhesive. You can then sand the covering slightly and paint it the same colour as your wall.

While it isn’t completely hidden, it isn’t obvious either, so works if you can’t cut into the wall because of pipes or because your home is rented.

Another option is to cover your TV wall with panelling which hides the cable, before mounting your TV on top of this.

You can also use small adhesive hooks which can hold and guide your cable down the wall and paint the cable. Or, you may decide it doesn’t look too bad if left neater and pulled straight.

READY FOR MORE DIY TIPS?

When it comes to painting over the filled-in cable chase, our guide on how to paint fresh plaster and blend it into existing paint may come in handy. We also have a guide on how to smooth walls without replastering in case you need to repair your wall before fastening the TV.

Open a Speedy account online or visit us in-store when you’re ready to hire and start your DIY project.

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