Having lots of dangling and messy wires beneath your TV can be distracting and is not quite the clean, seamless look everyone is after. Hiding these wires connected to the TV behind your wall is a lot easier than you may think. Follow these steps on how to hide TV wires in your wall to help declutter and streamline your space.
Materials Needed -
Pencil
Coaxial Cable
Old Work Box
Duplex Receptacle
Receptacle Wall Plate
14/2 Wire
How to Hide TV Wires In Your Wall (Behind Drywall)
1. Find the existing outlet you will use to power your TV. You will install the 2-gang low voltage mounting box directly next to the existing outlet. Use a stud finder to locate an open cavity to the left or right of the existing outlet that avoids studs.
2. Using a pencil, mark the location of your new low voltage box on the wall. First, you will measure the width of the box and transfer this measurement to the wall.
Then, remove the cover plate from your existing power outlet. Place a level along the top of the existing electrical box. Using the level, draw a parallel line at the new low voltage box location to ensure both electrical boxes are mounted at the same height.
4. Finally, measure the height of your new box and transfer this measurement to the wall using the parallel line as the upper constraint. Be sure the box mounting screw holes are on the top and the bottom when marking. Use a level to draw lines connecting all four sides of the electrical box mounting location.
5. Use a keyhole saw to start to cut the marked low voltage box location out of your drywall.
6. Once you have the cut started, you can finish the drywall cutting with an oscillating multi-tool. Alternatively, you can use a RotoZip or other rotary tool.
7. Remove the cut piece of drywall and insert the 2-gang low voltage mounting box into the opening. Using a power drill, tighten the two mounting screws. This will tighten the plastic “ears” and secure the box to the drywall.
8. Determine where your TV mount will be installed and determine where you want your second new low voltage box to be installed (either above or below your TV mount). Repeat steps 2 - 6 to install a 1-gang wall plate with flexible opening for the cables at your TV. Test fit the 1-gang box into your new opening, but do not screw it in yet.
9. Run your first cable through the 1-gang box opening and down the wall to the 2-gang box. Reach through the 2-gang low voltage box and grab the cable.
10. Run all remaining wires and cables through your wall from one opening to the next. Consider also running a few strings attached to one of your wires. These strings can be used in the future to help guide another wire through your wall.
NOTE: If you are mounting your TV on an exterior wall, the wall will contain insulation. It is still possible to run the wires through this wall for wire-free TV mounting. You may need to use a hard piece of wire, such as a coat hanger, to fish the wire past the insulation.
11. Locate your cable source in your basement in order to run a new cable extension to your TV. Drill a hole in your floor at the new 2-gang electrical box location for the new cable wire to run through. Thread the cable wire through the new hole and up into the low voltage box.
12. Once all cords for your TV have been run through your wall, thread them through your 1-gang wall plate with flexible opening. Finish installing the wall plate by screwing in the mounting screws to tighten the “ears.”
13. Connect the new coaxial cable you ran from your basement cable source to the inside of a coaxial cable insert. Attach the coaxial cable insert to the electrical box with the the provided screws.
14. Feed all of the remaining wires through a flexible decor insert. Attach the flexible decor insert to the electrical box with the provided screws.
15. Run all of the cables through the appropriate side of a 2-gang wall plate cover and attach the cover to the box with the provided screws.
16. Using power from the existing power outlet, you will install a power outlet at the TV mount location. Follow steps 2 - 6 to measure and cut out the drywall for the old work box at your desired location near your TV mount. Do not install the old work box yet.
17. Shut off the power to the existing power outlet. Remove the existing wall plate and receptacle. Run the new 14/2 cable from the existing receptacle box up to the new box location.
18. Run the new 14/2 cable through the back of the old work box and install the old work box in the cutout location with the provided screws.
19. At the new electrical box location, strip the coating off of the 14/2 cable to expose the interior wires. Strip the coating off of the interior wire with a wire stripper tool.
20. Connect the power, neutral, and grounding wires where labeled to the new receptacle.
21. Attach the receptacle to the old work box with the provided screws and attach the wall plate.
22. Repeat steps 19 - 21 at the existing old work box location to connect the power between both receptacles.
For more quick home improvement and repair tips and guides, check out The Fixer on YouTube or at thefixerhomerepair.com
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