Running a Cable Through the Wall
As technology improves, the number of wires connecting your TV to other peripherals is increasing exponentially. Without expensive wireless connections, most people’s living roo
ms end up looking like the spaghetti special from your grade-school cafeteria. Not only can this create fire hazards, it is a nightmare trying to replace a component, move furniture, or troubleshoot a problem. Let’s be honest, who wants to sit and watch a TV sitting in front of a rat’s nest. It doesn’t have to be this way. There is hope for high definition audio speakers, X-Boxes, Playstations, and dozens of other peripherals to coexist without sacrificing a sleek look that would please even a minimalist architect.
This look is easy to achieve, and you may find a subtle improvement in the quality of your life and living space. The main goal of this article, is to explain the benefits of running cables through the wall of your house. The project can be as big or as small as you want to make it, and often it requires no more than a few simple tools, and a little pre-planning on the exact location of where the holes need to be.
The first two things you need to figure out are the general area where you want your electronic device and the location of the plug you are trying to reach. Next you need to find the distance between these two objects at right angles relative to the floor. The reason for this is that behind your wall are most likely studs. Not good looking gentlemen mind you, but wooden 2x4s that run vertically and sometimes also horizontally behind your wall. Studs are there for support of both your house, and the drywall connected to it. Because of this, you will find yourself having a very difficult (though not impossible) time trying to get a cable to run diagonally through your wall. Running the cable in right angles is much easier, but requires longer cables. If your TV is going to be located directly above your plugs, this will not be a problem, and you can simply measure the height difference plus extra for working room. Continue reading