Installing Speaker Wires in Plaster Wall

JackHammer · 01-03-2009, 03:54 PM

My apartment has plaster walls and I want to set up a 5.1 surround sound system. I have the cambridge soundworks satellite speakers and I think in order to set them up nice I need to mount them off the ceiling. I am thinking using a router to cut a channel 1/2" deep by 1/2" wide into the plaster wall to run the speaker wires. It would require a lot of channeling, re-plastering (spackling) and re-painting. Do any of you guys have experience with plaster wall and speaker wires?

mcs328 · 01-03-2009, 04:11 PM

Have you looked into flat speaker wire?

Markel · 01-03-2009, 04:44 PM

A common way of adding wires inside of walls is to cut a slot in the plaster/drywall at each stud, then cut a notch into the stud for the wire, and fish the wire through the wall and across each stud. I think that would be much less patching than cutting a slot in the plaster the entire way.

renovation · 01-03-2009, 05:54 PM

i hope your good at drywall repairs. being a apartment your landlord is going to flip if you channel out for the wires and not repaired right. theres more to it then just a little spackle if doing it as you plan.
i remove some base board and drill a hole and then drill a small hole above and using a wire fish tape pull the wire though .it be a pain but one little whole a lot better to repair then a strip in the middle of a wall.also make sure you use a razer knife and run the top edge of the trim board to cut though any paint .becouse there a very good chance you'll pull off more then the baseboard when you pry it away from the wall. how much work are you willing to do for some speaker wires in a apartment .you need to ask your self. and is it really worth it? also remember matching paint is a pain to get the color just right.and white is not just white.one companys white may be brighter or lighter then another paint companys.

MrGreg · 01-03-2009, 06:19 PM

I agree. For an apartment, I wouldn't try too hard to hide the wires.

zippyjuan · 01-04-2009, 11:50 AM

Just paint the wire to match the walls and run them along the edges since it is an apartment and not your own place.

johnnymk · 01-05-2009, 04:31 AM

You could also use surface mounted wall channels. They aren't cheap, but are effective.

attgig · 01-05-2009, 10:15 AM

another option:
http://reviews.cnet.com/speakers-spe...-32456886.html

The Happy Squirrel · 01-27-2009, 07:46 AM

what i do/did is just put a couple of eye hook screws into the celing and run them along there. they are visible but out of the way and a lot of people dont even look or care.... just a thoguht, its quick easy cheap nad you wont ahve to pay a large damage bill when you move out.

DarkFury · 01-27-2009, 09:30 AM

In an apartment, I wouldn't want to do any cutting into the walls. It's not worth the risk of losing your security deposit.

I used to run my speaker wires along the baseboard under the carpet.

01-03-2009, 03:54 PM	#1
JackHammer Commander Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: The Toilet Capital of America Posts: 1,316	Installing Speaker Wires in Plaster Wall My apartment has plaster walls and I want to set up a 5.1 surround sound system. I have the cambridge soundworks satellite speakers and I think in order to set them up nice I need to mount them off the ceiling. I am thinking using a router to cut a channel 1/2" deep by 1/2" wide into the plaster wall to run the speaker wires. It would require a lot of channeling, re-plastering (spackling) and re-painting. Do any of you guys have experience with plaster wall and speaker wires? __________________ "I'm very sorry for your loss. Your mother was a terribly attractive woman." -Royal Tenebaum "Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I would do everything to her, I don't care what she looks like. I would wreck that chick." -Brian from the Family Guy after Peter asked him whether he would have sex with Lois.

01-03-2009, 04:11 PM	#2
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,219	Have you looked into flat speaker wire? __________________

01-03-2009, 04:44 PM	#3
Markel Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 11,270	A common way of adding wires inside of walls is to cut a slot in the plaster/drywall at each stud, then cut a notch into the stud for the wire, and fish the wire through the wall and across each stud. I think that would be much less patching than cutting a slot in the plaster the entire way. __________________ stay low... keep moving...

01-03-2009, 05:54 PM	#4
renovation Vice Admiral Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: by a lake in michigan Posts: 4,271	i hope your good at drywall repairs. being a apartment your landlord is going to flip if you channel out for the wires and not repaired right. theres more to it then just a little spackle if doing it as you plan. i remove some base board and drill a hole and then drill a small hole above and using a wire fish tape pull the wire though .it be a pain but one little whole a lot better to repair then a strip in the middle of a wall.also make sure you use a razer knife and run the top edge of the trim board to cut though any paint .becouse there a very good chance you'll pull off more then the baseboard when you pry it away from the wall. how much work are you willing to do for some speaker wires in a apartment .you need to ask your self. and is it really worth it? also remember matching paint is a pain to get the color just right.and white is not just white.one companys white may be brighter or lighter then another paint companys. __________________ be careful of what you wish for . you may get a ton of junk e-mail ! smile or f-off Last edited by renovation : 01-03-2009 at 06:09 PM.

01-03-2009, 06:19 PM	#5
MrGreg Commander Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Beaverton, OR Posts: 1,492	I agree. For an apartment, I wouldn't try too hard to hide the wires. __________________ -The nerd formerly known as vectorcalculus

01-04-2009, 11:50 AM	#6
zippyjuan Picture of the Day Guru Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 8,708	Just paint the wire to match the walls and run them along the edges since it is an apartment and not your own place. __________________ I add new pictures to my photo gallery pretty regularly. You can see them here if you are interested: http://www.pbase.com/jeffryz

01-05-2009, 04:31 AM	#7
johnnymk Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: May 2000 Location: LEVITTOWN< PA> USA Posts: 13,619	You could also use surface mounted wall channels. They aren't cheap, but are effective.

01-05-2009, 10:15 AM	#8
attgig Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: the ghetto's of bawlmo' Posts: 11,481	another option: http://reviews.cnet.com/speakers-spe...-32456886.html __________________

01-27-2009, 07:46 AM	#9
The Happy Squirrel Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: the castle beyond the goblin city Posts: 2,760	what i do/did is just put a couple of eye hook screws into the celing and run them along there. they are visible but out of the way and a lot of people dont even look or care.... just a thoguht, its quick easy cheap nad you wont ahve to pay a large damage bill when you move out. __________________ Lion face / lemon face!

01-27-2009, 09:30 AM	#10
DarkFury Secretary of the Navy Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Chillin' N Da 'Hood Posts: 34,390	In an apartment, I wouldn't want to do any cutting into the walls. It's not worth the risk of losing your security deposit. I used to run my speaker wires along the baseboard under the carpet. __________________ DarkFury's Pimptopia - Don't Hate the Playa, Hate the Game! Home of the Original OG Pimp (accept NO imitations)

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