Mounting your beautiful new flat screen tv on the wall can make for a gorgeous, modern look in your home. However, those unsightly wires, cables and cords hanging down can quickly ruin the aesthetic. Luckily, hiding those tv wires from a wall mounted television is an easy DIY project. With a few tools, materials and planning, you can completely hide cords from even the most discerning eye.
Below is a comprehensive guide on hiding tv cords from a wall-mounted tv. You will learn about how to hide the wires behind the wall, how to mount your TV so that it is easier to hide your cable, tv cables management and many more. Let’s get started!
Why Hide Your Wall Mounted TV Wires?
Beyond improving the visual appeal of your sleek mounted television, hiding tv wires behind your wall mounted flat screen also makes practical sense for safety and organization. Dangling wires pose a tripping hazard for kids and pets, not to mention they simply look messy and cluttered. Properly hiding your wall mounted television’s wires keeps them secure, while contributing to a clean, wireless look.
How to Hide TV Wires: Step-By-Step Guide
Hiding television wires from a wall mounted tv involves routing and concealing cables either behind the wall itself or inside it with various cable management strategies. Follow these key steps for keeping cords neatly out of sight.
Choose the Right Wall Mount for flat-screen tv
The easiest way to hide tv wires begins with selecting the right wall mount for your television. Models designed specifically for hiding wires have channels built-in to the mount to neatly guide cables down and out of sight behind the wall mounted tv. Consider one of these all-in-one solutions that have wire hiding features built-in.
Gather the Proper Tools & Materials
Hiding television cords behind drywall requires the right gear for making a hole in the wall and routing wires. You might also need tools to get rid of an existing tv stand or a piece of furniture. For most basic DIY wire hiding projects, you’ll need:
- Stud finder
- Drywall saw
- Fish tapes
- Cable ties
- Cable/wire conduit
You can find these tools in your local hardware store. They are essential to drill holes in your wall and keep your cords and cable managed.
Locate Wall Studs
Before routing any wires or cutting drywall, locate precisely where studs sit behind your wall. Use an electronic stud finder tool to detect these, marking their placement with painters tape on the wall. Avoid drilling into electrical wiring inside stud bays.
Cut Access Holes
Use your drywall saw to cut out neat access holes between each stud bay where you’ll feed wires down behind the wall. Make cutout holes just big enough to fit connectors and cables. Position access points directly behind where the wall mounted television will hide them.
Route Wires Down Wall
Feed fish tape down from the back of your mounted television, through your wall mount kit if it has a channel, then into the wall access holes. Carefully pull connector cables and wires down through the holes, leaving plenty of slack behind the wall to allow for adjustments.
Hide Wires in Conduit
If you need to hide the cords and plugs in conduit, do the following. Within the wall, bundle wires neatly using cable ties and plastic conduit tubing. This neatly contains all wiring down the inside of the wall where it’s fully concealed from sight. Use conduit pieces to bridge any gaps between stud bays.
Patch Drywall Holes
Once all cables are routed and concealed within the wall, patch over access holes using drywall compound and tape. Carefully mud and sand until flush with existing wall surface. Prime and paint over patches to match your wall. Allow paint to fully dry before mounting the television.
Attach TV & Accessories
With wires routed cleanly behind the scenes, mount your television according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For even cleaner concealed wires, consider mounting other accessories like streaming devices or cable boxes on the back of the television or directly to the wall mount.
Alternative Ways to Hide Wall Mounted TV Wires
If cutting into drywall to embed wires is out of the question, consider these alternative options for hiding tv wires with a bit more creativity:
Wire Covers
Adhesive cord covers, discreet raceways, or wall-colored wire channels are easy ways to conceal TV wires. Hiding cables and cords on a wall mounted tv is quite easy if you have wire covers. Affix neatly to the wall behind the mounted television.
Behind Furniture
Strategically place a media console, shelving unit, or sofa directly under your mounted flat screen to hide dangling wires fully out of sight.
Inside the Wall
For new construction or full remodels, an in-wall TV box lets you embed all wires completely inside the wall for the most seamless, wireless look.
FAQs: Hiding TV Wires Behind Wall Mounts
Do I need to cut big holes in my wall?
No, only small access holes between each stud bay are required to feed wires inside the wall. These are then covered up with drywall compound for concealed wires. Also make sure that you choose the right wall mount for your TV.
Where should I mount my TV accessories?
Attaching streaming devices, game consoles or cable boxes directly to the back of the TV or wall mount makes hiding the tv accessories easier.
What about hiding power cables?
There are different ways to hide hdmi cables, extension cordsm and pesky wires. Use flat, low-profile power cables painted to match your walls. Affix snugly in wire channels or conduit along the edge of the baseboard trim.
Hiding television wires might seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools and technique, you can fully conceal cords from a wall mounted TV for a clean, seamless look. Always put safety first by turning off power, finding studs, and carefully routing wires. Follow the steps above for professionally hiding cords, cables and wires from your mounted flat screen TV.