Hiding Cables/wires on exterior brick wall of building??

jig · 3 Feb 2006

First post so please go easy...

I currently have NTL/Sky cabling running on the exterier of the house there are four/five cables all tacked nicely and evenly next to each other.

I think it doen not look good and thinking of buying something ( trunking/plastci cover/cladding?) to hide it, is this possible?

What am I looking for ie what is it called?
What dimensions/ colours does it come in?
Where can I buy it shop or online?

All help and advoce greatly appreciated.

Big G · 4 Feb 2006

Don't really know what you're after but a good website that sells stuff is www.screwfix.com.

That might give you an idea.

HTH

G

andy · 4 Feb 2006

you could use plastic conduit in black, altho it could look just as bad as the cables. or you could use trunkin. mostly in white but you could paint it. try a shed or electrical wholesaler

breezer · 4 Feb 2006

can't use conduit, that would mean dissconnecting the cables at one end to get them through

JohnD · 4 Feb 2006

mini-trunking is quite neat, and it has a snap-on top cover that you can paint to tone with the walls. Non-drip gloss sticks well to PVC (no undercoat or primer required). Don't paint the cables, they have a plasticiser added to keep them flexible so they don't crack.

And if you paint the capping before fitting it, and let it dry fully before snapping it on, you won't accidentally stain the wall with paint.

jig · 4 Feb 2006

I dont want to have to remove any of the cabling, I was hoping I could just buy a type of cover that could be glued which would be a more pleaseant colur, perhaps a dark brown or black.

The problem with using trunking is the back needs to be fitted then the cover and therefore means removing the wiring!

Any more ideas? Have people done similar work?

JohnD · 4 Feb 2006

You can get a thing called plastic capping. It's intended for covering cables on a wall so that the plasterers don't bash it with their great trowels. It's pretty flimsy but you could paint it and put it over the top of cables. There is also a galvanised kind, don't know how long it would last out in the weather before going rusty.

I suppose you could even use the lid off mini-trunking, without the base, put it over your cables and fasten with an occasional stainless screw through the middle (without going through the cables too often!)

andy · 4 Feb 2006

JohnD said:
I suppose you could even use the lid off mini-trunking,

or maybe use some lid fixed to the wall between cable clips, then the base could fix onto that so its easily removeable

jig · 4 Feb 2006

JohnD said:
You can get a thing called plastic capping. It's intended for covering cables on a wall so that the plasterers don't bash it with their great trowels. It's pretty flimsy but you could paint it and put it over the top of cables. There is also a galvanised kind, don't know how long it would last out in the weather before going rusty.

I suppose you could even use the lid off mini-trunking, without the base, put it over your cables and fasten with an occasional stainless screw through the middle (without going through the cables too often!)

Thats great guys, where can I buy the trunking?Its going to have to be at least 10-12 cm wide to make sure I get all the cables? Guess I can you two side by side if it is not wide enough.

Where can I buy the stuff? Is it expensive?

Thanks for all the help so far guys!

JohnD · 4 Feb 2006

These people sell it by the pack of 20 lengths, I would have thought you could get it in a DIY store, Builders Merchant or Electrical Supply co,

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp;jsessionid=ZZY42YLVKZ5HCCSTHZPCFFI?id=35964&ts=71800

jig · 5 Feb 2006

JohnD said:
These people sell it by the pack of 20 lengths, I would have thought you could get it in a DIY store, Builders Merchant or Electrical Supply co,

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp;jsessionid=ZZY42YLVKZ5HCCSTHZPCFFI?id=35964&ts=71800

Thanks John but I dont think this is wide enough to cover all 7 wires, is there anything wider?

Adam_151 · 5 Feb 2006

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Trunking_Pvc_Index/index.html

maxi trunking, upto 10cm x 10cm

Steve · 5 Feb 2006

I dont see what the problem is - I wouldn't be put off buying a house if it had cables fixed to the side of it - in our area, the DNO run their cables along the front of houses - halfway up the walls. Now thats unsightly.

As long as all the cables are run in a straight line and clipped neatly, i wouldn't be bothered. Just be glad they aren't flapping around and hanging halfway down your backdoor. Internal trunking looks 5h1t outside and yellows with age - you will notice this more than the cables. Dont go there. Only thing I would suggest is black conduit, with proper termination boxes - this looks better - but again, you would notice it more than the cables.

jig · 5 Feb 2006

crafty1289 said:
I dont see what the problem is - I wouldn't be put off buying a house if it had cables fixed to the side of it - in our area, the DNO run their cables along the front of houses - halfway up the walls. Now thats unsightly.

As long as all the cables are run in a straight line and clipped neatly, i wouldn't be bothered. Just be glad they aren't flapping around and hanging halfway down your backdoor. Internal trunking looks 5h1t outside and yellows with age - you will notice this more than the cables. Dont go there. Only thing I would suggest is black conduit, with proper termination boxes - this looks better - but again, you would notice it more than the cables.

I think you are right and you have just helped me make up my mind and its probably best that I leave things as they are, I mena they are tacked well and in a straight line. Its just me getting ott to try and help the look of the house!

Thanks again all, this forum is great!

Cheers
jig

Steve · 5 Feb 2006

You could always put up a trellis and plant some ivy or a climbing plant at the bottom

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Hiding Cables/wires on exterior brick wall of building??

breezer

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