cable routing in skirting

russell58 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:09 pm Post Subject: cable routing in skirting

I want to get speaker cable and telephone cables hidden behind skirting board. Concrete floor below so underfloor not an option. Any advice on what products to use of what to look out for.

jj4091 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:14 pm Post Subject:

Do you have dual face skirtings?

russell58 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:16 pm Post Subject:

Don't know what dual face skirtings are - I don't think so.

JohnD · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:17 pm Post Subject:

One way of doing it:

Remove the skirting and fasten timber battens to the wall. One exactly aligned to the top of the skirting and one about 18mm above the floor.

If your wall is plastered brick or block you can cut back the plaster to the line of the battens. Fill neatly the joint between the top batten and the plaster.

This gives you a gap between the battens to run cables such as speakers, phone, broadband, co-ax. You may need to use screened cables to prevent them interfering with each other.

You must not run power cables in this way (unless protected with an earthed metal barrier) in case someone put a nail through them, and power cables have to be segregated from anything else.

Fasten the batten securely with screws and plugs. The skirting need only be lightly fastened to the battens with countersunk screws which you can decorate over if you like. As they are away from eye level you can also just paint the screw heads but leave them accessible. This makes it easier to remove them for future cabling, and also makes decorating a lot easier.

momo32 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:20 pm Post Subject:

A more expensive though similar method is to use skirtings with channels routed in them - I think Homebase do them. They look good and claim to allow plenty of space for (low voltage/signal only!) cables.

edited for spelling.

davy_owen_88 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:56 pm Post Subject:

If you have a router (or know someone with a router) you can make the channel yourself using any standard skirting and a straight cutting bit.

jj4091 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:17 pm Post Subject:

If you remove a section of skirting the dual face type have a moulding on both faces so that you can have a choice of finishes( shapes).With this type there is normally enough room between the bottom of the moulding & the wall to run small cables. In any case if your plastering has been done properly you should have a gap between the floor & the start of the plaster.