Getting cables across the room

[Sandtree]

We're moving to our first own place (flat) and so now have the opportunity to hide cables for our 5.1 sound system and to the projector... the question is how?

The room is a large lounge/diner/kitchen with the "lounge" being at the far end with a floor to almost ceiling window & french doors taking up almost the whole end. The foor is a newly laid laminate with almost no expansion gap under the skirting and no visible gap at all along the window.

I need to get a HDMI and 2 runs of speaker cable from one side of the room across to the other. The HDMI will terminate at the projector on the ceiling but the speaker cables will need to go to either side of the sofa at about ear level. The normal options of putting it in the expansion gap or under the carpet are non-starters. There is no cornicing to put it behind and don't think trunking would be subtle given the it'd have to be at ceiling height to deal with the window/french doors.

 

[Tigercubrider]

a diagram would help
presumably the floor to ceiling window /French doors have curtains?

Can you go up into the floor void and back down?

I know that it's not the ideal system but my Sony 5;1 has a wireless amp for the speakers on the rear. I have parquet and connecting through doors so the same issues as you

You can get skirting that is actually trunking.
Or make your own version

 

[Sandtree]

Layout New Flat

• Sandtree
• 25 Jul 2018

The window currently has built in blinds, we may consider adding some curtains but haven't decided yet.

Going into the ceiling was the obvious choice, especially for the HDMI cable, but what I wasnt sure was on how to deal with the going left/right for the speakers? Do I take down to the skirting on the far side, across, back into the wall and then up to the speakers? The sofa would hide most of the external cable but still felt messy.

I have seen skirting with trunking hidden in it but that doesnt solve going past the window. Putting in cornicing/coving for the same purpose was the other option but given how small the area above the window is it could then limit the options on curtains.

PS. If I do go for in the wall/up and over... how do I actually transition from being in the wall into being in the ceiling?

 

[Tigercubrider]

How do you intend to move the radiator? Won't it involve the floor?
How about going outside and under the window from the TV point to SL and back in again?

my speakers are on stands, not brackets so the cable is inside the telescopic pole that supports the speakers.
You could connect at skirting level

I am not a fan of channelling out a good wall to hide a cable
You could construct a very slim panel behind the Tv to make a feature and hide the cable route

 

[charliegolf]

Re: crossing in front of the window: What about a false threshold with channels routed into it; with trunking skirting for the rest. Ceiling joists almost certainly go with the flow for the projector cabling.
Is the sofa wall stud or solid or dot n dab? Is there a cornice around the ceiling?

 

[Sandtree]

Re: crossing in front of the window: What about a false threshold with channels routed into it; with trunking skirting for the rest. Ceiling joists almost certainly go with the flow for the projector cabling.
Is the sofa wall stud or solid or dot n dab? Is there a cornice around the ceiling?

Both sides of the room go onto the neighbouring flat's lounges and the radiator pipes emerge from the wall rather than floor so I am guessing its a structural wall with plasterboard infront (dont know if dot & dab or on studs). The property was built in 2002 and we're doing the actual moving in in a week. There is currently no coving/cornicing.

From memory the floor in the room is exactly at the height of the top of the bottom of the window/door frame and there is a 2" or so step down to the balcony. There may be a strip thats running along the top of the edge of the laminate thats covering any expansion gap but there was no physical space between it and the floor... guess that could be lifted to find a gap but not sure how its attached in the first place.

How do you intend to move the radiator? Won't it involve the floor?
How about going outside and under the window from the TV point to SL and back in again?

my speakers are on stands, not brackets so the cable is inside the telescopic pole that supports the speakers.
You could connect at skirting level

The pipes for the radiators come out the wall not the floor. Need to get someone in once we've completed the purchase but I am assuming there is a structual wall with plasterboard in front - dot & dab or on timber frame - and the services etc are running in the gap between the two. The move of the radiator will be bringing it closer to the boiler so hoping its not too hard a job but no idea at what height in the wall the pipes are running (if they are at all).

I understand from our lease & solicitors that cutting into the plasterboard is fine but were we to drill through the structural walls (eg to take the cable outside) then we need the freeholder's permission and the associated costs.

The speakers themselves are designed to be directly wall mounted rather than using any form of stand or bracket - though in a previous rental we did have them on stands as the Landlord didnt want us putting the mounting screws in the wall.

 

[Lucid]

This is one of those times when you tot up all the fudges involved in going "round the houses" and then work out for yourself that chasing the walls and breaking in to the ceiling is the better solution. Sure, it'll be messy short term, and you might even have to get a plasterer in just to patch up. However, the job will be done faster and neater. It may even end up being a bit cheaper than purchasing trunking.